Gaming Dev. I might have posted about this before but I really want to get into gaming dev. Today I was watching G4 and it had "The Making of Test Drive." I doubt any of you saw this episode, but I did. I was so impressed and so intrigued(sp?) when this women came on and demonstrated how to make textures. My jaw literally dropped because she made it look so easy! After the women came on this man did and he was demonstrating how the model the cars and the maps. He made that look easy as well; if one got the hang of the program. The thing''s I really want to know are: 1) I was wondering where I should start? I know I''m smart enough to start. But I just can''t find the starting line. 2) What program''s will I need? I have Photoshop. But I''ve heard that 3D Studio Max is great, but it''s not for gaming dev. That''s it.

are you talking about designing levels graphics and models
or are you talking about programming.

designing levels or graphics is pretty much as easy as using a tool but programmings much harder (IMHO).

as for programs you need:
paintshop is good and not too expensive
GIMP is a freeware paint program and I've heard good things about it.

not sure about 3d modellers, the only one I've ever used is Truespace 1.04 (freeware)

If you want to program you'll need a compiler
some good C++ compilers are:
Dev C++ which is free
and Visual C++ which is not free

EDIT: forgot to mention programming books
you will need lots of good books to learn how to program on your own.

[edited by - googlyeyes on December 27, 2002 10:18:54 PM]

If you are wanting to learn to program games, you will definitely need books! Start Here for help.
Expect to take some time, probably around a year, before you have enough skill to embark on a 'proper' game, and several years before you can really consider yourself skilled.

I would disagree with the sentiment that level design or graphics is 'easy' - more accurately, it's slightly easier than programming to get started (anyone can open a level editor and make a bad level), but 2D art and level design are very hard to do well.

However, you will be able to get rewarding results after a little work.

The best way to get started on level design is to map for a well-established FPS, using an existing level editor (such as UnrealEd).
This will, over time, teach you how to use a standard editor, what makes that editor good or bad, and some elements of how scenes are rendered.

For graphics the path is less certain, as you need someone's models to work with! As I've only really had level design and programming experience, I'll stop my advice there.

[edited by - HG on December 28, 2002 8:06:48 AM]

Yeah I wanted to get into graphics. I know I don''t have what it takes to program games.

Yeah I wanted to get into graphics. I know I don''t have what it takes to program games.

To Living Legend: Wouldn't it be more profitable to you to hang around the Graphics Programming and Theory forum? Just a suggestion...


tcache
Contact Me
-----------
Games don't affect kids. If Pac-man had affected us, we'd all be sitting in darkened rooms munching pills and
listening to repetitive electronic music. -- Kristian Wilson(Nintendo Inc., 1989)



[edited by - Tazel on December 29, 2002 1:54:59 AM]

[edited by - Tazel on December 29, 2002 1:56:09 AM]

[edited by - Tazel on December 29, 2002 1:59:43 AM]

[edited by - Tazel on December 29, 2002 2:00:46 AM]

[edited by - Tazel on December 29, 2002 2:02:05 AM]

[edited by - Tazel on December 29, 2002 2:04:22 AM]

[edited by - Tazel on December 29, 2002 2:05:03 AM]

No it wouldn''t be helpfull for him to go to those forums, he is a begginer and he is at the right place.

Also Game dev _is_ doing art work, so no he doesn''t mean programming obviously he would like to get started doing the texturing and modelling.

3d studio max is used for games btw.

If you can get a hold of photoshop start hanging around in the help wanted forums and offer your art services for 2d graphics when you get good at texturing move on to 3d graphics.

My only problem is that I just have no idea where to start for texturing. No one has really gave me a site or something to start on. I do have PS6. If I were to get in to texturing, what would I use it for. I am just so confused. :-/

Hiya

I''m also very very new to games developing, I so badly want to learn all the fundamentals that are required to make the best game. However, I''ve read many different books since my interest reached it''s strongest peak and one of the things always mentioned is to start off basic and slowly move to more complicated projects.

I''ve had an amazing game idea for the past two years.......still in my mind, every other day I bring part of it into the real world whether it''s in drawing or story form.

Many people have told me to start off learning a simple language and make some projects with that one, If I can finish a handful of small completed projects I''d have a better chance at finishing a bigger one.

Now I really am a novice at this.........sometimes it''s good to hear how other novices approach so that it gives you an idea of what to expect.

As for level design..........I did some of this quite some years ago now. Ever heard of a game called Doom? They had a level editor included on one of the cd-rom package deals....you could still probably get it on the net now, if it works on your machine that is.

I found making my first level very hard, either I put too many monsters in one room or too little ammo in another. However, after my first my levels got better and better, I found that editor really easy to use and I would recomend something like that to someone without experience. I could be wrong but textures in that were the walls, floors.....pretty much everything you see in the game world.

You could also try the half-life editor but this one is in 3D and a little more complicated to use.

The best place to start is to look through polycount. Lurk in the forums there for a while, and you can pick up a great deal.