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Wolfsong73
3
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Joined: 22nd Aug 2020
Playing: FFXIV, Fall Guys, Redout
Posted: 24th Aug 2020 05:18 Edited at: 24th Aug 2020 05:20
Hello,

Pardon the music pun in the subject, but it seems appropriate here lol.

I'm brand-new to AppGameKit (and very new to programming), and am finding myself at a loss of where to start. What is the actual recommended Starting Point to learning this? Everything I look into seems to point to something else as a recommended prerequisite.

I went through the "Getting Started Guide" PDF, and figured getting started with Pong would be the natural next step.
However, in reading the Pong tutorial PDF, it suggests first looking at the Online Guide/Documentation and videos.
I'm afraid if I pick up from any given point, I'm going to miss some important information that should have been reviewed first.

Can someone point me to what the actual "Step 1 > Begin Here" would be?

Thanks much
Game_Code_here
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Posted: 24th Aug 2020 05:38
I started off making a math app

It is pretty good for a good start.

Then I made a simple 2d sprite game.

I suggest starting something of your own.

Think of a simple app you might enjoy.

Then load all the images then minipulate them.

I never learn from others ideas.

I tried that myself and just got confused.
Wolfsong73
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Joined: 22nd Aug 2020
Playing: FFXIV, Fall Guys, Redout
Posted: 24th Aug 2020 12:15
That's what I'll end up doing once I feel like I have enough of a grasp on how it all works overall. I'm not quite at that point.

So, in the meantime, I'm curious where is the actual starting point TGC intends people to begin with, so I can make sure I'm not skipping anything, or finding myself confused on something only because I missed content where it was explained.
Loktofeit
AGK Developer
15
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Joined: 21st Jan 2009
Location: Sarasota, FL
Posted: 24th Aug 2020 14:24

"I'm afraid if I pick up from any given point, I'm going to miss some important information that should have been reviewed first."

Don't be afraid, and yes you will. Such is true of every development environment.

Start where either your interests or strengths are best and work out from there. If you have questions along the way, you've got an awesome community to touch base with for help.
Game_Code_here
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Posted: 24th Aug 2020 20:51
If you know how to load images and sound and move them around then that's all you need to know.

The rest is asking questions and reading examples from the help menu.

At any rate I hope you have fun and make something you are proud of.
blink0k
Moderator
11
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Joined: 22nd Feb 2013
Location: the land of oz
Posted: 24th Aug 2020 23:10 Edited at: 24th Aug 2020 23:11
I have found this thread of simple game templates to be invaluable.
Want an angry birds type game using physics?... no problem
Pac man...right here
Try changing bit's a pieces of these templates and see what happens
PartTimeCoder
AGK Tool Maker
9
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Joined: 9th Mar 2015
Location: London UK
Posted: 26th Aug 2020 12:06 Edited at: 26th Aug 2020 12:07
Quote: "I'm going to miss some important information that should have been reviewed first."


I feel your pain, I'v been teaching myself Blender and Unity and the advice I can give is Pong.....always Pong lol, learn the mechanics of the engine and in your case being new to coding just learn to code, your first 10 projects will go in the bin and a year from now you'll know what not to do, learning to code is a long slow process and requires a lot of patience, look through the examples blink0k linked to, study the code, change a few bits, break it, fix it, once you understand exactly what each line of code is doing then your ready to take on your own project.

Unfortunately YouTube is not awash with AppGameKit stuff and most of the learning aids are right here in the forums but the folks at TGC did release a set of vids to get new users started

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KRazhSI-SA&list=PLlLxfPB9MrBtN8vFOZIUhotV9cs3VCV5Z

and for Studio, Mike from Games From Scratch did this

Lupo4mica37
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Joined: 1st Jun 2020
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Posted: 27th Aug 2020 05:44 Edited at: 27th Aug 2020 05:57
This will help you a lot:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KRazhSI-SA&list=PLlLxfPB9MrBtN8vFOZIUhotV9cs3VCV5Z



I found Rick's tutorials really good for learning not just how to use AppGameKit, but how to become a better programmer. Click on the link to see the entire Tutorial playlist on Youtube.

I think it is good to create an editbox that will allow you to input data and test your logic for a simple ROCK/PAPER/SCISSORS game.



I created this little demo for you to explore. I learnt this some time ago from a DarkBASIC Pro programming book and it taught me a lot. I put rem or // statements to explain some parts, but I left some parts without explanation, so it is up to you to figure it out yourself what is what. You can built upon that to create a scoring system for the player and computer using separate integer variables to add scores for the player and computer. To use the code, just create a new project and copy paste the code into the AppGameKit and run it.

From Rik's tutorials I reason it is beneficial to master the database and types. Later it will be beneficial to learn about the functions, but don't focus on them at present, take it step by step, make something that works and you will grow on that and when you have a problem do not give up, once you solve it, you will appreciate it a lot and learn from it a lot.

Enjoy your journey of discovery. Keep going and never give up!
Ortu
DBPro Master
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Joined: 21st Nov 2007
Location: Austin, TX
Posted: 29th Aug 2020 04:02
There is only one beginning and it is always



In seriousness, depending on just how new to programming you are, the very basics are:

1 Learn data types
2 Learn flow control (loops, ifs, switches, etc)
3 Learn functions and scoping
4 think of a small project. Something you want to build that uses all of these
5 think if a bigger project that builds greater complexity, forces you to explore more of the language, and does more interesting and useful things
http://games.joshkirklin.com/sulium

A single player RPG featuring a branching, player driven storyline of meaningful choices and multiple endings alongside challenging active combat and intelligent AI.
Conjured Entertainment
AGK Developer
18
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Joined: 12th Sep 2005
Location: Nirvana
Posted: 30th Aug 2020 17:13 Edited at: 30th Aug 2020 17:20
If memory serves, I started out with a Craps game.

Not with all the frills and side bets, just the"come-out" (initial roll) of 7 or 11 being a winner, and a 2,3,or 12 being a "craps" (loser), and any other value being the "point", which is your target to roll again before you roll a 7 which would then be a loser and start another initial roll.

I am not suggesting that you start with a craps game, but the point I am making is that you should start with something simple that you already understand what the logic and flow should be.

That way you are not trying to test your logistical skills, just trying to learn the commands necessary to perform your logic.

Basically what Ortu was saying about picking something simple, but that would also require some of the basic concepts that you will find yourself using over and over again in the future in other applications.

The "hello world" is usually the first thing most instructional tutorials or books will do, as displaying a message (result of the processing) is going to be needed in almost everything you do, considering the 3 main aspects of how computers work ... Input... Processing.... Output.

Coding things my way since 1981 -- Currently using AppGameKit V2 Tier 1
Lupo4mica37
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Posted: 30th Aug 2020 21:55
That Craps game of a random generation indeed is a good program to learn from.

Ortu's example of "Hello World" teaches more than a typical Print "Hello World" program, hence he said "There is only one beginning and it is always" = Problem.
Conjured Entertainment
AGK Developer
18
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Joined: 12th Sep 2005
Location: Nirvana
Posted: 31st Aug 2020 15:17 Edited at: 31st Aug 2020 15:23
Quote: "That Craps game of a random generation indeed is a good program to learn from."

It was for me.

Not only generating random numbers, but handling variables for say like the bet amount, the expressions for the math to calculate the wins and losses and the roll combinations, displaying varying messages for the results which included building the string to include the bet amount (if memory serves, I may be mistaken about that but I think I did build it), handling the input for the bets and rolls, if-then conditions, looping (I used GOTO for that back then ), etc etc,

While the logic was very simple for the game, it did involve learning a lot of the BASIC concepts.

Quote: "Ortu's example of "Hello World" teaches more than a typical Print "Hello World" program, hence he said "There is only one beginning and it is always" = Problem."

Oh yes, I was not referring to his code example, but the typical/classic "Hello World" example so often used historically.

Coding things my way since 1981 -- Currently using AppGameKit V2 Tier 1
Lupo4mica37
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Posted: 31st Aug 2020 20:31
That Craps project sounds like an interesting project to test some basic skills and knowledge, I might do it myself to be honest with you.

Hope you are good and healthy.
Conjured Entertainment
AGK Developer
18
Years of Service
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Joined: 12th Sep 2005
Location: Nirvana
Posted: 1st Sep 2020 02:10
Quote: "...to be honest with you."

That's the best way.

Coding things my way since 1981 -- Currently using AppGameKit V2 Tier 1

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