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[seristal]

So what if I wanted to make a game like DF for me (Personal use), using ASCII or something similar? I have a ton of time and it seems like a fun thing to do. Any tips to help me get started or "pointing me in the right direction" would be appreciated. 

(I wasn't really sure where to post this since it's technically not related directly to DF)

[Frumple]

You'll probably want to start here, and perhaps looking about the Creative Projects subforum.

Also, the biggest tip I could think of is, "Don't be surprised it getting anywhere substantial takes a while".

[WealthyRadish]

That thread's your best bet, at least from this forum. You're first going to need to pick a language, and will probably want some kind of IDE (a program to write source in, that'll check syntax, make typing tons of code easier, and allow for easy compilation).

C++ is probably the best bet if this is a long term project, but something like python is easier to pick up, so I'd start with that if you have no experience with programming languages of any description. I don't think many people make ASCII games in Java, but I may be mistaken... C# is probably more common, behind C++. It'll take a lot of motivation to self-teach a language to the point of making a game, so I'd recommend checking if there's a local community college course or something on it that you could take to get your feet wet (if you find it impossibly frustrating otherwise).

Edit:
Derp, completely forgot about this thread.

[seristal]

Thanks, like I said, I appreciate all this! What about something like a text-based RPG?

[WealthyRadish]

That would be an easier first project, since you could make it run from the console and not need to integrate and learn any GUI libraries. So I'd go for that first, definitely.

But before that, you'll want to practice making more basic games/programs while you figure different aspects of programming out, as you'll be constantly rewriting the game as you learn new stuff otherwise.

[Max White]

Well this can certainly throw you into the deep end with a game, I would not recommend starting here.

Look, programming a game requires certain skills.
It is like writing a book, anybody can learn how! But you need to be able to read and write before you can translate your story into language. As such if you have a novel you want to share, the best start is to learn the fundamentals of a language, how to spell, how sentence structure works. This alone would be enough to write a pretty basic story, but if you want something a little more complex it is best to go onto literary techniques, and figure out how to use everything you just learnt in a meaningful way.

Programming is much the same. You need to learn the basics of how the logic works. Where to put your brackets and semicolons, your selection, repetition and iteration, your objects and classes, public and protected and private and so on. You need to understand the fundamentals first, and this alone can produce a pretty basic game. Still, if you want something a little more complex it is best to go onto design patterns, and figure out how to use everything you just learnt in a meaningful way.


Best of luck, and remember: The exceptions aren't the enemy, they are just telling you that you messed up somewhere. Don't blame them!