Jump to content
MaxCheaters Official Group on Discord
Top.MaxCheaters.com is now OPEN – Lineage 2 Top Listing

So you want to be a Game Developer?

John Lamprou

By John Lamprou
in Other Multiplayer Games

 Share

Recommended Posts

John Lamprou Iron Initiate

John Lamprou

Posted
Posted

So you want to be a Game Developer?

Starting to Program games

 

In the good old days, back when the Internet had about 10 users and the web was a far off vision, PCs were called Home Computers and anyone could learn to write computer games. Three of us set up in business to write and sell our own games for the ZX Spectrum (Aka Timex/Sinclair) and Commodore 64. We didn't sell many games but we were saved by getting into the game conversion business. A publisher would release a hit on the Commodore 64 and we'd write the Timex, Amstrad, MSX, CBM 16 etc versions. It took about 3 months for one person to produce a game. That was then but...

 

That was 20 years ago and things have changed a lot since then. The games industry is now a massive multi billion dollar business and development teams can number 50 or more. My first game had me as programmer, artist, and beep designer - (well it wasn't proper sound!).

 

I wrote and drew everything. Back then games were written in Assembly Language and you had to learn either 6502 or Z80. Nowadays with a few exceptions games are written in C and C++ and even C# can be used. In fact with the release of Microsoft's XNA Game Studio Express for C# only, it's clear they intend to move away from C++.

The days of back room programmers aren't entirely gone- there is the 'retro remake' and 'indie' scene but unless you have an exceptionally brilliant idea, you are not likely to get into the mainstream game business as a one man outfit writing Blockbuster PC games.

It's not all bad news though- if you can program to a good standard and have learnt some of the techniques- eg 3d Maths, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and produce demos then you may be able to get your break as a fullttime developer.

Getting Started

 

There are plenty of books and websites that will guide you through the intricacies of DirectX ,XNA (for .NET and XBox 360) or the Open Source SDL and before long you'll be a guru on Vertex Shaders etc. You will have to be prepared to work long, in some case very long hours especially as deadlines approach. It is quite a tough business - when a game is under development, you'll live breathe and eat it for 18 months to two years. There are however other ways to get into the games business and I don't mean console development- unless you are already in the games business that's a hard one to crack though Microsoft now seem keen to open up XBox 360 to 'amateur' developers with XNA.

Alternative Game Genres

 

    * MUD - Multi-user dungeons: These have been around for 30 years and were the forerunner to the MMORPG (Massive Multi-player Online Role-playing Games) that now exist. These are still popular and you can find the source code to several in C or C++. I don't know if any make money as players are used to playing them for free.

    * Internet/Web based games: There are hundreds of these around. A good starting point is the vast directory at MPOGD. These range from free to monthly subscriptions. Anyone can set up their own website and games using any web technology- e.g. Perl, PHP, Java and C#.

    * Play By Mail: This has now largely but not entirely moved into the Internet/Web Games area. There are still a number of games played postally or by Email. Flagship Magazine is a good source of information. You might spot my name here - a PBM game I wrote won Best New Play-by-Mail Game of 1993 at Origins. Quest is still played today!

    * Flash Games: Flash development is a skill in itself, though programming in ActionScript (which is JavaScript under a different name) is not that hard. There is a definite career path available through programming Flash games and there are plenty of books to teach you to write games in Flash. Flashkit website Flashkit is a good starting point online. Learning to program in C is a good tip as ActionScript is very C like in its syntax.

    * Mobile Phone and PDA games: This has become a big growth area recently and is likely to continue its growth as phones get more powerful. Its also one of the easiest to get into though not all phones are the same. Some mobile phones are programmable in C++ though the majority use J2ME, a dialect of Java. PDAs can be programmed in C#.

 

If you are learning to program games, don't neglect the power of the web. Sourceforge is home to thousands of open source projects including many games. First though to program games you have to learn to program. This took an old Basic game of Star Trek and converted it to C, then C++. A 3rd part conversion to C# has also been done.

Elsewhere on the Web

 

Retro GamingSDL- Media LibraryGameSutra Website

 

 

Suggested Reading

 

Learn CLearn C++Learn C#

Blitztrager Iron Initiate

Blitztrager

Posted
Posted

Thanks John Lamprou for sharing your experience. I read somewhere it is the best way to learn how to hack/develop any thing by simply participate in any opensource project where you can try your skills and usually you have very good community which can always help you.

  • 3 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...
BaFoMeT Iron Initiate

BaFoMeT

Posted
Posted

IMO it's important to learn basics of programming and the programming language isn't very important. Because the basics in all of them are the same. I spent a lot of hours learning Delphi. And now i'm moving on to c++.

  • 1 year later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing


  • Posts

    • u3games
      Game Launcher/Compiler

      By u3games · Posted

      Today I would like to introduce a new set of tools developed entirely from scratch in Java, designed to simplify and modernize one of the most important tasks for any online server: distributing, updating, and maintaining the game client quickly, securely, and efficiently. The system has been designed to work with Lineage II, Aion, World of Warcraft, or any other project that requires a file distribution and update system, providing a simple solution for both players and administrators.   The entire project features a modern dark-mode interface, is completely separated into individual tools, and is distributed as standalone Windows executables (.exe) using Launch4j.   1. GameLauncher: The Player Client     GameLauncher is the launcher used by players on their computers. Its goal is to make keeping the game client up to date a completely automatic and transparent process.   Smart Updates: Automatically compares local files with the remote server using a manifest file (manifest.json) Hash-Based Integrity: Calculates file hashes to download only new or modified files, saving time and bandwidth. Real-Time Downloads: Detailed progress bar with transfer speed and automatic ZIP package extraction. Standalone: Packaged into a single .exe with Java 17 requirement validation and automatic redirection if the required environment is not installed.   Source code: https://gitlab.com/u3games/GameLauncher   2. L2Compiler: The Administrator Tool     L2Compiler is the tool designed for server administrators and developers. It allows updates to be prepared and published quickly, automating much of the process that would otherwise have to be performed manually.   Mass Packaging: Select the root folder of your development client and automatically generate optimized compressed packages ready for distribution. Automatic Manifest Generation: Instantly generates the manifest.json file with all the required metadata, including file sizes, paths, and hashes, using Gson. Preference Management: Automatically saves the last used paths through java.util.prefs to speed up everyday development tasks. Asynchronous Interface: Background processing through SwingWorker to prevent the interface from freezing during heavy operations.   Source code: https://gitlab.com/u3games/GameCompiler   A System Designed for Online Servers   The idea behind this project is simple: the administrator prepares an update using L2Compiler, and the player receives it automatically through GameLauncher. This allows both tools to work together and provide a simple update workflow:   Development Client → L2Compiler → Server → GameLauncher → Updated Client   There is no need for players to manually search for files, download patches one by one, or go through complicated installation processes. Although the system was initially designed with projects such as Lineage II, Aion, and World of Warcraft in mind, it is not tied to any specific game. If your project needs to distribute files and keep its clients up to date, it can be easily adapted to fit your needs.   Open Source for the Community   This project was created by me for the U3Games community, with the goal of providing a modern, simple, and reusable alternative for managing updates across our servers. The source code is publicly available so that other developers can study it, adapt it, improve it, and contribute to the project.     Have a Suggestion, Found a Bug, or Want to Contribute?   Any suggestions, bug reports, improvements, or contributions are more than welcome. The goal is to continue evolving the project together with the community and turn it into an increasingly complete tool for all kinds of online servers and projects.
    • NevesOma
      Interlude Multi-Mounts - rideable on the IL client

      By NevesOma · Posted

      Let's do 1 for share for people? Which one? 
    • NeoPacket0041
      HQ Photoshop | Verify Accs KYC, AML | Antiban 100% | PSD Tem

      By NeoPacket0041 · Posted

      A 100-YEAR-OLD ORDERED A FLAGSHIP AND PASSED THE VIDEO CALL 🚓 Spanish police took down a gang that found a hole in a major telecom operator's online store. A script told the warehouse to ship before payment went through. The haul: over 150 smartphones worth more than €50,000. The cover was a farm of borrowed identities: documents of around fifty people, including 100-year-old pensioners. They used them to open bank accounts, register phone numbers and send parcels across the country. The cherry on top: gang members passed video KYC themselves, posing as the elderly document holders. The "customer's" age didn't bother the antifraud. Operation Sakosita: seven arrested in Madrid, the alleged ringleader caught in Italy on a European arrest warrant. Meanwhile, the frozen accounts and someone else's debts land on the people whose names were used. 🔒 Account locked because someone opened something in your name? Message us – we'll gather the evidence and see the unlock through. › TG: @mustang_service_ms ( https:// t.me/ mustang_service_ms ) › Channel: Mustang Service ( https:// t.me/ +JPpJCETg-xM1NjNl ) #drawing #kyc #photoshop #unban #news
    • AntiVirus
      Interlude Multi-Mounts - rideable on the IL client

      By AntiVirus · Posted

      he did it for me    thanks you 😄  some of that bones is broken is some pets or is not exist so is better to buy some from the clientDev: @NevesOma
    • Traumann
      🚀 Telegram TOP Ranking | SEO Optimization for Bots

      By Traumann · Posted

      Your ranking service for Telegram bots is interesting. For companies wanting broader organic growth, I rely on the best b2b seo company for technical SEO and pipeline-focused content strategies that actually convert.

  • Topics

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

This community uses essential cookies to function properly. Non-essential cookies and third-party services are used only with your consent. Read our Privacy Policy and We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue..