need help sorta

[chris_gillis]

I'm a veteran Java programmer. I dont know a lot, but I do know quite a bit, I've finished a Java Course which goes into the basics and most of the advanced stuff. I've looked at a few tutorials online, but now where do I go?

I am very interested in game programming, but I don't know how to apply my understanding of Java to the concept of gaming.

My main focus is on a little 3D shooter, maybe a 2d tile based RPG, a MUD would be nice.

What should I read to get started on these topics.

(the 3D aspect is what i REALLY want to do, but would 2D be an easier start for me?)

[oNyx]

2D is ofcorse easier to do than 3D stuff.

Also the genres you mentioned are way too hardcore for the beginning. You need to get used to the basic concepts of game programming. A gameloop, input, drawing of graphics (and their drawing order), animation, timing, sound and ofcorse logic.

Pick a small project first wich covers all of these aspects. A puzzle game is perfect for the beginning. You have everything there you need... but the most important factor is that you don't need that much media for doing such a game.

"What a puzzle game? I hate puzzles!", I hear you say. Well... I'm not really a fan of that sterotypic puzzle games, too. However there are nice puzzle games... so called "logic mazes" like "Mummy Maze" (over at popcap.com) it's based upon "Theseus and the Minotaur" and I really enjoyed it. Or "Four Rivers" (Shisen) it's a Mahjongg variation. I really like that game therefore I made a speed version of it called "TinyRivers" (you can find it in "Your Games Here" somewere).

Once you are done you'll see tons of things wich you could have solved better and that's the whole point; getting skill. Your first game will just suck... as everyone's first game, but that doesn't matter as long as you've learned something on your way.

Btw welcome to JGO

[Jeff]

You can also look at classic arcade games as good starting projects, someone here a year ago did a really nice PacMan as a first project.

"How to write a game" really breaks down into 4 areas.  Game design, art, coding techniques and the Java syntax.

The first is a long subject unto itself and is more art then science.
The second is a necessary part of any game project.  You can design your code with "programmer art" but your going to need some good looking art (and sounds and such) to have a real professional looking end product.

( Look at cas's Alien Flux for a great example of a technically simple game with good game design and great art.)

In terms of "how do I program a game in java" the answer is you  do it the same as you do in any other language.  Whether youa re doing 2D or 3D there are software "patterns" and techniques for all the fundemental forms of games (platform, isometric, FPS, etc). Any good bookm on programming a given kind of game will tell you the structure and techniques of that sort of game.  Then its just a matter of translating from the syntax of the language its repsented in (typically C or C++) to Java.  People here can help you with that.

For isometric games, I recommend the Premier Press book "Programming Isometric Games in DirectX 7".  Ignore the DX specific stuff but the techniques translate.  In fact, I've done a translation of most of the basic tehniques to AWT already in  a demo called "Scroller" you can download source to from the projects area.

To be honest though, if I were doing a 2D game today in J2SE, I'd probably go cas's route and instead of using AWT for rendering I'd use OGL (JOGL in my case) and do it as mono-planar 3D in the zero plane.

Games published by our own members! Check 'em out!

[princec]

>technically simple game
LOL! You ought to take a look under the hood...

If I were a newbie today I'd start with Breakout (my first Java game was AF but I've been coding for 20 years). Breakout gives you that game loop thing and teaches you about soft realtime programming. You only have a paddle to worry about, and no gidrahs, just a brick map.

PacMan is definitely the way to go next. It gives you monsters that need to "think" slightly, which is a whole extra challenge in itself. Using your knowledge of realtime game programming from Breakout it should be fairly easy to code a new game with monsters in it in a similar framework.

Then I'd go on to learn about scrolling. Scramble would be a great choice. I'm even thinking of doing my own take on Scramble, as it's one of the best games ever written but often totally forgotten.

Cas

[Jeff]

>technically simple game
LOL! You ought to take a look under the hood...

No offense intended Cas. Its a GREAT game and itm plays fantastic.  But at least conceptually its pretty simple.  Its not the complex technical concept something like a 3D RPG is.

Actually, games like AF are really great because they show really clearly how important the game design and final polish are. Its not a "breakthrough technical concept", the 2D shooter has been around a long time, but the game deisgn and art really turn it into a uniquely enjoyable experience.

(and yeah, I gotta send you my $20.00 this week, I'm over-due regsitering this beast  )