3 replies to this topic

[alexandrji]

Hello people,
First of all, let me introduce myself. I'm alexandrji, a curious noob in programming and similar. I found this forum in one of the searches I have made to start learning and expanding my knowledge. Obviously, I saw that this had a giant content and a big good-looking community, so that's why I joined you.

To start, my knowledge in programing is really primary, so, to start, I want to be sure that the time I will spend learning whatever I need to, will be the well spent and directed to my needs.

Ending this little introduction, I want to present the basics of my project, so you guys can tell me what to do.

The game theme will be the crime world.

To progress in the game, you will have to perform actions such as crimes and carjackings.

As you perform an action, a rate of success will make your crime more (or less) likely to succeed. This rate will be influenced by some events, status and others.

Crimes will be the basic of the game, and other actions will be similar, so will be based on that (same coding, just some light changes.

Co-op crimes and killing will also be a big part of the game.

Rates and percentages will be the easiest, as can be made by hand.
Simple math problems will also be solved with some work, but will be solved.

Something I would like to take in mind is the integration between the programming (and the game script itself running) and the graphical part of it (what the players sees, also meaning the design of the page and related stuff).

A little question that I'm curious about it is, between all those codes and programming, for example, if I use HTML (or other webpage formating), it will be integrated with the database and the scripting of the game by database "calls" right? For example, the webpage is normally formated, as a simple webpage of fashion or anything, but will have the game script by calling database processes right? I know this isn't the best expressions but I'm neither a leet programmer, neither a native English speaker :p

Ending this, I need suggestions, help opinions, anything you guys can give me from advices to warns, anything!

I really need to be guided to this whole world of programming languages.

I've already read the tutorial that mentions HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP and MySQL, together to make the game, is that the best selection?

I don't think that learning a language is necessarily memorizing all the codes, its applications and hierarchies (as it would take me years and years and wouldn't be perfect). I believe that understanding how are they used and in which circumstance are the key to a fast and efficient learning allied with a vast library and somewhere to consult the vast list of codes.

So, everything said, I'm ending with a call: HELP needed, anybody?

Thank you for the time lost, if in the end of this long journey something rises, everyone who helped will be surely mentioned and credited, as I'm a person that never forgets his origins, no mater what happens.

Thank you a lot guys, for reading this boring big and useful testament. I hope you guys have a bit of your time to spend with me!

Your new motivated member, alexandrji

[Mentalbox]

alexandrji said:

Hello people,
A little question that I'm curious about it is, between all those codes and programming, for example, if I use HTML (or other webpage formating), it will be integrated with the database and the scripting of the game by database "calls" right? For example, the webpage is normally formated, as a simple webpage of fashion or anything, but will have the game script by calling database processes right?

I don't think HTML can even do this, but I'm not an expert. My simple observation is that nobody else ever uses HTML for calling anything from a database. PHP is the most common in my experience. I'm also a newbie and don't know if "call" is the correct term, but yes, it must be "called" or whatever scripting language you use must connect to whatever database system you are using and retrieve information that way, basically like as if you were connecting to the database manually and read output, but instead it's done automatically by script.

alexandrji said:

Ending this, I need suggestions, help opinions, anything you guys can give me from advices to warns, anything!

Common sense, but most people like to think, me included, that "nah, it just sounds harder than it is". It's not only about understanding some of it, but being able to understand enough to put it together. Say I order a table from Ikea. It doesn't matter if I understand 90% of it, and then there is a detail I don't understand which makes the table not work properly, I must know enough for the table to work, preferably very stable - so it won't fall down when I put objects on top of it.
Let me try put it in a different way also: unless you're very very smart or smart + extremely patient, or you're having REALLY fun making games for many many years and never get bored, and maybe have friends or can get friends or colleagues to help you, then your game will probably never be serious and commercial.
This is my experience from alot of game amateurs:
Their server only last for a short while, and then it is hacked or they can't fix a bug, etc, etc.
So it's maybe a good idea to think now what you want to do with your game.
Just have fun with your friends?
OK, have fun!
But making it commercial takes alot of dedication.
Unless you're lucky or super-smart (super-smart people will find ways to get around the problem of laziness ;P so they can be lazy and still succeed). I am lazy but I don't succeed. So I'm not super-smart:D

If you choose to not think, "you just feel like doing it, but don't know where it will end" - that's fine too, but you might end up just wasting your time. Just maybe. Unless it was fun all the time or you learned alot, then it's worth it :)

alexandrji said:

I've already read the tutorial that mentions HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP and MySQL, together to make the game, is that the best selection?

HTML is the universal language I think of a website. You need HTML to use CSS, JS and PHP. I think PHP in reality only write out HTML codes on the outside (inside it is a different language, called PHP). CSS is just HTML formatting in a way (but its own language too). JS is a script-language that must be called from something (like HTML).
HTML is like the raw websites. It IS the website, all websites.
There's no "what is the best selection", that depends on what you will do.
But yes, it's a very standard package.

alexandrji said:

I don't think that learning a language is necessarily memorizing all the codes, its applications and hierarchies (as it would take me years and years and wouldn't be perfect).

People are different here, but I don't know enough about this. I know I think structure is easy. I like logic etc. The hard part for me is to spend time to learn exactly what codes does... It's really hard to understand EXACTLY what it does... I think most people only know +/- what it does.. So "it works". Then they find out "****, it did things a little different!!" and must make research and find out what other code to use.
Usually this is answered by the real programmers which are the first to hit the problem, and they're experienced so they know how to solve it, and they post it in an article or blog, and others read the answer.

alexandrji said:

I believe that understanding how are they used and in which circumstance are the key to a fast and efficient learning allied with a vast library and somewhere to consult the vast list of codes.

Sounds right.

Good luck.

[lethalwire]

I'd read the following tutorials for starters from W3Schools Online Web Tutorials

• HTML
  
• XHTML
  
• CSS
  
• JavaScript
  
• PHP or ASP
  
• MySQL
  
• XML

These are essential building blocks you'll need to know. Practicing will aid you in understanding what each language does and how you can use it in your game.

After you've swallowed all of this information, you'll know if you're up to the task of creating a browser-game.
You will probably also learn if these languages can handle/meet your games needs/requirements.

For for simple graphics/sprites/etc you can use GIMP - The GNU Image Manipulation Program to create your images.

Edit** Doh! I've partly rewritten the past before researching this forum for answers.
http://forum.codecal...owser-game.html

I'd also glance through Tutorials for motivation. This is my person opinion though. Sometimes glancing over advanced tutorials inspires me and gives me ideas of what I can do or how I can relate it to my project.

[alexandrji]

Mentalbox and lethalwire thank you a lot, I searched everywhere to find those answers that you gave me in 2 replies! Thank you so much, both informations will be taken as the base to move on!

Mentalbox, the meanings and applications of the languages I already new more or less, the problem was the compatibility between them and of course, the language itself.

Thank you both, your comments were so **** useful! :D

Thank you both!! alexandrji