OSDev.org

I recall being told to learn assembly language to make games. is that the name of the language (assembly)? if so, does anyone know of some good online tutorials and free compilers?

LOL! The only time you'd be using Assembly to actually make games would be if you are writing them for a low end platform (ie. NES, SMS, A2600, GB, etc.). Some systems, such as the GB can use high level languages for not so speedy games, and some systems, such as the GBA, need the code done in Assembly for speedy stuff (ie. emulators). However, on modern computers, the only part of the game that should be coded in assembly is seriously speed imperitive sections, or in the case of DOS stuff, sound/video stuff. Still, on MODERN stuff like Windows, there should be absolutely no need for ASM at all. All the low level stuff you would have done in ASM in the DOS days in handled by Windows, DirectX, OpenGL, etc.

So to sum it up, just stick with the easy stuff for now, it'll save you a lot of work

ASM makes development time slower, and code less tidy. Only use it when needed. Always use it on low end games, never use it on modern ones, heh

-Brian "I'm In Love With 6502 ASM" Provinciano

When reverse engineering stuff, Assembler comes in handy...

Well, of course! But for a newbie just making games, it's quite irrelevant.

lol, oh ok. thanks brian.

oy, brian, doesn't that sound like that good old processor of the c64 or am i wrong here?

long Time ago(lol), when i've been starting with computer dabbling on c64, i 've done some interrupt programming on that machine. 's been just some tracking of vertical screen scan lines and triggering a procedure after a certain line 's been passed. That's been quite cool, but in these times, my brain hasn't yet been fit for high level programming stuff, so i stayed with that and easy nifty coding.

but, yes, such experience eases life in os and game development.

yeah, and now, i am listening to vangelis: voices. Kinda cool stuff.