The most common mistake a beginning Directx programmer make is by not including the libs and links right.

If you see a directx header, you need to include that lib (located in directxfolder/libs). For example, if you have #include "ddraw.h" you need to add ddraw.lib to your project.

Linker, you need to add links to lib and header folders (directxfolder/libs and directxfolder/headers), and make sure that they''re on TOP of the list. Otherwise you will get errors.

the directxfolder is the directory where you installed the Directx SDK.

If you do those, and are able to compile FREAKOUT from book, then you''re set to go.


The Little Corvette that Could.

One word of advice: depending on what kind of graphics you want, it might be worth your time to look for an artist. The amount of work in graphics alone for a 2D scroller is INCREDIBLE. You''ll have to hand draw EVERY frame (unless you go the 3D render route) for EVERY character. Not only that, but each character is going to need several different animations: running, walking maybe, attacking, dying, etc... You''ll also need to come up with background as well.

Don''t want to discourage you, but just wanted to point out something that was difficult for me when I attempted a (simpler) project.

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Warcraft III mod:
Project ROR!
http://projectror.warcraftiii.net
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Thanks for the heads up Peon,

One of my best friends is an animator so I''ve already got that covered. However I didn''t realize until you just said it that he would have to animate movements frame by frame!

It would be cool to not have to do that, but I''m fairly certain it would be extremely presumptuous of me to think I could learn 3D rendering on my second game, right?

- Luc

For a side-scroller, I think hand drawing 2D animation is the way to go. I found 3D rendering extremely useful for simple images ( buttons, 3D text, bullets, borders ), but I can barely model a crappy little spaceship, much less an actual character. Then again, maybe that''s just because I suck at all things artistic


Things are not what they are.

Sounds like my friend and I have a lot of animating to do. I would like to learn how to apply 3D rendering to simple images as myme15 mentioned. How would I go about this? Is it discussed in my new books that should arrive tomorrow, "Tricks of the..." you know the rest and "Programming Role-Playing Games in DirectX 8.0"?

If so or if not, where else should I look for 3D rendering help (if I should bother at all)?

Thanks,
- Luc

quote: It would be cool to not have to do that, but I''m fairly certain it would be extremely presumptuous of me to think I could learn 3D rendering on my second game, right?

Well yeah, but I meant you would model things using a 3D program (Max, Maya, Truespace, Milkshape, etc...), set their camera to match your game''s perspective, and then render the frames to .bmp or .tga or something and then use those. Even if you aren''t familiar with modelling, perhaps your friend is. The advantage to modelling is you won''t have to draw every frame; you can use bones and some animating skillz to generate the frames for you

For 2D art... For a sidescroller, you could also try something like this:

- Draw the torso of the character

- Draw the arms, legs, everythign else seperately

- For each frame you, place the limb on the proper place on the body.

- Each frame, rotate (by hand, in a program like Photoshop) the limbs to the desired position and save each frame as a seperate .bmp.

It might look a little odd at time, but it would work in a simple game I think


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Warcraft III mod:
Project ROR!
http://projectror.warcraftiii.net
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God that made me feel stupid!

Oh well, all newbies have to make an ass of themselves at one point or another (some more than others). I guess I was just hoping it wouldn''t happen to me.

Anyway, I am familiar with this process, I just had a totally different idea of what "3D rendering" actually is. Thanks for being so nice about my stupid question .

Now that I have gotten a number of great tips from you guys I am perhaps a little overzealous about attempting this project and seeing it through. I would appreciate it if some people could close up this topic with some (newbie denial here) last bits of advice. Any kind of tips are welcomed, books, sites, programs to learn to use, any kind of further discussion on 2d side scroller game programming please.

Thanks to everyone who has helped me out so far!

- Luc

OK here are a few tips:

While a side-scrolling game at your level of experience is not impossible, be warned that it will be extremely challenging. I can guarantee that unexpected problems are going to pop up ( but that''s what you have this board for, right? )

You should design your game carefully, and make sure that you know exactly what you want the game to do before you start coding. Spending a long time making your engine a specific way only to realize it doesn''t quite meet your needs really sucks, even for a simple 2D game.

TOTWGPG is a great book for 2D programming, even if it uses DirectX 6.1. I think it would be very useful for making a game like you are proposing, even though it barely covers 2D side scrolling.

If you are interested, go to http://www.2dgame-tutorial.com . That is a tutorial that covers the making of a basic 2D side scroller. If you want to learn everything yourself, I wouldn''t recommend it, but if you ever really can''t figure out how to do something, check it out. It provides a working 2D platformer, though unfinished.

Programming Role-Playing Games is a great book, but may not be entirely useful for your current project. It focuses much more on 3D than 2D, but you should still look over it. I am currently reading it and it''s my Bible. If you want to balance out learning Andre Lamothe''s messy C code, look over this book''s source because it''s almost straight C++. Pretty well done, too.

Be sure not to give up. Quitters suck.

That''s all I can think of right now. Have fun!



Things are not what they are.

Hey Triksand, your near seattle sorta, right? i''m working with a crew thats working on a couple projects and i''m looking to meet some local talent around seattle to shoot the breeze with and maybe get onboard for current and future projects. drop me a line at tentamus@hotmail.com sometime.

Thanks for all the suggestions everybody, I will come back to this thread and use it as a resource when possible.

TentamusDarkblade,

I am in Spokane, WA which as I''m sure you know is a little over 300 miles from Seattle. I wish I lived in Seattle though because nobody in Spokane does this kind of stuff (game programming) with the exception of Cyan (the creators of Myst, who live in my neighborhood). Thanks for the invite though.

-Luc

P.S. Any other helpful suggestions, please?