Hi Damien, This list has been over this somewhat before but seriously I don't feel starting with autoit is the best suggestion. You may wonder why. Here is why I feel strongly against using autoit. First, off any seriously interested game developer worth a grain of sault must know and understand object oriented programming and design. All major programming languages weather we are talking C++, C#.NET, VB.NET, Java, etc work with objects, classes, etc... Sooner or later a new developer is going to have to learn it, and it might as be earlier than later. Second, autoit isn't a programming language per say so largely what you learn using it is basicly linked to autoit, and useless if you want to branch out and learn how to write a pro programming language, learn DirectX, and you wind up learning all over again from scratch. The time spent learning and working with autoit in my personal opinion is waisted. Third, learning a real full blown programming language for games has more flexable mainstream uses. You might be writing a couple of games, and decide you want to write your own mp3 player or wav recorder. You can do that, because you have a powerful language and compiler under your fingertips. Fourth, is similar to three, but this is to drive the point home. With autoit you are locked in to specific styles of games. With a full blown programming language you can do everything from text-based up to 3D audo FPS action games with online game play, etc... Fifth, while most PC owners still are largely MS Windows-based there is a slowly growing movement of sighted and blind folks who are now using alternative solutions such as Linux as well as FreeBSD, and some using Mac OS. With such a growing movement portability is likely going to become more important in the future. In fact, portability is one of the reasons I picked C#.NET as my development language for U.S.A. Games. At some point in the future I should be able to update my Sound.cs file with open source solutions like OpenAL, and run my games on Mac OS and Linux via Mono. I'm looking at porting STFC 2.0 to Linux right now, but have been busy with working on the core features of the game core to look in to portability. Anyway, why I am writing all this is I strongly feel a new developer needs to learn good coding and practices and skills right off rather than taking shortcuts like Autoit only to find out in the end it wasn't really valuable or worth the time. Granted we all have different interests, tastes, and aspirations, but what I would like to see is the accessible game comunity to stop lingering in Autoit, VB 6, etc and begin to really get in to more complex concepts and put out some cutting edge stuff. I'm not saying this is going to happen at once, but the existing developers have sadly stopped pushing the edge of cutting edge gaming. We've got so many Space Invader type clones, but only a couple of FPS games like Shades of Doom, and SOD is still really a one of a kind. GMA Tank Commander was really the first awesome simulation combat game, but again nothing else has really come close to comparison. Why is this? Well, as I said a game developer has to start somewhere, and starting with something truly useful such as C#.NET or VB.NET right off will break the new developer in to a real programming language. After that they'll have to practice with some simple games. Even a Space Invader Clone or two. However, after that he or she should be able to cut his or her teeth in to something more complex. Maybe a FPS game. After that work up to an online game. There is a progressiont to programming and a good developer is always learning, updating his or her skills, and is building more and more complex projects. Eventually, in 3 to 5 years he or she is ready to make games that are pretty advanced. All depending of course on the persons aptitude to learn. Not everyone can be a master, but many once they have a programming language well learned has the potential to go far. That potential is lost with substitutes like Autoit. Smile.
x-sight interactive wrote: > oh rachel i never knew you wanted to develop. if you want any help i can > help you. i provide a starter pack for developers who wish to start off > simple using autoit - most people don't like that though - but i would > recommend that before starting something like vb or something more > complicated. > > you can visit my dev section at: > > http://x-sight.brandoncole.net/dev > > hth. > > regards, > > damien > _______________________________________________ Gamers mailing list .. Gamers@audyssey.org To unsubscribe send E-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] You can visit http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org to make any subscription changes via the web.
