Total noob wants to know- do I need to learn C# or C++ first?
by Alex Morris · in Artist Corner · 01/29/2012 (1:51 pm) · 2 replies
OK, here's my deal
I'm a really good artist, can make my own layouts, characters, sprite sheets, backgrounds etc. I'm a whiz at photoshop and toonboom, animation comes easy and natural to me
But tech wise? I'm lost in space.
I've designed my own game, real simple and I want to build and launch it, probably through iTorgue 2D.
I have to know something before I decide to embark on this mission- do I have to learn code first?
I've been looking through and trying out some code learning programs and reading up on opinions. I read that Torgue is C++ based. Some are saying forget C++, learn C#. Already I'm confused
Now if you've ever seen this Saturday Night Live bit, it's about some tech nerd in an office who is the only guy who knows how everything works and he snears at everyone, as in "geez, you don't understand 2@#4sq98fratzagrph? What are you, in kindergarten?" That's how I feel when I try these tutorials. I run right into dead ends within minutes because they throw all kinds of stuff at you immediately, leaving me with a big "Huh?' balloon over my head
I've looked at a few youtube tutorials and they're both helpful and confusing
From what I thought I understood originally, iTorgue does the coding automaticly while I just drag and drop my artwork into frame and build, but now I've seen other tutorials where code is being typed in line by line (Y axis this and that)
So which is it? Does an artist like me have to go back to grammer school to learn some basic code work (Which is a learning curve I don't think I'll get through within a year) or can I go ahead and buy the program and plow my way through it?
I'm a really good artist, can make my own layouts, characters, sprite sheets, backgrounds etc. I'm a whiz at photoshop and toonboom, animation comes easy and natural to me
But tech wise? I'm lost in space.
I've designed my own game, real simple and I want to build and launch it, probably through iTorgue 2D.
I have to know something before I decide to embark on this mission- do I have to learn code first?
I've been looking through and trying out some code learning programs and reading up on opinions. I read that Torgue is C++ based. Some are saying forget C++, learn C#. Already I'm confused
Now if you've ever seen this Saturday Night Live bit, it's about some tech nerd in an office who is the only guy who knows how everything works and he snears at everyone, as in "geez, you don't understand 2@#4sq98fratzagrph? What are you, in kindergarten?" That's how I feel when I try these tutorials. I run right into dead ends within minutes because they throw all kinds of stuff at you immediately, leaving me with a big "Huh?' balloon over my head
I've looked at a few youtube tutorials and they're both helpful and confusing
From what I thought I understood originally, iTorgue does the coding automaticly while I just drag and drop my artwork into frame and build, but now I've seen other tutorials where code is being typed in line by line (Y axis this and that)
So which is it? Does an artist like me have to go back to grammer school to learn some basic code work (Which is a learning curve I don't think I'll get through within a year) or can I go ahead and buy the program and plow my way through it?
About the author
Just a crazy kinda guy with crazy ideas coming out of my ears
Recent Threads
#2
Engine source code: C++
Game play scripting: TorqueScript
Neither use C#. We have another engine, Torque X 2D, which uses C# and targets XBL Indie. It is a completely separate engine. For iTorque 2D, a lot of your game play and level editing will consist of TorqueScript. It is very C-like in syntax, but not nearly as in depth or strict.
To fully create a game, you will have to dive into code. Your first endeavor will mainly be in TorqueScript. We have some excellent overviews of the language and simple tutorials on it. You can check those out for free in the documentation.
01/30/2012 (6:30 am)
Torque 2D and iTorque 2D have two languages.Engine source code: C++
Game play scripting: TorqueScript
Neither use C#. We have another engine, Torque X 2D, which uses C# and targets XBL Indie. It is a completely separate engine. For iTorque 2D, a lot of your game play and level editing will consist of TorqueScript. It is very C-like in syntax, but not nearly as in depth or strict.
To fully create a game, you will have to dive into code. Your first endeavor will mainly be in TorqueScript. We have some excellent overviews of the language and simple tutorials on it. You can check those out for free in the documentation.
Torque Owner Demolishun
DemolishunConsulting Rocks!
Most programmers took some time to understand their first programming language. I would also say that they most likely took a course on it if not a whole bunch of course (like 4 years worth or more).
My first programming language was Pascal. I started learning on my own by typing code into the program environment and seeing what it did. Then the computer science teacher at my high school invited me to take a beginners computer science course. So I will guess it took me a year about to learn my first language to a certain level. So depending upon your aptitude it may take that long or more. I would definitely seek out a computer science course in your area or online that covers programming in general.
As for the first language to learn. This is tough as C++ is not necessarily the easiest to learn and I would expect C# to be similar. I would recommend Python as you can get your feet wet without all the other complexities of a language like C++. Python is also the scripting language used in Blender 3D so there would be some benefit to an artist to learn Python for that reason.
Now, GG in general, is a great place to learn as the people here like to jump in and help each other. I don't know if they are keen on teaching programming, but they certainly would help people with certain aspects of it if it deals with the game engines.
All of this really depends upon you. I guess I should ask:
Do you want to learn to program? Is your vision of what you want to accomplish worth the hard work it will take to achieve? Is there a programmer you can team up with, like someone you know?
So, ask yourself that and then decide if you want to learn to program. C++, C#, Python, or whatever they will all take time to learn the concepts that are common to all of these languages, and more time on top of that to learn each one. Once you learn one you will be able to transfer that knowledge to other languages very easily in comparison to your first language.
Yep, programming can seem like another language, because it 'is' another language!