Challenge: Video Game Makers in the Playground

[Tyndmyr]

The rules are simple. By the end of a given month, make and post a link to a completed, playable video game. The only restriction is that it must be YOUR game...not a game you've copied from somewhere. Doing so results in fame, fortune, and your name posted here as completing the challenge. Failure to do so will result in no points, eternal dishonor, and may god have mercy on your soul. A theme will be suggested for each month, but it's strictly optional.

Month 1: August!
Theme: Retro space games!

Month 2: September!
Theme: Fun with tiles!

Completed:
Spectral Phoenix - Missiles
DragonSamurai77 - Space Invaders

Competing:

Feel free to post discussion, tips, questions, and whatever else you find fitting. If you find yourself in need of a place to upload your game to, hit me up, I have more web server space than I can ever use.

[Maxios]

This is a good site I just found that gives advice on making a Space Invaders style game.

[Tyndmyr]

I strongly advice checking out the XNA package from microsoft for a few reasons.

1. It's extremely well documented. Great tutorials. Step by step, with explanation. This is all kinds of awesome, as documentation for some things assumes a lot of prior knowledge.
2. It's entirely free on PC. This is...nice.
3. You can port them to xbox. This costs a little bit, but it's seriously still quite inexpensive. There's really no other comparable way to develop for consoles.
4. It's in C#. This is an actual language used in the real world. Damned handy skill to have.

VB is another solid option for getting started.

Lots of good languages out there. Any of the easy ones is great to get you started, once you've absorbed one, the next is always easier.

[Maxios]

What is the easiest programming language to start out with?

[Tyndmyr]

Well, it depends what you're trying to do, really. VB is probably the simplest for making a quicky windows app, for instance. Standard grey boxes, things like that. A solid choice if you're making say, a drug wars style game that's low on graphics, but you want it to still be a windows app instead of command line or w/e.

C# is probably among the easiest for 2d graphics thanks entirely to XNA.

Certain specialized apps like RPGmaker will be easier...but only for specific styles of game. If your game concept fits into such a slot....by all means, take advantage of it. It just doesn't work for all game concepts.

Honestly, the key is mostly picking a good, simple concept to start out with. Lots of retro games have such a thing...possibly with additional options built around it. So, cloning a retro game is a great starting place. Typically low graphics required, relatively simple gameplay.

[Maxios]

What's a good free (or under $10) program that allows you to create a very simple RPG?

[Tyndmyr]

Well, RPGMaker has a free trial.

Or, you can use a more generalized language...if it's a very simple RPG, you can aim for that with anything. I've personally built a reasonably complex RPG in visual basic(flipped into shooter mode in combat). I know there's a starter kit for making an RPG in XNA as well. You should be able to strip graphics off either the XNA site or the Torque site.

Links:

Garage Games: Makers of torque 3d engine, a few other fun things. Very powerful, documentation is sometimes lacking.

Milkshape: My personal favorite 3d modeling app. Not as powerful as 3d studio or blender, but remarkably easy to use. Also cheap($25, IIRC). Note that you only need something like this if doing 3d.

Paint.Net: Free graphics app. It ain't photoshop but it beats the hell out of the standard Paint. And it's free.

RPGMaker: Specialized RPG app. Easy top-down RPG building, not particularly useful for other things.

Visual Studio Express: Free compilers for C#, C, Visual Basic, etc. Microsoft is pretty good about such things. If you prefer linux, hit up Mono instead.

XNA: The XNA library for C#. Grab it and the microsoft C# compiler and you're in business. I recommend the app hub for starters.

[Trazoi]

I was going to get back to learning ActionScript for Flash games anyway, so I'll join in. I'll try to do a blog-like walkthrough of what I'm doing so it's easier to follow (either here or linked to elsewhere; need to think about what's best). I might go through a few steps before getting to the retro space game, such as setup/Hello World, a dead simple game prototype, Pong, Breakout and then Space Invaders.

Originally Posted by Maxios

What's a good free (or under $10) program that allows you to create a very simple RPG?

rpgmaker.net has a list of engines.

[-skimmer-]

Challenge accepted.

[super dark33]

If i may be a judge assistence i would be happy.

[Maxios]

My Space Invaders-style game is going good, so far. However, I have run into two, very large, issues. First, I can't move to the right. Second, when I hit space, the laser isn't shooting.

[-skimmer-]

Originally Posted by Maxios

My Space Invaders-style game is going good, so far. However, I have run into two, very large, issues. First, I can't move to the right. Second, when I hit space, the laser isn't shooting.

What programming language have you decided to use in the end?

[Maxios]

Not a language, per say. I downloaded a demo of this simple-game creation software called AgentSheets. I linked to a tutorial on making a Space Invaders game using AgentSheets earlier, though at the time, I thought it was for a totally different software. The problem is, it's not as easy as it seems.
Once I fix all the bugs, I know how to upload it onto the internet so you guys can play it.

[Tyndmyr]

Originally Posted by super dark33

If i may be a judge assistence i would be happy.

Certainly. I could use some help keeping track of everyone.

Basically, I figure as long as they made a game(it need not be an original concept...hell, you can follow a guide), and it can be played, it's a win.


Maxios, whatcha coding in? Want another set of eyes to look at it?

[Maxios]

I have good news, bad news, and ugly news a question...

Good news: I restarted the project, and it's going great.
Bad news: It's more like Pacman (with space marines and aliens!) then it is Space Invaders.
Question: Does it have to be like a retro space game, or can it just have a space theme?

[super dark33]

Im not sure about tyndmyr, but i dont mind.

[-skimmer-]

Originally Posted by Maxios

I have good news, bad news, and ugly news a question...

Good news: I restarted the project, and it's going great.
Bad news: It's more like Pacman (with space marines and aliens!) then it is Space Invaders.
Question: Does it have to be like a retro space game, or can it just have a space theme?

I think pacman still qualifies as retro....also, how that game of yours can be like pacman and then like space invaders is going to bug me all night....

[super dark33]

Ok i thought of stuff that can help us to judge this easier.

Innovation
Creativity
and Gameplay

1 to 10, where 10 is the highest ranking.

[Maxios]

More good news and bad news!

Good news: The game is done, and it is awesome!
Bad news: I don't know how to upload the game anywhere. There is an official site for games made with AgentSheets, but apparently it's for some college or high school in Colorado

Official Game Summary:
The Aliens have invaded the spaceship you're in! As Space Marine #43.64, it is your duty to collect the batteries to power the Death Ray that will wipe out the Aliens! However, the Aliens have spilled acid on the floor, making it impossible to backtrack! After you end up trapped- or dead via aliens-count the remaining batteries. If there is 30 or less batteries left, you have gotten enough batteries to power the Death Ray and you win. If not, you can always replay the game.

[-skimmer-]

try to upload it on megaupload or similar storage?

[Trazoi]

Originally Posted by super dark33

Ok i thought of stuff that can help us to judge this easier.

Innovation
Creativity
and Gameplay

1 to 10, where 10 is the highest ranking.

I'd recommend making this more of a personal challenge than a contest, as everyone will be at different skill levels. Absolute beginners shouldn't be concerned if more experienced developers want to join in.

I'd also advise putting too heavy an emphasis on creativity or innovation for beginners, because it's a challenge enough to learn the basics of programming. That's one of the reasons why making a retro game clone is recommended - the game idea is already there for you, go ahead and learn how to make it.

[Maxios]

Screenshot time!

Spoiler

[Haruki-kun]

I have a question. When you say "Retro Space games" what exactly do you mean? What are the limits here?

[-skimmer-]

Originally Posted by Haruki-kun

I have a question. When you say "Retro Space games" what exactly do you mean? What are the limits here?

Do you really want exact limits? Just go with whatever you consider old time space themed game....

[Maxios]

I just went to the libary, and checked out roughly around 10 books on Programming video-games

[Tyndmyr]

Originally Posted by super dark33

Ok i thought of stuff that can help us to judge this easier.

Innovation
Creativity
and Gameplay

1 to 10, where 10 is the highest ranking.

I'm thinking just a simple pass/fail every month, perhaps with kudos for people who have made something really awesome, or shown solid improvement. Nothing necessarily all that formal, just a way of recognizing what people are doing, and giving each other a bit of help.

Retro space games, I was thinking things like astroids, space invaders, missile defense...but really, almost any game could have a space theme. And the theme is optional anyway. I'm not even quite sure what I'm doing myself yet.

For those in the Baltimore/DC area...I have a small library of coding books myself, a lot of which are game coding. Always fun getting people started and what not.

[leakingpen]

looking at agentsheets, you end up with a .jar file, is that correct?

[Domochevsky]

...hum, i might actually lend general purpose art assets to this challenge for people to use if there's need. Just tell me what you'd be interested in.

[Tyndmyr]

Originally Posted by leakingpen

looking at agentsheets, you end up with a .jar file, is that correct?

That sounds like Java to me. Solid language to learn. And yeah, a jar is a runnable file if you have Java on the system.

[leakingpen]

tyndmyr, thats my thought, but they'd still need a host.

And damn me, I just canceled my spare url and host package for lack of money, since I hadn't done anything with it, or id host em for people.