2d modelling (with good graphics) and vb6

[Joey]

I have been making some childrens games lately, for my younger brothers and cousins. You can look at them here: http://joekool224.tripod.com/ghostman/

Now, I was thinking eventually, I would make longer games like this. Same concept, but much longer and funner. I also thought I could try selling them, but, the problem would be is that I am using Game Maker to make these games, and I used some of the graphics it came with, plus I got music from the internet, so I cannot.

So, what I thought, was that in the summer, once school is out, I could make remakes of the games in VB6 with better graphics, better gameplay, make it longer, etc. I would also make everything myself, so then I would be able to sell it right?

Anyway, would it be hard to make a platform game with VB6, and what could I use for some 2d graphics that would give me good color? I wanted to main character (the ghost), to be kind of transparent. You know, just kind of looking like a ghost. Also with animation and stuff.

How hard would it be to do all this?

(sorry for the long thread ;D)

[Eero Ränik]

Didn't you buy that Teach Yourself Game Programming in 24 Hours or something like that? I've seen this book and it should have everything you need to create 2D games like that...

[Joey]

Yes I just haven't read it yet. It is too complex for me because I barely know any C++, so I don't understand anything I am typing.

[Eero Ränik]

It isn't too complex, you have already studied AGI, and it is enough. The code is commented and there is text after almost every code which will explain everything new to you... Just pay a bit more attention than you normally would and you shouldn't have any problem.

[Joey]

i only did a little bit of the beginning. i dont remember any comments there, then for some reason i just stopped. ill take a look at it this weekend. i think it would be easier to make this kind of game in vb6 though, cause you can just put the objects on the screen where you want them to be at a certain level, if i understand it right. im not sure if that is what you do, but i think it is. you just drag things onto the window i believe.

but what about some kind of 2d modeller that could give me special effects, like the ghost being partially transparent and stuff.

[Schol-R-LEA]

I hate to bring it up again, but have you considered trying to learn basic programming techniques in a simpler language like Python, Ruby or Scheme first before digging into C++? While it's true that you couldn't jump straight into game design from those, as a practical matter you couldn't in C++ either - you need to learn a substantial part of the base language and the common idioms first. Also, there do exist graphics libraries, even gaming oriented ones, for both Scheme and Python.

You can get a Python interpreter, and the Python CGKit and SOYA graphics libraries, at http://www.python.org/, along with several good tutorials on the language that could get you up to speed in a few days. Similiarly, you can find links to several Scheme interpreters, graphics libraries and tutorials at http://www.schemers.org/; also, some interpreters and compilers, such as Dr. Scheme (which has the best IDE for novices that I've ever seen) have their own graphics packages as well. If your goal is to learn game programming, you might be better off trying these first, and then learning C++ when you have a better grasp of programming in general - though frankly, you may not want to after seeing what the other languages can do.

Note that IMAO, VB does not count as an easier language than C++; it's starts off seeming so, but it really isn't. VB.NET is an improvement in some ways, but worse in others.

Another piece of advice, which I've mentioned before: after learning Python or Scheme (or Ruby, or FORTH, or Smalltalk, or whatever), you may want to pick up a little x86 assembly knowledge before learning C++. It would help understand a lot of how many critical ideas in C++, such as pointers, really work. HTH.

[Joey]

let me tell you a story...

a long time ago, about a year before, i downloaded python. and i didnt really mess around with it or read tutorials.
the end.

haha, i get what you mean though. ill give python a shot. but what do you mean it will get me up to speed?

[Eero Ränik]

No, dragging game objects to a window isn't what you should do... It is possible but extremely impractical (in most of the cases).

[Joey]

ok. this weekend ill mess around with python a bit.
it is very much like C right?

[Schol-R-LEA]

ok. this weekend ill mess around with python a bit.
it is very much like C right?

Not very much, no, but more like C than Lisp or FORTH are. Here's a "Hello, World!" program in Python:

Code: Select all

def HelloWorld():
???print "Hello, World!"

A few important differences are:
[*] It is usually used as an interpreted language (though it can be compiled). You can work in the interpreter interactively at the interpreter prompt, or use it to run a file directly.

[*] Indentation is significant; you have to indent the code in a certain way. Fortunately, a good editor will do this mostly automatically, but it takes some getting used to.

[*] A function begins with the keyword 'def', short for 'define'.

[*] The first line of a function or a loop ends in a colon; this indicates that the indented lines following it are the body of the function or loop. the body continues until the indentation drops back to the same level as the beginning line of the loop.

If none of this makes sense yet, don't worry. You can find a great deal of help in learning Python at the Beginner's Guide to Python web page, particularly with this tutorial. Other tutorials you might try are Non-Programmer's Introduction to Python, The Who, What, Where and Why of Python (very short and simple), The mtWeb Python Tutorial, and An Introduction to Python. HTH.

[Schol-R-LEA]

One more thing: you might also take a look at the How to Think Like a Computer Scientist series of online books (they can also be found in print versions here. They have versions that cover not only C++ and Python, but Java and Logo (a language that is like Lisp in some ways and like Python in others) as well; I understand that Scheme and Eiffel versions also exist. I have not had a chance to read through it in detail, but what I've seen of the Python version is promising. You may want to read the Logo book first, then the Python book, followed by the Java book, then finally the C++ book (C++ being the most complicated of four the languages); while it may seem redundant, it should give you a good idea of both the similarities and differences of the languages, and it would give you a solid starting place for game programming (and any other programming, for that matter). You will need UCBLogo and the Java SDK in order to do that. You can skip the Logo version if you like, but I would definitely go through the Python and Java versions before trying the C++ version.