Sorry your browser is not supported!

You are using an outdated browser that does not support modern web technologies, in order to use this site please update to a new browser.

Browsers supported include Chrome, FireFox, Safari, Opera, Internet Explorer 10+ or Microsoft Edge.

Newcomers DBPro Corner / Kinda Curious About Programming Methods

Author
Message
dlefik 2008
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 28th Apr 2005
Location: Spencerville, OH
Posted: 4th Jun 2006 07:58
Link
Been kinda wondering, but when any of you sit down to make a program, regardless of whether or not it's a full blown application, game, or just a snippet, how do you approach it? Do you actually write out the program on paper first and figure it all out that way then go back and type it in, or do you just sit down, open DarkBasic and start typing away. I'm just trying to see if it would be better to plan any kind of code out on paper first then go back in and type it out or just sit down and start typing away.
Back to top
Profile PM Email
DARKGuy
20
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 28th Nov 2003
Location:
Posted: 4th Jun 2006 08:29
Link
Well, most programmers write some diagrams or stuff about how they want their game to look like, others even write lines of code in paper! however, if you want my personal opinion, I rarely sketch something before programming - all my "sketches" are images & 3D models I find around or make for the game I'm thinking about. However when I'm bored at school sometimes I draw things for my game (levels, enemies, props, etc) but it's very rare - I prefer to go on and start typing .

It's good to plan at least the way how you're going to make your game, so you can have a slight overview of the idea in general and modify it later, so it won't be too much hassle on the coding


"As sudden as I arrive, as sudden as I leave."

Back to top
Profile PM Email
smallg
Valued Member
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 8th Dec 2005
Location: steam
Posted: 4th Jun 2006 11:47
Link
i only write things down if i have a problem that is going to be a fair way in (i.e. isn't possible to program at that time) that way i can be working in the game and working out possible problems at the same time.... ofcourse i only do that when i have had enough of looking at the computer screen, otherwise i just type out the game without any reference at all, just the idea in my head.

life's one big game
spec= 2.6ghz, 1gb ram, 512mb gpu, directx 9.0c, dbpro and classic
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Pincho Paxton
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 8th Dec 2002
Location:
Posted: 4th Jun 2006 15:12
Link
Just start typing, with the manual handy for my first project. The second project will have parts copy pasted from the first project. Mostly the opening parts with Hide Mouse etc. This continues for many projects until I am copy pasting Functions, and Subroutines from old projects to new projects.

Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
RUCCUS
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 11th Dec 2004
Location: Canada
Posted: 4th Jun 2006 15:48
Link
Like Pincho said, its good to have a working frame before doing anything. Something as simple as this;



That gives you movement, sight, and the main client settings to work with. Now implementing your user model/maps and other code is relatively simple, instead of starting right away with the map models and shooting and whatnot.

Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
monotonic
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 24th Mar 2006
Location: Nottinghamshire, England
Posted: 4th Jun 2006 18:11
Link
I have found that if you dont plan things out prior to coding it then you tend to run into problems when the project becomes larger. Planning is vitaly important, whats worse spending a few hours planning or spending a few weeks coding then find out that the way you have implented things is not going to work in your engine?

My W.I.P project
Back to top
Profile PM
CattleRustler
Retired Moderator
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 8th Aug 2003
Location: case modding at overclock.net
Posted: 4th Jun 2006 19:00
Link
The longer you program, the better you get at how to go about projects, regardless if they are games or apps, and regardless of their complexity. I find that the more modular you can make your code, and the more generic reusability you can work into it, the better off youll be at any juncture. I usually always write something down first, even if its just an outline or a task list for the app. If the app will need custom classes then Ill outline those as well, then, its off to coding

Back to top
Profile PM
Zotoaster
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 20th Dec 2004
Location: Scotland
Posted: 4th Jun 2006 20:16
Link
I just start coding, and I rarely write anything, but sometimes if I come across a really mathematical problem, I will sketch it down and draw everything in, and figure out the best way to do things. If you see it in a diagram it's always easier that way than if you keep imagining it.

Back to top
Profile PM Email
monotonic
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 24th Mar 2006
Location: Nottinghamshire, England
Posted: 4th Jun 2006 20:26 Edited at: 4th Jun 2006 20:29
Link
It doesn't matter how long you have been coding for you will always run into problems when developing large apps/games. I work with a developer who has been in the industry for over 25 years and he still runs into problems when things are not documented and planned. What CR said about the longer you have been coding you learn to make your code more modular and resuable is absolutly correct also I think you learn to make your code better at handling errors, for example like when I first started out I never checked to see if an object or file existed before trying to use it (naive coding ). Speak to any professional and they will tell you the same.

My W.I.P project
Back to top
Profile PM
Phaelax
DBPro Master
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 16th Apr 2003
Location: Metropia
Posted: 4th Jun 2006 21:51
Link
I just sit down and start typing.

"Using Unix is the computing equivalent of listening only to music by David Cassidy" - Rob Pike
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
CattleRustler
Retired Moderator
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 8th Aug 2003
Location: case modding at overclock.net
Posted: 4th Jun 2006 23:19
Link
monotonic is correct, you can plan and plan but still run into problems with unforeseen issues, and/or the client making changes to a fully developed system (story of my life - lol) but at any rate theres really no formula thats set in stone.

live and learn - and make sure they pay you hourly!

Back to top
Profile PM
dlefik 2008
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 28th Apr 2005
Location: Spencerville, OH
Posted: 4th Jun 2006 23:27
Link
cool, thanks for the replies guys. I guess i'll just stick with the way i'm going with just typing out ideas, but maybe now i'll start working out my project outlines first since i don't do that. maybe it'll make things easier for me in the long run if i do the layout first. it's just amazing to look at some of the really complex programs out there that some people do and it makes me wonder how the hell they make such a complex program without confusing themselves, especially when they have 1000's of lines of code and not even remarked.
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Daten
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 3rd Jun 2006
Location:
Posted: 5th Jun 2006 00:03
Link
The thing that i wonder is what part of the game do u start with first being it the GUI or the main screen or menu for that matter

Life is Death and Death is a Release Not a Punishment
Back to top
Profile PM Email
RUCCUS
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 11th Dec 2004
Location: Canada
Posted: 5th Jun 2006 04:03
Link
In my experience with other programmers Ive seen and myself, you generally start out with the most important part of the app, usually being the player movement/main physics engine for collision and whatnot, and leave the GUI and other things that pretty the game up to last.

But as stated, just do what feels right to you.

Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Darth Vader
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 10th May 2005
Location: Adelaide SA, I am the only DB user here!
Posted: 5th Jun 2006 16:46
Link
Theory

I always start a program idea with theories. I in my head write out Pusedo code and then jot it down on my PPC. But rarley do I jot it down! You know what my biggest failure with learning DBpro is? Its lack of studying other peoples code which I do rarley but when I do do it I understand things completly (almost sometimes! ). I think I am going to study other people's code snippets! You know I still can't program sliding colision!


When in Trouble with anything visit here your number one stop for help
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Pincho Paxton
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 8th Dec 2002
Location:
Posted: 5th Jun 2006 17:17
Link
Quote: "The thing that i wonder is what part of the game do u start with first being it the GUI or the main screen or menu for that matter
"


Start with what you aren't sure about. A new programmer might start with the menu, because he has to learn the simple parts first. But whatever parts you don't fully know already, it is best to do them in the order of simplest to hardest. If something sounds totally impossible to understand, then try a totally different project.

Quote: "You know what my biggest failure with learning DBpro is? Its lack of studying other peoples code which I do rarley but when I do do it I understand things completly (almost sometimes! ). I think I am going to study other people's code snippets! You know I still can't program sliding colision!"


I find it hard to read other people's code. Seems that they can do magic like David Copperfield, and some commands that I have never heard of like....

object in screen

See, I didn't know about that command.

Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Phaelax
DBPro Master
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 16th Apr 2003
Location: Metropia
Posted: 5th Jun 2006 21:43
Link
GUI is usually the last thing I do, as that is less than trivial. Ruccus pretty much hit the order I do things in. Movement and collision first, then maybe replace cubes with actual models. A good example of how I do things might be my RTS tutorial. 12 chapters now and I haven't even hit an graphical interface yet.

Quote: "The longer you program, the better you get at how to go about projects"

You have a better idea of what to expect in further development and so you can plan for it better early on. That's not really an issue if you got plenty of documentation and thorough diagrams which you can follow.


Quote: "Seems that they can do magic like David Copperfield,"

I've seen him live twice when i was a kid.

"Using Unix is the computing equivalent of listening only to music by David Cassidy" - Rob Pike
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
dlefik 2008
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 28th Apr 2005
Location: Spencerville, OH
Posted: 6th Jun 2006 23:44
Link
Quote: "I find it hard to read other people's code. Seems that they can do magic like David Copperfield, and some commands that I have never heard of"


yeah, ive tried that approach too, trying to learn off others peoples techniques and i think when you do that, it's too overwhelming and feel like just givin' up. that's why i quit doing that.
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Phaelax
DBPro Master
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 16th Apr 2003
Location: Metropia
Posted: 7th Jun 2006 00:02
Link
You want a programming job, you better get used to reading other ppl's code.

"Using Unix is the computing equivalent of listening only to music by David Cassidy" - Rob Pike
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
monotonic
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 24th Mar 2006
Location: Nottinghamshire, England
Posted: 7th Jun 2006 00:23
Link
Quote: "You want a programming job, you better get used to reading other ppl's code."


Absolutly, that is where documentation is essential, without it you have to go through and figure it out and ask questions etc until youve got it cracked, but if you have structure charts, program flow and logic documents to reference then yours and everyone elses life is much easier.

My W.I.P project
Back to top
Profile PM
Darth Vader
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 10th May 2005
Location: Adelaide SA, I am the only DB user here!
Posted: 7th Jun 2006 10:45
Link
Quote: "You want a programming job, you better get used to reading other ppl's code."

Just so long as the remark their code!


When in Trouble with anything visit here your number one stop for help
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
indi
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 26th Aug 2002
Location: Earth, Brisbane, Australia
Posted: 7th Jun 2006 13:59
Link
god i hate working on other peoples code. no one comments, you dont have time in faster offices to scratch yourself.
/* a little remark every now and then goes a long way */

If no-one gives your an answer to a question you have asked, consider:- Is your question clear.- Did you ask nicely.- Are you showing any effort to solve the problem yourself 
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Back to top

Login to post a reply

Server time is: 2024-11-26 18:40:06
Your offset time is: 2024-11-26 18:40:06