I’m still reading the article from GameDev, Game Programming Beginners Guide, on my lunch break. It’s amazing that this article was written in 2000 yet it’s relevant in 2009.  Here are some key notes from that article:

  • Choose a programming language to start with. Most likely C/C++
  • Choose a platform. Most likely Windows. I’m going to start with Linux and certainly work my way back to Windows and Consoles.
  • Before you think about start creating games, make sure you understand and are proficient with:
    • pointers
    • arrays
    • structures
    • functions
    • classes

Lucky for me, I remember these concepts from my C++ class (in college) and I’ve worked with functions, arrays in web development. I was never really good with classes, though.

  • Learn to use resources. Besides reading books, there are online tutorials and forums/irc with people more than willing to answer questions.
  • The author suggests you apply what you’ve learned by reading the article, “How do I Make Games? A Path to Game Development“. Funny, that was my next article to read.
  • Don’t rush into joining a team, once you have several games under your belt, you can then make a bigger impact on the team.
  • The author’s last tip was get more knowledge than just game programming. Topics, such as: graphics, artificial intelligence, networking, physics, etc.

Related Posts:

  1. Day 2: Choosing a Language