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Need Help Choosing My Path!

Started by January 21, 2014 06:31 PM
15 comments, last by TheScriptan 11 years ago

Hello, so I really need someones opinion about my experience, and where should I start with programming. I was always distracted by other languages and game engines, and now I am struggling with what game engine/framework or programming language should I stick. I had most of the experience in C++, but I forgot some of it, then I have experience in C#, Pascal, Lua. I hate Python, because syntax there is just god awful. Anyways, I used engines/frameworks like: Unity, Blender, Game Maker, Love2D I was working with them but after some time I just stopped... So I want you guys to give me some advice where should I start again? What language would fit me best.

I am 15 years old and I want to make my carrier with programming or game programming. So please help me decide which one should I choose, I know that I have to choose it by myself because I know only what language/engine fits me the best, but still...

EDIT: What language or engine would you suggest for me to start with?

I am soooo sorry that my english is low, but I think you can understand it well. smile.png

Check out my blog or twitter for news how I am doing in the project "Learn Programming in 2 Years!". You can follow my progress, and help me! :)

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Don't worry about your English. We can make out the meaning just fine.

You'll probably want to do C# or Lua. They're much simpler than C++ and as far as I know they have really good support. I don't know about Pascal, but judging by the fact that nobody recommends it to beginners, I image it's not a good option.

Yo dawg, don't even trip.

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I'll probably get screamed at by a few for this, but the simple truth is that if you're serious about getting into the games industry (which I think it's safe to assume you are - you're here asking for help and you're asking about game engines, no?) then you need to be highly competent with C++. There's no two ways about.

If you're wanting to get into programming in general then yeah, you can afford to be a bit more expansive and study other languages. But honestly I'd just dive right in and get going with C++. You said you had the most experience with it so why not carry on from there? smile.png

If you're unsure where to go from your current abilities, why not tell us the sort of stuff you understand so we can point you in the right direction? happy.png There's the standard drivel of programming requiring dedication and time but in my eyes if you're suitably passionate about it (your history with C++ at your age suggests you are) then you can ignore all of that and just drive onwards with your chosen language.

Best of luck whichever path you go down dude smile.png

EDIT: As for engines.. Don't think about them until you're competent with C++. Apologies if you are - if not, get going with some 2D games. Knowing a language isn't enough sometimes - you need to understand game structure and stuff alongside it!

BSc Computer Games Programming (De Montfort University) Graduate

Worked on Angry Birds Go! at Exient Ltd

Co-founder of Stormburst Studios

Don't worry about your English. We can make out the meaning just fine.

You'll probably want to do C# or Lua. They're much simpler than C++ and as far as I know they have really good support. I don't know about Pascal, but judging by the fact that nobody recommends it to beginners, I image it's not a good option.

I mentioned Pascal, because I was starting with it at the very beggining

Check out my blog or twitter for news how I am doing in the project "Learn Programming in 2 Years!". You can follow my progress, and help me! :)

My Projects:

"Learn Programming In 2 Years"

"Windows Tutorials"

"Ubuntu Tutorials"

My Games:

Moving@ IndieDB: http://www.indiedb.com/games/moving-rl

My Links:

My Blog: http://www.thescriptan.blogspot.com

My Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheScriptan

If you learnt c++ first and forgot then refresh your knowlege on C++, then lua for scripting.
For 3d game engines, unreal or unity or leadwerks (not free but uses c++ and maybe lua ), blender for game assets.

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I'll probably get screamed at by a few for this, but the simple truth is that if you're serious about getting into the games industry (which I think it's safe to assume you are - you're here asking for help and you're asking about game engines, no?) then you need to be highly competent with C++. There's no two ways about.

If you're wanting to get into programming in general then yeah, you can afford to be a bit more expansive and study other languages. But honestly I'd just dive right in and get going with C++. You said you had the most experience with it so why not carry on from there? smile.png

If you're unsure where to go from your current abilities, why not tell us the sort of stuff you understand so we can point you in the right direction? happy.png There's the standard drivel of programming requiring dedication and time but in my eyes if you're suitably passionate about it (your history with C++ at your age suggests you are) then you can ignore all of that and just drive onwards with your chosen language.

Best of luck whichever path you go down dude smile.png

EDIT: As for engines.. Don't think about them until you're competent with C++. Apologies if you are - if not, get going with some 2D games. Knowing a language isn't enough sometimes - you need to understand game structure and stuff alongside it!

My C++ knowledge is like Polymorphism, virtual functions, OOP :)

Check out my blog or twitter for news how I am doing in the project "Learn Programming in 2 Years!". You can follow my progress, and help me! :)

My Projects:

"Learn Programming In 2 Years"

"Windows Tutorials"

"Ubuntu Tutorials"

My Games:

Moving@ IndieDB: http://www.indiedb.com/games/moving-rl

My Links:

My Blog: http://www.thescriptan.blogspot.com

My Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheScriptan


My C++ knowledge is like Polymorphism, virtual functions, OOP

Good, that sounds like a pretty solid basis for continuing then!

You won't need oodles more to begin making a game then. I'd recommend looking into SFML 2.1 as a library to develop games with. Fairly simple to use and keeps all the nasty OGL stuff away from you ;) Maybe aim for some basic games to begin with and then aim upwards! There's tons of resources online for 2D game development!

BSc Computer Games Programming (De Montfort University) Graduate

Worked on Angry Birds Go! at Exient Ltd

Co-founder of Stormburst Studios

Believe it or not, there is a huge difference between if you want to learn programming and make games or want to learn programming to make games. The difference being that in the first situation you are equally passionate about both game dev'ing and programming (separately passionate) and want to pursue them both. In the second situation, you are interested in programming, but this as a means to your goal to make games. I have totally separate advice for whichever one you are. Neither way of thinking is better.

If you want to learn programming and make games, then I would recommend installing GNU/Linux and using C to start making programs using legendary tools like GCC, make, GNU nano, bash, Emacs, GDB, GNU/Linux itself, etc. This is a whole different topic, but there is still something I must address. I will definitely get a lot of flak here for recommending what I just did, but honestly if you learn this stuff, everything else is just easier and not superstitious. You can then learn C++ if you want to fit in with everyone else, once your projects become too big for C (you can judge this based on what is comfortable size for you). You don't have to use C++ for large projects, it's all preference. C code is valid C++ code, but not vice versa (its like C is the inside layer of a C++ onion). Some might recommend you stick with something like Python, Lua, or Java on Windows ($indows), but if you are passionate about programming separate from games, you might as well learn the mainstays and norms of the modern PC.

If you want to learn programming, but programming is just a part of your path to making games, ignore the above paragraph. That would be torture if you really didn't want to learn the stuff. Just go grab something like Unity 3D and use JavaScript, Python, C#, etc. as a scripting language. This is a perfectly legitimate way of making games. I don't care what people say, this is the best option for pretty much all indie devs. The only reason people like me prefer writing our own code is because it is just fun, once you get the train rolling. When using a ready-to-use solution, you also get to sit back in your chair with a pretty HD 3D game after a day or two of work with pride and achievement, whereas going for a homegrown approach you can sit back with pride over your 3D (extremely buggy) game that frequently crashes and has caused you to lose half of your hair (this all after 2 months).

Overall, you have some very productive times available to you. Kids have lots of energy at your age, and they also have lots of time. Respond if you want me to elaborate on anything I said.


You'll probably want to do C# or Lua.

One of my friends was looking to make a lua game and found this lua engine called love2d

It looks like it has all the basic parts to an engine.

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