Game Programming necessities

[ShadowGodz]

Hi. Very new to this. I've realized I want to create my own game and have been looking around. www.devmaster.net is where I started, as it is a large database comparing 3d engines. I understand 3d engines are a compilation of tools and editors to make game creation take a lot less time. They have libraries of stuff, although I really don't know what OpenGL refers to. What are these libraries comprised of?

The rest of my question is the bigger part indeed: What other utilities, tools, etc.. are required outside of the 3d engine? Are some 3d engines more all-inclusive than others? Are there programs that specifically only focus on one side of things and than you import it all into the engine? Basically, what are all different aspects and their tools required to make a 3d game?

Thanks much, I know this is a rather open-ended question but I am looking for a lot of different feedback so please, enlighten me. Thanks guys!

[Return 0]

To start with you're going to need an IDE (Integrated Development Environment) to work your C++ magic in. I prefer MS Visual C++ 2008. On the graphics side of things learning a little about OpenGL and DirectX will be beneficial after you have an intermediate understanding of C++ to start to understand 3D. That's, for the most part where the coding ends. You might also want to look into DarkGDK which plugs into Visual C++ and includes plenty of freebies to get a 3d game going, you need an intermediate understandin of C++ though. Depending on what you're interested in developing, you'll need to get your hands on some image editing software, preferably Adobe Photoshop, and 3d animation such as 3dMax or Maya (which has a free learning edition).

I wouldn't focus too much at first with game engines, even though there are some free ones and open source. It's better if you learn as much as possible so you can understand components of the engines if you decide to go that route. There are of course other applications that play into game development, sound & music for example, but for a grade C game you can acquire much of your effects royalty free online.

brief description of OpenGL specification: http://www.opengl.org/documentation/current_version/

AutoDesk website (Maya Learning Edition): http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=7639525

DarkGDK and Visual C++: http://www.microsoft.com/express/samples/GameCreators/

Hope this helps.

return 0;

[helios]

OpenGL is, if I remember correctly, the open source version of GL, a graphics library. It's a cross-platform library which provides an abstraction layer over the graphics driver. It has such functions used to draw points, lines, polygons, etc. All the stuff an application using graphics would need.
The 3D engine is only a part of what constitutes a game engine. I was just talking with a friend of mine the other day about how his engine has four main modules: core (handling resource allocation and a whole bunch of other bureaucratic stuff), sound, graphics, and physics.
The 3D engine is another abstraction layer on top of the graphics library (usually Direct3D, OpenGL, and, previously, GFX) which takes data, such as player position, and passes the required commands to the graphics library.
Another important aspect in a game nowadays is the physics engine, which is of course, a physics simulator. It has some very complex and very cool functions like collision detections of many kinds.
There are many tools involved in making a 3D game. The most complex I've seen so far is 3Dsmax (or whatever it was called). It is used for 3D modeling and all that stuff.

Maybe my reply was too much on the professional side of game production, but I assumed this is what you wanted since you mentioned game engines.

[ShadowGodz]

Thank you both. You both gave me tips on the kind of stuff I'm beginning to learn about but don't quite know what's going on lol. I'm eager to learn all aspects though yes i realize doing all aspects myself would be incredibly inefficient. Learning what all the different components are to making the video game is what I'm trying to understand first. How many sides there are to it and that sort of thing. I know you got like your game mechanics and that stuff that probably has to be coded and then the artistic side which has lots of programs depending on what you're doing. I just gotta keep reading stuff.

Return 0 answered the artistry side it sounds like while helios answered the other one. Thanks both again. Yeah I doubt I'll be diving into an engine anytime soon. Basics should come first in my own opinion