What is a good type of game to start with?
So when XNA Studio Express comes out I and many other budding(a.k.a. newb) programmers will flock to our PCs to make our own games, but my question is what is the best type, or genre to begin with? Would it be a good idea to start 2D, or would jumping into 3D be an option? I want to start off with somthing that I can ease into and not get overwhelmed by anything too hard.
Thanks for any help you more experienced programmers can give me.
1 Word:
Pong!
Will teach you everything, collision detection and resolution, drawing to the screen, input, sound, font output
That is usually the first thing I make whenever I try a library
Thanks, I will probably start with a scroller than, somthing like Galaga, or Spave Invaders, yet original. I will start making a concept soon.
i like to start with a flip n' match memory game. You can start simply, and then make a number of escalations to the feature set that will teach you various programming concepts:
1. Do a standard layout of 16 cards in a 4x4 grid. Make sure that the player can only flip over two cards at a time. Play a fun sound when the player finds a match. Tack on a title screen and a "Play Again?" button.
2. Add a timer. Add a "Lose Screen" for when the timer runs out.
3. Randomize the cards so that it's a different game every time.
4. Create 3 difficulty settings on your title screen. These settings could affect the clock, or they could create 2x2, 3x3 and 4x4 card layouts.
5. Create a theme picker on your title screen so the player can choose different decks of cards - say animal, sci-fi and food.
6. Add an overworld map. Have the player move through different spots on the map, finishing a flip n' match level at each waypoint. Now that you have a difficulty slider, you could increase the difficulty of the levels with each progressive waypoint on the map.
7. Add a boss. That's right, bitches - i said "add a boss" to your flip n' match game. Give it an energy meter. Every time you find a match, drain the bad guy's energy. When the boss rears up and does his special attack every x seconds, he shuffles the player's remaining unmatched cards around. Then add an energy bar to the player. Don't look at me like that - just do it. Every time you flip over two cards and it's not a match, lose some energy.
Huh? You like that? *SLAP* You like this game now, doncha? *SLAP*
8. Add a spellcasting system. Hell - i dunno. My point is that you can start off with a seemingly dull concept and, by layering complexities on top of it, wind up with something pretty sweet.
- MrSock
(but only on windows if we're talking networking)
Dammit, Jim, i don't want to fight you. But at this rate, i WILL have to create MrSock vs Jim Perry Super Turbo Alpha II.
MrSock wrote: