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Newcomers DBPro Corner / Question about Darkbasics

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hoho
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Posted: 1st Feb 2004 11:44 Edited at: 1st Feb 2004 11:46
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1st: Ok I am wondering first why should I learn this over c++ or java since I think that is what game companies use to make their games(I want to be a game programmer when I grow up.)
I am pretty sure they do not use this(I could be wrong) so should I learn this still or should I hold off on this and learn c++ and java first? or not learn this at all?

2nd: If I do learn this how long on average does it take to get good at this program.

3rd: I was looking at these tutorials and I had no clue which one came first or what. Also I found them very confusing.
http://developer.thegamecreators.com/?f=dbpro_tutorials

4th: Are they any other tutorials I can learn from? ones with a person saying it would be best.
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Puddle man
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Posted: 1st Feb 2004 15:22
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ok well im pretty new to DB myslef but ill see if i can answer ur questions

1.Well from what i have heard mnay programmers prefer to use DarkBasic and progs like this to make their games. At the moment i think u should stick to DB (if u have it) and mabye try and start using C ++ at a l8r stage.
2. To get good at DarkBasic shouldnt take u too long, depending on the pace u r working at. I got DB fo x mas and i am starting to learn most of the basics and get to grips with the code.
3. Right then if u r looking for a fairly good tutorial, i suggest u buy "Beginners Guide to DarkBasic" by J Harbour and J smith. It is a bit pricey but it breaks down all the difficult stuff so u can learn at ur own pace.
4. See 3

Hope this help and happy programming!!!
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Chris K
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Posted: 1st Feb 2004 20:27 Edited at: 1st Feb 2004 20:27
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Start off here its an absolute beginners tutorial.

That should get you used to how code works and the basics of programming (the same in any language).

You should not start off with C++. Start with DB, then once you get good at coding (and more importantly - game making) you may want to move on to another language.

DarkBASIC is better than java.

Almost all comercial games, ones you buy in shops, are made in C or C++ because those languages give you complete control over everything (pretty much) but you need to do everything yourself (memory allocation etc.) DB does all the really complex stuff for you.

DBpro is possible of making some pretty amazing games.
Check out -

Starwraight 3
Roomwar
Roswell Racer
Operation Invasion Evasion

for some inspriation.

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ReD_eYe
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Posted: 1st Feb 2004 20:52
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Dark Basic is great for getting your ideas down into code very quickly, there are alot of people here with alot of knowledge of c(++) etc but they choose to use dark basic to achieve good results relatively quickly. There are also many other reasons.


GO TO THE ETERNAL DESTINY FORUMS!!! http://forums.eternaldestinyonline.com
Do it now!!!
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hoho
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Posted: 2nd Feb 2004 07:22
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So how is that book is it any good? Like I have to know. Also how much does it go on this site for I could not find the price I looked it up in Amazon.ca and it costs $41can. Also I saw a book called Game Programming for Teens for teams is this book any good?
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walaber
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Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posted: 2nd Feb 2004 16:37
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learning DBPro is a good idea. BASIC is a relatively easy, (yet still powerfull) language. the techniques you learn from BASIC can be applied to any programming language.

DBPro will get you up and going (especially making games) faster than any other language I know.

good luck!

Go Go Gadget DBPRO!

Athlon XP 2400+ || DDR-SDRAM 1GB || Nvidia Ti4200 AGP 8x 128MB
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hoho
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Posted: 3rd Feb 2004 02:46
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So is the book any good? or how did you guys learn darkbasic?
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BearCDPOLD
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Posted: 3rd Feb 2004 03:04
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I started with qbasic, which is a basic language for MSDOS, but works on any windows system. It's good for learning programming basics like variables and function and all that. The book I learned that from was Beginning Programming for Dummies 1st Edition

Then I used Blitz (argh, choking, coughing dying... dead). I recommend avoiding that. Game Programming for Teens focuses on Blitz (argh, choking, coughing dying... dead).

I liked DarkBASIC because it was very similar to qbasic. I got it for my birthday along with the Beginner's Guide to DarkBASIC Game Programming book. It was also a nice insight to the basics of programming, and eventually the more advanced commands of DB Classic and Pro. Not a one-stop source, you'll need to ask some questions here, but it is a nice starting point.

Juvenile Industries
Current Project: KillZone(FPS)
Soon to come:An rts, and a snowball fight game
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AluminumPork
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Posted: 3rd Feb 2004 05:46
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hey, ah yes... the good ol' days of qbasic 4.5 (free one with windows)

I remember when I was 7, (now 17) messing around that bad-boy (QB). I first found it when figuring out DOSSHELL (miss u ) and thought it was just a text editor, but then I found the help file, saw the PRINT command, continued to hook up my printer , but then saw that it printed my text to the screen. I then realized you could make the computer do stuff, and it only went on from there.

Anyways, sorry about the run-around... but I do think you should start with DB, or possibly even QB.

Even in QB, I was able to make some pretty cool stuff.

Geez, I wish I had DarkBasic when I found QB.

Oh yea, you wouldn't believe how excited I was when at dos prompt I type "win" and found out that my comp had "Windows 3.11 For Workgroups", and how even more excited I was to find the "CANYON.MID" song!

-+Sorry for my ranting+-

P4 2.4Ghz HT, 512MB RAM, ATI Radeon 9600 128MB, 19" Viewsonic, 80GB HD

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hoho
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Posted: 3rd Feb 2004 06:02
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I know some qbasics. But My question is really is the book worth buying? and also I saw other programs like text editor and stuff I will not need that right till I get really good at DB right? like if I want to make say later on a role playing game I will be able still to make a good game with ok graphic by just using DB.
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AluminumPork
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Posted: 3rd Feb 2004 07:08
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I would recommend taking a look at the tutorials, and the help files... take a look at the commands and mess around with them, see what you can do.

Try to get comfortable with the TEXT, CASE, DO/LOOP, IF/ENDIF commands.

Try to make a simple pong game, or take a look at snippet and see if you understand, or can grasp what it does. That's how I started back with QB. I would do all of the above before thinking about RPG's or bigger projects. If you can finish a nice little pong game then the rest of DBC will be fairly straight-forward.

As for the book, I don't know. I haven't bought, nor do I plan to in the near future. In my opinion the help files are good enough.

Hope I helped.

P4 2.4Ghz HT, 512MB RAM, ATI Radeon 9600 128MB, 19" Viewsonic, 80GB HD

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Gjl
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Posted: 3rd Feb 2004 10:04 Edited at: 3rd Feb 2004 10:05
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I'd recommend DBPro over DB Classic and also that you don't get the book. Most of what's in the book is covered in this tutorial: http://developer.thegamecreators.com/?f=t02/bm_tutorial_index

This is a very good tutorial that not only shows you how to make a pretty fun game, but also explains all the very basic stuff you need to learn. You can also read the DBPro manual which explains the basics.
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IanM
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Posted: 3rd Feb 2004 14:29
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Take a look at the tutorial that I stickied at the top of this forum. It gives a reasonable starting point for learning the basics of coding.

For free Plug-ins, source and the DBPro Interface library for Visual C++ 6 and .NET
http://www.matrix1.demon.co.uk
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Surreal Studio IanG
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Posted: 3rd Feb 2004 19:03
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don't learn c++ - because (if u like me) you will find DBPro much easier and quicker to learn / use. anyway to get into game programming you have to get a degree in computer sciences(programing) in which they teach you how to program, so it would be easier not to learn c++.

i got DBPro for my bday last september, and now i can program most things - though not multiplayer because i've never tried. it is much easier than c++ (which i'm also learning (o no a fawlty towers moment) i learn it from a book (manuel if u didn't guess).

to sum up learn dbpro first then move onto other lanuages (never do french) follow the tutorials and you will soon pick it up - i did.

Flick that switch...*BANG*...Not that one!
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hoho
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Posted: 5th Feb 2004 07:23
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Ya I think I will wait on c++ and java till later(prob when I am in college)
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waffle
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Posted: 5th Feb 2004 14:49
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C++ is not really that hard and DBPro can get you programming C++ if used creatively.

Example:
Make a game in DBPro
Place range calcualtions into a C++ DLL
Use a resouce tool to make a string table for your DLL
and add that DLL to DBPro as a native command.

Then, as you learn more about windows, add API support to your DBPro apps.... I use the Win API to do multithreading file downloads from the internet. Not very fancy code, but its a start and something DBPro can't do any other way.

internet gaming group
current project http://home.comcast.net/~norman.perry/Archon.html
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