(gamedev.net) 1. I am a beginner in game development. As a matter of fact, “a very much beginner”! I need to know very few basic things. Here they are, A) in which particular language or softwares are the highly 3d realistic 3d games developed? What are sdk’s? are they the only tool for game designers? Does open gl has its own sdk? B) How can we import 3d studio max files into developing our won games? C) How and why are 3d game engines developed? Well, I guess any enthusiast from your side would definitely help me by providing suitable positive answers to my queiries! I am really dead frustrated coz I live in India where even playing games is a rare thing, lets not talk of developing them! I am confused and lost coz I don’t know where to start!

A) In which particular language or softwares are the highly 3d realistic 3d games developed? What are sdk’s? are they the only tool for game designers? Does open gl has its own sdk?

The majority of games are developed in C or C++. SDK are software development kits, they''re pretty much packages for libraries. They''re not "the only tool." OpenGL doesn''t have an "SDK," but it doesn''t really need one. You only need the libraries and headers to use it. Nehe''s is a good place for tutorials.

B) How can we import 3d studio max files into developing our won games?
That''s a rather broad question. The C and C++ standard libraries have I/O functions for you to use to load files. You should see wotsit.org for information on a specific file format, such as 3DS files.

C) How and why are 3d game engines developed?
Why? Because it''s fun and/or profitable. Depends on the person/group. How? Well, that''s far too broad to answer easily. Pick and language, an OS, and a good graphics API and learn to use them, and then start thinking about actually making a 3D engine.


[Resist Windows XP''s Invasive Production Activation Technology!]

I find it''s useful to invest in some books when I begin something new. Tricks of the Windows Game Programming Gurus by Andre LaMothe is a good place to start if you already know c++. Since game books usually aren''t bestsellers, you might have to send for it international from the US. Then again, India is has become very tech-oriented, so I certainly could be wrong. Ask around at local bookstores and amazon.com.

I find it''s useful to invest in some books when I begin something new. Tricks of the Windows Game Programming Gurus by Andre LaMothe is a good place to start if you already know c++. Since game books usually aren''t bestsellers, you might have to send for it international from the US. Then again, India has become very tech-oriented, so I certainly could be wrong. Ask around at local bookstores and amazon.com.

Hi,

Personally I am from India(citizen and staying in the country) and presently its tough to get decent game programming/design books in India. It was tough for me to even get a copy of windows game programming for dummies, luckily I found it in a store and it was the stores last copy and I heard last that the publisher who was publishing that book in India closed down, so Lamothe''s book would be tough to get.

Regarding OpenGL & DirectX API, yes you can get them easily in any computer bookshop, but most of the others like Game Design etc are hard to find.

Development in India is rare :
Yes, its a sad thing that development is rare, but there are a few companies who did make a game I think - I think one was Stump Vision(I am not sure) who made a cricket game.

Confused ?
Well I guess it happens to all of us. While starting out even I was confused(dunno about others), but it sure started to fall into place slowly and steadily.

1. I agree with flame_warrior. It is hard to find books in India especially books related to graphics content. I used to live in India about 5 years ago and somehow my father used to manage to find books that no one else could; hopefully the situation is different now. I started learning OpenGL here in Canada and basically all I used was the online version of the Red Book ( OpenGL Programming Guide ) and NeHe''s tutorials to get started. I didn''t even need a book on DirectX ( I followed the Interactive Tutorials on Gamedev.net ) If you have the patience just use the internet as your resource; there are plenty of sites around that''ll help you get started.

2. 3D Game Engines are developed in order to give a bit of an organization and structure to the code to the 3D Game being developed. After all, you don''t want to write a million lines of procedural code that runs a game but cannot be understood, reused and improved. Basically, it involves the design and implementation of game specific data structures and algorithms at a high level. Most Graphics APIs such as OpenGL and DirectX are used since they already provide the low level implementation of the dirty math involved in programming a graphics application. This is sort of a basic idea and its just my opinion.

3. How to program a 3D Game Engine is a bit of a large topic because it involves various decision making processes such as which API to use, how to create and store game data, what kind of game is being programmed, etc... Again, some resources might help you out by pointing in the right direction. See the Interactive Tutorials on this site for example. It leads you step-by-step in programming a simple game ( and possibly more complex games later on ).

Hope this helps out.


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