16 replies to this topic

[MisterSins]

Well I have some bases in Pascal, C and HTML, but I fall in love with PHP language, I bought a PHP 5.3 book, I instaled Linux in my desktop and I started learning PHP and SQL using that book, tutorials and other e-books I have, well until now I'm able to make a database, a register page, a login page, an email form and that's about it, nothing fancy, simple stuff with simple code.
My main goal is to make a web browser game while learning how to code in PHP and use SQL, and add features, pages and stuff to the game while I learn.

Ok I want a web browser game with no flash(for now), just PHP, HTML, CSS and SQL. My biggest problem is actually CSS, I have NO idea how to make those good looking pages and that's something I want to learn too.

So the tips and anwsers I need from you guys are:

1- If I read books and e-books teaching PHP, HTML and SQl will I be able to make a 100% working web browser game or do I need some book just for creating games?

2- How do I make those good looking pages?

3- If you can link me any tutorial, e-book or thread just talking about web browser games and how to start making one it would be awesome.

4- Should I read the book first and learn how to code in PHP and then start thiking about the game, or is it safe if I work on the game while I learn PHP?

(I have more questions but I don't remember more at the moment...)


Thank you ^^

[Orjan]

you don't need that linux if you don't want to. xampp for example gives you just about everything you need on windows if you want to keep in windows.
for learning php, html, css and sql, I'd recommend W3Schools Online Web Tutorials for all of those with basic knowledge.
I'd say, don't start with your game asap, but start creating things you know you will need. A smaller register-login-logout system for example.
find out smart routines for communicating with the database, maybe a template system to present your pages in a good way, so you can simplify your output.

[MisterSins]

I prefer Linux for programming and to host a small server. Yeah I follow W3schools tutorials, their pretty good. About the template system, I don't know how to make one :X

[Alexander]

What do you wish to do? A simple template system following menu/header/footer can be used as followed (as expected with include()/require()):
PHP Include File - web site header - PHP Include

Or a somewhat more advanced example which may be used for a more automated site experience:
Writing a Template System in PHP

As for your game, you will be doing a lot more PHP/MySQL work and debugging than designing the web pages, trust me! I'd recommend you start out with what you know and build a game yourself in your own way. There aren't really many tutorials online for online games, and PHP games are rather bloated and/or may contain poorly written code (PHP is known for that), so you should just learn the proper practises from the start and work on you game from there.

[MisterSins]

Thank you for the links and the explanation Nullw0rm :) I think I'm going for the simple template system ;)

[MisterSins]

I have some experience with photoshop, but not with Ajax...
But right now my biggest concern is the database. For example let's say a player buys a skill, the set os skills the player has must be in his player database but how I do that? This is hard then I thought...

Can I add someone with experience in this things and pro in PHP on msn? Please? To guide me. ^^

[MisterSins]

Yeah I'm writing the all game with full details in a notepad and doing the math of damage of battle defense and all that too(by the way the math is hard). But what you are trying to say it's for example: Skill A = ID 1


in Database a players skills table would be like: 1; 5; 7

And I would have to have another table like this:

Name: Skill A
ID: 1
Damage: 100
Cost: x

??

I think I'm going to have a hard time with the database...

[Orjan]

an easy way of storing values in your database would be vertical storage instead of horizontal/row style, as in my tutorial: http://forum.codecal...parameters.html that way, you can store as many different things about a user, and not have to change your database...

[MisterSins]

Orjan said:

an easy way of storing values in your database would be vertical storage instead of horizontal/row style, as in my tutorial: http://forum.codecal...parameters.html that way, you can store as many different things about a user, and not have to change your database...

Omg thank you!! That would be very helpfull! :w00t:

EDIT: Orjan are you a pro in PHP? :)

[Orjan]

I wouldn't say a pro, as I'm a hobby programmer, but I am really good at php, yes. It's certainly my best language, and problem solving in total is one of my better things...