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Indie Game Development Discussion Thread | Of Being Professionally Poor

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R

RelentlessRolento

Member
Dali said:
IIRC someone here was really singing its praises saying they had little to no programming ability and it helped them achieve exactly what they were trying to do.
Click to expand...

I don't think it was me but its what I've been using with unity. I've been a longtime GameMaker person and using playmaker was easy to jump into. Watch their video tutorials and from there it's easy...

In fact ill be going back to using playmaker once I'm done with my current projects
 
T

Teknopathetic

Member
"Apparently, Microsoft confirms XNA's demise and that DirectX will not be "evolving any longer as a technology". Poor news."


The fuckkk? Could this open the door for OpenGL? Carmack dancing in the streets?
 
F

Feep

Banned
Teknopathetic said:
"Apparently, Microsoft confirms XNA's demise and that DirectX will not be "evolving any longer as a technology". Poor news."


The fuckkk? Could this open the door for OpenGL? Carmack dancing in the streets?
Click to expand...
Wait, what? We sort of knew about XNA, but DirectX is dead?

New news, new thread?
 
Z

Zissou

Member
Dayum. Gaming is the main thing tying me to windows as a platform. If direct x goes away and everything is available everywhere using open gl, it's time for linux baby.

Unless I'm not understanding things correctly. I'm not very smart.
 
T

Teknopathetic

Member
"Wait, what? We sort of knew about XNA, but DirectX is dead?

New news, new thread?"


On a deeper read, it seems as though it's poorly worded on MS's part. Maybe.
 
B

BlazinAm

Junior Member
Feep said:
Wait, what? We sort of knew about XNA, but DirectX is dead?

New news, new thread?
Click to expand...

Direct3d will still be around but as we know it XNA and direct x will no longer be supported by Microsoft. The features that they offer I think are going to be be all inside Direct3d somehow.
Also HLSL is also going phased out.
edit:
I think they are pooling all the resources behind direct3d.
 
P

Popstar

Member
DirectX has been dead for years guys. Almost a decade for most of it. It's not new information.

Direct3D is the only surviving DirectX technology.
 
L

Limanima

Member
Popstar said:
DirectX has been dead for years guys. Almost a decade for most of it. It's not new information.

Direct3D is the only surviving DirectX technology.
Click to expand...

How is DirectX dead for years? DirectX 11.0 was released when? Last year? At least that's how it is named in the Microsoft site. Try searching for Direct3D and it will be showned as a component of DirectX. But maybe there was a bad choice of words on the email.
 
N

Noogy

Member
Sad news indeed. I basically spent the last 4 years learning how to program, and while it was most definitley worth it, it's unfortunate that my preferred language (XNA) is pretty much dead.

So, what's the best language for a coder like myself to transition into?
 
P

Popstar

Member
Limanima said:
How is DirectX dead for years? DirectX 11.0 was released when? Last year? At least that's how it is named in the Microsoft site. Try searching for Direct3D and it will be showned as a component of DirectX. But maybe there was a bad choice of words on the email.
Click to expand...
DirectInput killed 2002 or so. DirectPlay around 2004. DirectDraw absorbed into Direct3D in er... 2000 or so (D3D 6 or 7 I think). DirectMusic? Dead. Direct3D Retained Mode? Dead. DirectShow? Dead.

The only component of DirectX the Xbox 360 used was Direct3D. XInput and XAudio are APIs designed for the 360 and ported to Windows that do not replace the functionality that was provided by DirectInput or DirectSound.

Dead.

Noogy said:
So, what's the best language for a coder like myself to transition into?
Click to expand...
Any reason not to just go the Monogame route?
 
L

Limanima

Member
Popstar said:
DirectInput killed 2002 or so. DirectPlay around 2004. DirectDraw absorbed into Direct3D in er... 2000 or so (D3D 6 or 7 I think). DirectMusic? Dead. Direct3D Retained Mode? Dead. DirectShow? Dead.

The only component of DirectX the Xbox 360 used was Direct3D. XInput and XAudio are APIs designed for the 360 and ported to Windows that do not replace the functionality that was provided by DirectInput or DirectSound.

Dead.
Click to expand...

Yes, components may have died along the way, but the product is still named DirectX.
That's why "DirectX will not be evolving any longer as a technology" is subject to interpretation.
But if we take has it is writen, it means the death of Direct3D because it is part of DirectX (even if alone).
 
L

Limanima

Member
Noogy said:
Sad news indeed. I basically spent the last 4 years learning how to program, and while it was most definitley worth it, it's unfortunate that my preferred language (XNA) is pretty much dead.

So, what's the best language for a coder like myself to transition into?
Click to expand...

Like popstar suggested, you could go the monogame root. I am... I think that even XNA wasn't dead I would transition to Monogame anyway because it is multiplatform.
 
P

Popstar

Member
Let me phrase this a different way.

For years, the only technologies actively supported in the DirectX SDK have been those also used in the Xbox 360. Now that the 360 is being put out to pasture it should be of no surprise that those technologies are going with it.

Whatever APIs the 360's successor uses will effectively become the next "DirectX" assuming they are also made available on Windows.
 
M

missile

Member
Spierek said:
http://ventspace.wordpress.com/2013/01/30/directxxna-phase-out-continues/

Apparently, Microsoft confirms XNA's demise and that DirectX will not be "evolving any longer as a technology". Poor news.
Click to expand...
I never understood why people thought XNA/DirectX would be for eternity.
Anyways. They will perhaps just make room for a new one.


Teknopathetic said:
... The fuckkk? Could this open the door for OpenGL? Carmack dancing in the streets?
Click to expand...
xD


Noogy said:
Sad news indeed. I basically spent the last 4 years learning how to program, and while it was most definitley worth it, it's unfortunate that my preferred language (XNA) is pretty much dead.

So, what's the best language for a coder like myself to transition into?
Click to expand...
Use a Greedy strategy for choosing your (locally) best language.


I can see an increase in the diversity of platforms and it's impossible to
virtualize them all, defeating the point of their existents to begin with. So
as a developer one may better learn how to deal with them. I think as a game
developer you have to be able to adapt to a new platform rapidly. Being on
just one platform/framework will make you a sitting duck. And I think making
your knowledge the #1 platform is the way to go, and not any specific
hardware, platform, or framework. If you know what you are doing, you can do
it everywhere.
 
B

beril

Member
Noogy said:
Sad news indeed. I basically spent the last 4 years learning how to program, and while it was most definitley worth it, it's unfortunate that my preferred language (XNA) is pretty much dead.

So, what's the best language for a coder like myself to transition into?
Click to expand...

Just go for C++, that's always best in the long run and having already released a game on XBLA you probably won't have to bother with services like XBLIG or PSMobile that won't let you run native code
 
M

missile

Member
Being an indie game developer you may haven't had the money to do teh game
you ever wanted to make, yet. What type of game is it, what is it about? Do
you believe you will ever make it happen?
 
V

Valygar

Member
I've followed this thread for a while. I am impressed with the things you are developing.

I've studied engineering, but I learned programming as well. C, C++ and a bit of Java, just not a lot of practice. Now that I am unemployed, I thought I might refresh my programming skills...

I was thinking of going html 5 for portability, there is going to be a course in udacity about it: https://www.udacity.com/course/cs255. The downside is that I do not know html...

What would you recommend? This will remain a hobby, and I'll probably use pixel art. I saw flixel at the OP, but I do not know if I should use unity, or go with html5 and that's it...
 
R

rottame

Member
I'd say Unity. It's flexible and very easy to use, especially if you can already code. As far as I can tell, HTML5 is still kind of experimental.
 
R

razu

Member
Yo people, I'm updating my site, ready for launch. Could you give it a go? It's at http://VAMflax.com

Does it look okay in your browser, etc...?

The video is placeholder, that will be the trailer. Also, there's not a whole lot of 'info' on the info page. I wonder what to put there really.

There will be a line of iOS/Android/PC/Mac 'buy here' buttons when you can buy it! Kinda important that!

I removed the playable web demo as that could only serve to put people off.. Frame rate is all over the place, even on a powerful machine that can play the standalone game at 1920x1080p 8xAA at a solid 60! And, keys are the worst input method, (not bad by any means, but not the best - which is what you want from a demo), controllers and touchscreens rule for this game!


Any feedback would be very much appreciated. Cheers!
 
R

rottame

Member
1) take away the autoplay of the video.
2) put the converting elements (the buy button) up in the page, visible and possibly with a stand out color (not red. Maybe green?)
3) have a descriptive headline. Instead of "Vamflax presents Chopper Mike for iOS, Android, PC, Mac & OUYA...", write something like "Chopper Mike, a toy helicopter game for etc. etc.". Find a way to describe the game in one sentence and use it as headline.
4) make the pictures of the games clickable, linking to the info pages.
 
M

missile

Member
@razu: Would exchange the video with the games "cover" picture (the one
right below). This picture is the most important, will be used wherever you
get reference / rated. So it's better to show it on top of your page making it
clear that this is teh page of Chopper Mike. Good luck, mate!
 
R

razu

Member
rottame said:
1) take away the autoplay of the video.
2) put the converting elements (the buy button) up in the page, visible and possibly with a stand out color (not red. Maybe green?)
3) have a descriptive headline. Instead of "Vamflax presents Chopper Mike for iOS, Android, PC, Mac & OUYA...", write something like "Chopper Mike, a toy helicopter game for etc. etc.". Find a way to describe the game in one sentence and use it as headline.
4) make the pictures of the games clickable, linking to the info pages.
Click to expand...

Cheers!

1)
I set autoplay reluctantly as I didn't want the ass pain of trying to set a decent thumbnail, but, by monetizing your account with *a* video, you get the option of custom youtube thumnails.. I just set this up. So, autoplay can fook off!

2)
The buy buttons will be the standard app store/android buttons, and I was going to put them above the video, so you could see them on load.

3)
Good point, thanks!

4)
Yep, done, cheers again! :D
 
R

razu

Member
missile said:
@razu: Would exchange the video with the games "cover" picture (the one
right below). This picture is the most important, will be used wherever you
get reference / rated. So it's better to show it on top of your page making it
clear that this is teh page of Chopper Mike. Good luck, mate!
Click to expand...


With a custom thumbnail for the video, that is what you'll see!! :D

Cheers
 
M

Margalis

Banned
Agree with putting the picture higher, on my initial screen all I see is the video. Also on Chrome I can scroll really far down where there is just empty space.

Also, maybe this is just me, but VAMflax appears 9 times on the page...it seems a little weird. The combination of the name and how many times it's repeated makes it seem like it's almost a parody.

I think it would be better to stress the Chopper Mike part more and the VAMflax part less. Especially in the "VAMflax presents..." line you are burying the lede a little. The actual thing you are promoting should be Chopper Mike, but VAMflax comes first and even has a cool logo while Chopper Mike is just in the normal font and comes second.

Just my thoughts, good luck!
 
R

razu

Member
Perhaps I should take the video off the front page and put it on the info page for Chopper Mike, along with a banner and screenshots. Then just give out links to that page.

I could then keep the main page as a list of banners for all VAMflax games.

I like that VAMflax is everywhere! That's the brand, and it's the site for that brand. Chopper Mike will come and go, but there will be more VAMflax games. A quick look at Nintendo.co.uk and there's 'Nintendo' just about everywhere you look. And, 'VAMflax' is no more ridiculous a word as 'Nintendo', it's just somewhat less familiar :p

I will also be putting together a press kit with lots of info and pics... yet another job for the todo list!


Thanks for feedback.. much to think about...!
 
B

Blizzard

Banned
Spierek said:
http://ventspace.wordpress.com/2013/01/30/directxxna-phase-out-continues/

Apparently, Microsoft confirms XNA's demise and that DirectX will not be "evolving any longer as a technology". Poor news.
Click to expand...
I seem to remember some people warning about XNA's future with Windows 8 several months back. I guess they were right?

Also, that DirectX wording is really weird. I suspect the article's author is probably correct, and maybe it just applies to 2D DirectX instead of Direct3D itself. But bleah semantics, just makes stuff confusing since Direct3D might be considered part of DirectX, and people are familiar with the terms DX9 or DX11.

article said:
Before things get out of hand: No, you should not switch to OpenGL. I get to use it professionally every day and it sucks. Direct3D 11 with the Win8 SDK is a perfectly viable choice, much more so than OpenGL for high end development. None of the contents of my frequent complaints should imply in any way that OpenGL is a good thing.
Click to expand...
 
F

Fireblend

Banned
Hey guys this video is a little outdated, but I thought I'd ask for your feedback (click on the picture):

Click to expand...

It's a game I'm developing for Android using Haxe and NME. Basically, you have to "catch" the color pellets that come from the left side of the screen with the right-colored "interceptor" before they make it to the other side.

Since the video, I added special pellets (a while "wildcard" pellet that can be intercepted by with any color, and a black pellet that has to be let through the screen), plus some very small UI changes (multiplier indicator, for example).

What do you guys think?
 
M

missile

Member
razu said:
Perhaps I should take the video off the front page and put it on the info page for Chopper Mike, along with a banner and screenshots. Then just give out links to that page.

I could then keep the main page as a list of banners for all VAMflax games. ...
Click to expand...
Am just curious why you didn't make it that way in the first place. ;)
 
E

embalm

Member
Hazaro said:
Tracks themselves are great. Took a glimpse at the game setting, seems fine, but I'm no musical expert.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the feedback. We wanted the memorability of Warcraft 2, but the military feel of Command and Conquer. I'm not sure if that comes across completely, but at least I'm not the only one who thinks it's good.


charsace said:
Where's a good place to get started with Unity?
Click to expand...
Start with their Lerpz platforming tutorial.
It walks through ray casts, object placement, scripting, collision detection, particle effects and lots of other features at a very good pace, and enough of the game will be complete when your done that it is very rewarding.
I used it as my jumping point into unity almost 2 years ago, so it may have changed a little, but I am sure it's still incredibly educational.
 
C

caffeware

Banned
Teknopathetic said:
"Apparently, Microsoft confirms XNA's demise and that DirectX will not be "evolving any longer as a technology". Poor news."


The fuckkk? Could this open the door for OpenGL? Carmack dancing in the streets?
Click to expand...

...DirectX outside of Direct3D is completely dead.
Click to expand...

He means DirectSound, DirectPlay, etc.

Before things get out of hand: No, you should not switch to OpenGL. I get to use it professionally every day and it sucks. Direct3D 11 with the Win8 SDK is a perfectly viable choice, much more so than OpenGL for high end development. None of the contents of my frequent complaints should imply in any way that OpenGL is a good thing.
Click to expand...
 
R

rohlfinator

Member
Noogy said:
Sad news indeed. I basically spent the last 4 years learning how to program, and while it was most definitley worth it, it's unfortunate that my preferred language (XNA) is pretty much dead.

So, what's the best language for a coder like myself to transition into?
Click to expand...

If you want to stick with C#, Unity seems like your best bet. I know the guy who made AI War ported the whole game from XNA to Unity and was very happy with it.
 
H

hoverX

Member
How accurate is this guys comments on OpenGL? I'm planning on learning Open GL ES and don't really aspire to do any big AAA PC or XBox development but am I going to be hating Open GL vs Direct X? (i have no experience with Direct x)
 
P

Popstar

Member
hoverX said:
How accurate is this guys comments on OpenGL? I'm planning on learning Open GL ES and don't really aspire to do any big AAA PC or XBox development but am I going to be hating Open GL vs Direct X? (i have no experience with Direct x)
Click to expand...
Years ago I had a contract to port an older engine from PC to the Xbox 360. It had both OpenGL 1.x and Direct3D 7 bindings.

After a couple days working with the Direct3D 7 code I restarted from scratch with the OpenGL code instead. Why? Because Direct3D 9 on the 360 was closer to OpenGL than it was to Direct3D 7. There was pretty much a one-to-one correspondence, just different function names.

He probably just doesn't know OpenGL very well, or is overly attached to everything having to be in a class.
 
H

hoverX

Member
Popstar said:
Years ago I had a contract to port an older engine from PC to the Xbox 360. It had both OpenGL 1.x and Direct3D 7 bindings.

After a couple days working with the Direct3D 7 code I restarted from scratch with the OpenGL code instead. Why? Because Direct3D 9 on the 360 was closer to OpenGL than it was to Direct3D 7. There was pretty much a one-to-one correspondence, just different function names.

He probably just doesn't know OpenGL very well, or is overly attached to everything having to be in a class.
Click to expand...

Interesting.

YOu may be a good person to ask this...

Can you recommend a math refresher (book or web site) that will help me get the most out of the class? The teacher says I don't need much but I want to get the most out of the class.
 
P

Popstar

Member
About Direct3D versus OpenGL; one thing people legitimately miss from Direct3D when doing OpenGL are the D3DX support libraries. It's better than it used to be however. With stuff like GLM now available.

hoverX said:
Interesting.

YOu may be a good person to ask this...

Can you recommend a math refresher (book or web site) that will help me get the most out of the class? The teacher says I don't need much but I want to get the most out of the class.
Click to expand...
Er, what class? Are you taking a 3D programming course?

Essential Mathematics for Games and Interactive Applications is a good book. But I may not be the best person to ask, I've been doing 3D long enough it's hard for me to put myself in the shoes of a beginner.
 
A

AlexM

Member
Limanima said:
Yes, components may have died along the way, but the product is still named DirectX.
That's why "DirectX will not be evolving any longer as a technology" is subject to interpretation.
But if we take has it is writen, it means the death of Direct3D because it is part of DirectX (even if alone).
Click to expand...

IIRC in that same article they said Direct3d is becoming part of the windows core. It's just a nomenclature thing.
 
F

fin

Member
Fireblend said:
Hey guys this video is a little outdated, but I thought I'd ask for your feedback (click on the picture):



It's a game I'm developing for Android using Haxe and NME. Basically, you have to "catch" the color pellets that come from the left side of the screen with the right-colored "interceptor" before they make it to the other side.

Since the video, I added special pellets (a while "wildcard" pellet that can be intercepted by with any color, and a black pellet that has to be let through the screen), plus some very small UI changes (multiplier indicator, for example).

What do you guys think?
Click to expand...

Very clever idea!

One question, are you planning on adding penalties if the interceptor is the wrong color? Maybe the color pellets disappears and you lose that opportunity for points? Or take a deduction in points? Or maybe reset the interceptor at the original position? Or maybe it gets frozen for a couple seconds and you can't move it?

Good work!
 
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