Re: List of *FREE* game programming resources

[PublioMaro_Virgilivs]

Split from https://freebasic.net/forum/viewtopic.p ... 31#p270431

The problem for your average programmer is not a lack of graphic tools, the problem is not being able to draw or paint let alone animate :)

Hi! The opposite side is the same. You could be a good and skilled artist, but without any programming knowledge. In my case I started to learn BASIC in my old Atari 130XE. Later we got a PC (it was a Televideo Systems 8088 PC) and I moved on GW BASIC, later TurboBASIC and finally Quick Basic (I still have my floppy discs and my book in the box). I try to learn FreeBASIC, but I find it very complex for my skills and knowledge. I learned programming because I always wanted to make a videogame.

I decided to study art, but I can't quit on learning FreeBasic (it's getting harder for me). Tools for making characters, pixel art, 3D models (even 3d animation), etc. are here and there, but not always those tools fits on your needs. And I learned that you can't do it all by yourself, you'll be strong in some areas, but weaker in other ones, so the best for making a good game is to team up with people with some talent on different skills.

And btw, I'm a graphic designer and an illustrator. If someone needs something for a game, I can do some graphics and animations (both 2D and 3D). I'll be glad to help you in a personal or maybe indie game project.

Cheers!

[BasicCoder2]

@PublioMaro_Virgilivs

I decided to study art, but I can't quit on learning FreeBasic (it's getting harder for me)

.

Why do you think it is getting harder? There are members here that can help and I will certainly do so.

And btw, I'm a graphic designer and an illustrator. If someone needs something for a game, I can do some graphics and animations (both 2D and 3D). I'll be glad to help you in a personal or maybe indie game project.

It was the graphics that caused me to drop working on some game projects. Do you have any preference as to what kind of games you would be interested in?

[PublioMaro_Virgilivs]

Hi BasicCoder2!

Why do you think it is getting harder? There are members here that can help and I will certainly do so.

I did see the answer in my email but I was very busy the weekend, sorry for not answering before. Thank you. The reason why learning FreeBasic is getting harder for me, is because I don't understand why (for example) I should use "ALLOCATE". I did a screensaver in the past (when XP was alive) but my coding style is more like QB45. I tryed to study the code inside a program somebody posted here, that was able to read Doom3 levels and displaying them (without textures). That was very impresive for me. But seeing the code, I did not learned anything. And keywords list is huge (and my spare time is limited). But I'm now reading the forum, the tutorials and I understand better.

It was the graphics that caused me to drop working on some game projects. Do you have any preference as to what kind of games you would be interested in?

I have preference for beat'em up games, you know, like Double Dragon, Streets of Rage or Final Fight, I can do animation in 2D and 3D. But for me, helping anyone is good, no matter what kind of game is all about. Actually I'm working in the concept art for an indie game. And I'll be happy if I can collaborate with you in the development of your games.

Cheers from México.

[BasicCoder2]

PublioMaro_Virgilivs wrote:
The reason why learning FreeBasic is getting harder for me, is because I don't understand why (for example) I should use "ALLOCATE".

Then don't worry about the "ALLOCATE". You can still use a subset of FreeBASIC commands similar to QBASIC without trying to learn all the C++ terminology that has been added to the FreeBASIC command list.

I wouldn't spend time studying advanced FreeBasic code that uses the C++ syntax that might be posted here, just stick to the simpler commands to start with.

PublioMaro_Virgilivs wrote:
"I have preference for beat'em up games, you know, like Double Dragon, Streets of Rage or Final Fight, I can do animation in 2D and 3D."

Then consider how you might code a Double Dragon type game in BASIC. Start simple with a skeleton outline and then refine it over time. The sprites are animations within a rectangle so start with a rectangle. The actual animation would be state determined which in turn will depend on what keys or buttons on a joystick you press and how close the image is to another image.

So can you follow this simple outline of a program?

As the characters move around they can have walking, kicking, jumping, punching animations (which you have to draw) the results of which depends on contact (collision with) other characters or objects.

Code: Select all

screenres 640,480,32
color rgb(0,0,0),rgb(255,255,255):cls

type SPRITE
    as integer x
    as integer y
    as integer w
    as integer h
    as ulong   c  'replace with animated images
end type

dim shared as SPRITE hero,enemy

hero.x = 30
hero.y = 200
hero.w = 80
hero.h = 100
hero.c = rgb(200,100,0)

enemy.x = 160
enemy.y = 230
enemy.w = 80
enemy.h = 100
enemy.c = rgb(10,20,200)

function collision(s1 as SPRITE,s2 as SPRITE) as BOOLEAN
    if (s1.y+s1.h) > (s2.y) and (s1.y) < (s2.y+s2.h) and (s1.x) < (s2.x+s2.w) and (s1.x + s1.w) > (s2.x)  then
        return TRUE
    else
        return FALSE
    end if
end function

sub DrawSprite(sp as SPRITE)
    line (sp.x,sp.y)-(sp.x+sp.w,sp.y+sp.h),sp.c,bf
end sub

sub display()
    screenlock
    cls
    line (0,0)-(639,209),rgb(100,50,0),bf     'draw wall
    line (0,210)-(639,479),rgb(50,200,10),bf  'grass
    'draw closest sprite last for overlap
    if hero.y<enemy.y then
        drawSprite(hero)
        drawSprite(enemy)
    else
        drawSprite(enemy)
        drawSprite(hero)
    end if
    if collision(enemy,hero) then
        locate 2,2
        print "COLLISION"
    end if
    
    screenunlock
end sub


do
    if multikey(&H4B) then hero.x = hero.x - 4  'cursor key left
    if multikey(&H4D) then hero.x = hero.x + 4  'cursor key right
    if multikey(&H48) then hero.y = hero.y - 4  'cursor key up
    if multikey(&H50) then hero.y = hero.y + 4  'cursor key down
    
    'keep within limits
    if hero.x < 0 then hero.x = 0
    if hero.y < 124 then hero.y = 124
    if hero.x > 640-hero.w then hero.x = 640-hero.w
    if hero.y > 370 then hero.y = 370
    
    if multikey(&H1E) then enemy.x = enemy.x - 4  'go left  key W
    if multikey(&H20) then enemy.x = enemy.x + 4  'go right key D
    if multikey(&H11) then enemy.y = enemy.y - 4  'go back  key A
    if multikey(&H1F) then enemy.y = enemy.y + 4  'go forward key S
    
    if enemy.x < 0 then enemy.x = 0
    if enemy.y < 124 then enemy.y = 124
    if enemy.x > 640-enemy.w then enemy.x = 640-enemy.w
    if enemy.y > 370 then enemy.y = 370
    
    display()
    
    sleep 2
    
loop until multikey(&H01)

[counting_pine]

Hi, just to say I've split the thread from https://freebasic.net/forum/viewtopic.p ... 31#p270431 to bring all the posts together. Hope that's helpful.

[PublioMaro_Virgilivs]

Cool!

So can you follow this simple outline of a program?

Yeah, I understand the code you posted BasicCoder2. Actually I'm trying to convert to FreeBasic some old programs I've done in QB45. But I got lost at some point trying to learn all FB stuff. Maybe I need to go slower haha (faster doesn't work at all for me).

Thank you.

Cheers guys!

[BasicCoder2]

So can you follow this simple outline of a program?

Yeah, I understand the code you posted BasicCoder2. Actually I'm trying to convert to FreeBasic some old programs I've done in QB45. But I got lost at some point trying to learn all FB stuff. Maybe I need to go slower haha (faster doesn't work at all for me).

Ok. I wasn't clear on your programming skill level. You may be far above me! I used to use QBASIC a long time ago which is fairly easy to translate to FreeBASIC but perhaps QB45 has features that don't line up with FreeBASIC.

To be honest I am not myself into violent games of any sort. When the kids were young I wanted to write some educational games on the C64 computer to teach them simple math, logic, spelling and various science subjects but at the time my programming skill levels and in particular art skills were not up to it. Once I was interested in writing a social system simulation "game" but again it was drawing the graphics and animated characters that limited that interest at the time which is why your post on being an artist piqued my interest.

[PublioMaro_Virgilivs]

Hi again!

Well, I do agree with you on the violence subject. Maybe I did not be aware enough to see violence as a theme of normalization when I was a kid, so games like Ninja Spirits or Ninja Gaiden (arcade) always attracted my attention (specially for the oriental theme). I remember a game we had when we were kids: "Redhook's revenge". What a cool game it was! Or "The Curse of Monkey Island" (I always loved it's soundtrack). And what about "Ecco the Dolphin"? Could be better on gameplay, but I think it's a great idea! (and Spencer Nielsen for me is a very talented musician). Ok, enough off topic...

Back in 2014 I was interested in writing a social system simulation "game" but again it was the drawing the graphics and animated characters that limited that interest at the time which is why your post on being an artist piqued my interest.

Maybe you can use some sprites ripped off from some games and do your own "sprite-edit", or if you have not enough time, you can do some agreement with someone like me (let's say) and we could do a cool educational game. I know indie games start with no more resources than human will. Sometimes that could be enough to rise a new and good game.

I don't know if it could be useful to post a little help or tutorial on how to do better graphics for your game if you are not art skilled, I use a program for doing sprites (with a very good quality and to draw just a few ones, and the program do the rest with interpolations), it's called "Synfig Studio". I can do that, but I'm not sure if that is Ok, because it has nothing to do with programming in FreeBasic. But hey! It could be another resource you can use for your own game.

[xywhsoft]

Hello friends, BasicCoder2 recommended me here.
I'm implementing some game development related projects, including an engine, game development tools for dummies, and I want to make some indie games.
Of course one person's energy is always limited, so I can only choose one project to work on at a time.

The projects I'm working on now are XGE (xywhGameEngine) and xRpgMaker.

The ultimate goal of XGE is to be a general-purpose game development framework, powerful enough, high enough performance, and as simple as possible when developing games.

The first phase of xRpgMaker is planned to emulate an RPG Maker XP, so that I don't need to develop RPG-type games in an unfamiliar programming language environment. Although I can write Ruby, I don't find that language beautiful enough, and I prefer BASIC, C++, Lua, and TypeScript.

As you know, when there is a complete game source code, developing a new game changes from writing code completely from scratch to improving the system on top of the existing one, forming a new game system, and thus a new game.

XGE project page (this project already has results available).
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=29057

The xRpgMaker project page (it is still incubating):
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=29060

If you are interested in such a project, expect that we can work together for the ideal of game making.

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