starting my game making career

[cejay]

OK I would like to start making video games with java to get my feet wet in the field. I have basic knowledge of the java language and can use it pretty efficiently. I know about the control flow of programming. I know about inheritance and packaging for a clean environment. I have finally grasped the idea of object oriented programming (that would took me a while). I keep my code clean and easy to read. I note everything I can. I am just new to the entire coding from scratch idea.

My first project I want to start is a mmo I am going to call "stick world". It will have small 2d graphics that i want to eventually make into 3d graphics (i know 3d stick figures wouldn't that be great!?! lol) Its just to get me used to networking, client and server software development and game engine development.

I sorta sound like I know what I'm doing, but I don't know where to start. I haven't the slightest idea on how to get my idea going.

I haven't really developed any games small or large at all. so my question is this.

Can any one point me in the right direction?

I am not looking for some magical tutorial that says here it is! do it!.

I am mainly looking for a few or lots of small references that can get me going on the right path.

When I can afford it, I have been told that java game programming for dummies book should defiantly take me the right way. But i want to go further then that and try to learn as much as possible.

I would really appreciate the support if any one could give it to me. thank you. :)

[m00nchile]

If you haven't made a small game yet, I'd suggest you start there. Pong, Space Invaders, Snake, something along those lines will get you familiar with the concepts of game programming. If you want to do networking I'd also suggest a small chat program first as well, nothing complicated, just two clients sending string to one another. After getting confortable with the basics, you'l have a much easier time with a big project. A good tutorial to get you started would be Killer game programming in Java, google it, it's available free.

[Onra]

Also some useful links for java game programming ressources:

lwjgl.org - Home of the Lightweight Java Game Library
Slick - 2D Game Library based on LWJGL
jMonkeyEngine.org | Home
kryonet - Project Hosting on Google Code

Slick has some little tutorials which should introduce you to game programming (2D games like Breakout clones, Jump and Run clones, Tetris clones). Then you can learn networking by implementing chats with login/logout functionality and what not, coupled with a database. Then start doing your own little 2D games and make them bigger and bigger, add networking to it, etc.

[cejay]

wow thanks guys, that actually makes perfect sense =D. I am going to get started right away.

this should be fun =).

[TheWelt-]

Good luck with that cejay!
I'd love to see how you get along with it all.
I'm pretty interested in Game Programming myself. =)

[cejay]

thanks =D ill probably make a progress report while I'm going. Im way excited to get started. I think im going to start with plinko as my first game =).

(you know the game where you have a paddle at the bottom and you have a moving ball that hits other rectangles)

should be exciting!

[Jesper]

hi cejay
you can maybe find inspiration in this link, assigment 3 is about creating such a game (I'm working on it my self while posting this...)

good luck
Jesper

CS106A Programming Methodology