How to be a game programmer and developer?

[GüntherJung]

Hello :) .I am new in this forum and i am really interested in programming.I really want to learn to program with Cuda, C++ you know. I want to make my own game engines and 3D games with stunning grafiks. I saw really interesting things in the Nvidia developer zone like Nvidia PhysX SDK, OpenGL, OpenCL, DirectX and many other stuff. I want to learn how to program with them and for what and how can i use it? What i must learn first? From what i must start? What book's i must read of i am new to software and game programming? I am really confused. Thank's :D .

[xWhiplash]

XNA!? No thank you. I am not ready for this. It's too advanced. Don't you know that i am on level console applications?

PS: And my question was totaly different.

You asked: And i know the code is horrible. Some advice? I mean what i must do to fix this? Not the code for the Tic-Tac-Toe. I mean my programming style at all?

I gave you links for reference that you can use for structuring. I know you are using C++, but the links I gave you will give you some ideas on how to structure the code (as in make it object oriented and dynamic).

[GüntherJung]

Yes, but for XNA. Then you edited it and posted some good stuff. The problem is that i don't understand anything xD. There are just some for loops and i don't understand anything what's in them.

The not understanding makes me angry. I want to understand this code, but i can't :cry: .

[El Marto]

Yes, but for XNA. Then you edited it and posted some good stuff. The problem is that i don't understand anything xD. There are just some for loops and i don't understand anything what's in them.

The not understanding makes me angry. I want to understand this code, but i can't :cry: .

s1 = (NSString *)[board objectAtIndex:i];

is the same as

char s1 = board;

the rest is all pretty universal

[xWhiplash]

C#, Python, C++, or any other language does not matter. Algorithms are algorithms. I would try understanding how to read code before you actually start programming, because once you can, you can look at code from any language (any modern language) and translate it to C++ (or your language) with no trouble at all. I will suggest doing what other people have suggested. Take some classes, or get some books.

80% of all languages have the same syntax, so I would focus on how to read syntax before actually coding.

For example: C++, Java, C#, C, Objective-C, PHP, and many others have the EXACT same syntax for while loops, for loops, conditional statements, and more.

This is one of the reasons I prefer people would start with a managed language like C# or Java (no pointers, memory allocations and deallocations, and so on). Because you are just concerned about algorithms. Once you learn that, you can use any language and framework you want very easily.

[GüntherJung]

I think getting some books is better. I won't pay for classes. And i have a question.

If:

s1 = (NSString *)[board objectAtIndex:i];

is the same as

char s1 = board;

Then why the first one? And i want to ask why the array board has an i and not a number?

[+Nik Louch Subscriber²]

Come on, you have yet to explain why random suggests AI. Your code is terrible, but you feel you can make such blanket statements...

[El Marto]

s1 = (NSString *)[board objectAtIndex:i]; is the Objective-C way of doing it. but i was trying to say it in a way that you would understand

i represents the current value of the loop. it is declared at the start of the for loop. So it will always be a number

[xWhiplash]

Then why the first one?

The first one uses language specific coding (Objective C). char s1 = board is universal to MOST languages.

And i want to ask why the array board has an i and not a number?

This was in the middle of a for loop with i as the variable being used.

char s1;
for(int i = 0; i < 5; i++)
{
     s1 = board[i];  //useless line to use, but good for demonstration
}

Is the same as:

char s1;
s1 = board[0];
s1 = board[1];
s1 = board[2];
s1 = board[3];
s1 = board[4];

[GüntherJung]

Oh of course. I've read before time for that. Really good idea. I have been thinking many time for what this for loop is used. This is the best loop i thing. And to answer for AI: Yes it isn't really inteligent to make random things, but from time to time you must make random desizions. Making a desizion is AI. Isn't it?

[fsX]

I think getting some books is better. I won't pay for classes. And i have a question.

If:

s1 = (NSString *)[board objectAtIndex:i];

is the same as

char s1 = board;

Then why the first one? And i want to ask why the array board has an i and not a number?

I try to respect that you're not taking classes and want to learn all by yourself, but come on? this topic started way back in December and after all these months you've just now learned about arrays and you're still surprised about using a variable to index them? These are absolute basics of pretty much any programming language! What have you been learning all this time?

Oh of course. I've read before time for that. Really good idea. I have been thinking many time for what this for loop is used. This is the best loop i thing. And to answer for AI: Yes it isn't really inteligent to make random things, but from time to time you must make random desizions. Making a desizion is AI. Isn't it?

Making complex decisions based on data from an environment is AI. Making random decisions isn't.

[GüntherJung]

Do you thing i have learned all this time programming? I must go to school. Now it's summer vacation so i can learn programming, but i had to learn for school. And the reason why i won't go to classes, because i must pay for them. I am not a milioner you know xD. Ok it isn't nessecerly to be a milioner, but my parents don't have the money for this and i haven't heared that in Bulgaria you can take programming classes.

And can we leave this AI question behind?

[CentralDogma]

Making complex decisions based on data from an environment is AI. Making random decisions isn't.

Well, it is an AI. Not a very useful one, but still technically an AI.

[+Nik Louch Subscriber²]

And can we leave this AI question behind?

Then don't make such stupid claims that you have written a perfectly functioning AI!

[GüntherJung]

I will ignore the last post of njlouch.

[+Nik Louch Subscriber²]

I will ignore the last post of njlouch.

That is your choice. Feel free to continue claiming what you write is "perfect". Your code is an absolutel mess, my first attempts at coding were possibly similar, but I would never had made such ridiculous claims!

[tiagosilva29]

I try to respect that you're not taking classes and want to learn all by yourself, but come on? this topic started way back in December and after all these months you've just now learned about arrays and you're still surprised about using a variable to index them? These are absolute basics of pretty much any programming language! What have you been learning all this time?

OP is trying to become an APL god. Why are you so jealous?

[iKenndac]

If you're not going to take programming classes (which is required if you want a career in programming IMO, unless you go indie) then at least find a book or an online course or something. Sporadically posting in a forum thread is not going to teach you programming.

Edit: I was self-taught for five years or so, and even shipped a program before I had any formal programming education. Then I went to Uni, and learned much more in those three years than I did in self-teaching. I look back at the code I wrote then and? *shudder*.

[GüntherJung]

For me it's important to work perfectly. Yes it works, but it isn't complete. I mean the AI. Everything other works perfectly. Yes ot WORKS PERFECTLY except the AI. And can you make something different in this topic. You just insult me and don't help fix these things like "you code is an absolute mess". If i say this to you and you know this would you few good then?

And yes it is important to go to classes, but this will be far in the future when i go to colege an university.

[CentralDogma]

Tell you what emilxp, I?m going to give you some of the assignments I was given in one of my high school courses. Hopefully they won?t be so hard, but help you get some of the fundamentals. Here are 3 separate assignments.

1. Populate an array with 10 random numbers. Print out those numbers, then ask the user if they want to search for a value (printing out it?s index), find the max value, find the minimum value, or to quit and have the program respond appropriately.
   
2. Populate an array with the following values ?a?, ?b?, ?c?, ?d?, ?e?. Ask the user for a number value and preform a right shift operation on the array and prints the new array. For instance a value of 1 would produce the output ?eabcd? and 2 would be ?deabc?.
   
3. Preform a Selection Sort on an array of 5 random integers, printing out the array at each step. For example:
   5 2 7 4 1
   1 2 7 4 5
   1 2 7 4 5
   1 2 4 7 5
   1 2 4 5 7
   1 2 4 5 7
   

[+Nik Louch Subscriber²]

Yes ot WORKS PERFECTLY except the AI

On that basis, I would NEVER ever hire someone like you. You genuinely believe that your code (except the AI LOL) is the best it can be?

I look back at the code I wrote then and? *shudder*

Ha yeah. I love revisiting old code, and then scrapping it to hell!

[GüntherJung]

We don't learn really programming in high school in Bulgaria. Now i will be 8th grade. In the 10th grade we will learn programming, but really basic things. My teacher showed me some stuff when i don't knowed C++. She showed me some PASCAL and the program i think multiplicated 2 values or made something other with them. This is what we learn in School in Bulgaria, but this is in normal schools. I am learning in Sofia and i am now in the Sofian Matematic Gymnasium. I am 100% sure that you don't don't know this gymnasium. Sorry if i don't speal it correctly. Ok so this is the best highschool for matematic and computers in Bulgaria. I haven't been before in it, but with a lot of work i am now in and i will see how it is in it. I saw that they teach you 3D Design. And we are now the 1st in the world in computers. The winners are 13 years old(like me), but they learned before in this school and for that. I am not sure if it is for programming, but i thing so.

And specialy njlouch: This topic isn't named "INSULT ME" SO GO OT OF THIS TOPIC IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE WITH YOUR.............................................................

And you problem if you don't like MY CODE.

[+Nik Louch Subscriber²]

And you problem if you don't like MY CODE.

No... Actually it's YOUR PROBLEM seeing as you want to be a coder. It's not a case of me not liking your code (what does it matter what I like or don't?), it's a case of your code not being at an acceptable level yet. You can choose to take this as an insult - or to go learn more about coding and not tell people that it "works perfectly".

I'm not insulting you. Please grow the hell up. I am criticizing your code and arrogance about your "perfectly working" simple game!

[GüntherJung]

PS: I have learned C++ for a few days. So this will explain my code. And i wanted to make me a challenge to make a Tic-Tac-Toe with just these things that i know for C++. And you see it is possible.

What the hell!? How old are you njlouch?

And i want to say that learning a few days C++ won't make me a master coder. So stop with your insults.

"it's a case of your code not being at an acceptable level yet. You can choose to take this as an insult"

This isn't an insult for me. This is a really good answer i can say. Why don't you talk in this way. Everything othe is insulting. This isn't, because it is carefully said i can say.

[iKenndac]

And you problem if you don't like MY CODE.

You're going to have to lose that attitude fairly quickly - everywhere I've worked has had fairly strict coding guidelines. If your style doesn't fit in with that, then tough - find another job. For example, my coding style has changed considerably since joining Spotify to match their coding guidelines. It's not better, or worse, just different. Live and adapt, etc.

[GüntherJung]

You're going to have to lose that attitude fairly quickly - everywhere I've worked has had fairly strict coding guidelines. If your style doesn't fit in with that, then tough - find another job. For example, my coding style has changed considerably since joining Spotify to match their coding guidelines. It's not better, or worse, just different. Live and adapt, etc.

I said that i have learned C++ for a few days. This explains everything. And i know my code is horrible, but i am happy with it, because this is my best program. Not the best written.