Question about programming knowledge needed

Winning Guy · 03-14-2008, 07:21 PM

I was wondering how much programming knowledge is needed in order to make a decent mod to an existing game engine. Or making original content from a game engine as opposed to a mod.

I only took 1 semester of Java programming. My buddy knows C++ and C and is great at scripting, but isn't all that great when it comes to long planned out programming.

We're not looking to do everything ourselves of course. But we were wondering what skill level of a team we would need to work on a fun project.

I guess my real question is, are high level super skilled programmers needed if you're working with an already constructed game engine?

yaustar · 03-15-2008, 05:10 AM

You need someone who can understand the source and software design that is given to them from the game's SDK and its examples with documentation.

Adrir · 03-15-2008, 10:53 AM

It depends on the engine you are going to use, and the extent of the changes you want to make. For example, the Freelancer engine is highly script-driven and you don't need any hardcore programming skills to make changes to the ships, world, factions, AI or the physics.

Like Yaustar has mentioned, it's all about understanding the architechture of the system you are changing - even if you have to experiment yourself because there is no official SDK with examples/documentation.

Winning Guy · 03-15-2008, 09:52 PM

Alright. Another general programming question for those of you who are proficient in several languages.

How different are Java, C++, and C#? If I know one, is it very easy to learn another? Somewhat easy? Hard?

Is the syntax mainly the same? Or at least the structure of classes and objects?

Adrir · 03-16-2008, 04:44 AM

Java and C# are virtually identical, just with a few minor differences. C# supports destructors, structs, convienience getter/setters, different keywords, namespaces, different primitive data types, etc. However, learning one is like learning the other.

C++ is a little more hardcore. Since C++ isn't managed (ie. explicit memory management instead of a garbage collector), you have to learn to code in a different style. Fundamentally, the object-orientated principles are the same. However, you can do so much more with C++. Bit-twiddling, messing around with pointers and references, operator overriding, and many more.

C++ is the most difficult to learn, so I would start with Java or C#. Furthermore, don't forget Python. That is also a good language.

wobalisk · 05-10-2008, 05:15 AM

I would agree that python is probably the easiest to learn and also that it is easy to change from one to another, I started off with python for about a mounth or two just to try it out and found it quite easy, I then swapped to Java because I like the way you can intergrade it into webpages and found it easy to learn. Its all just about the same the IFs the WHILEs and alot of the basic functions, even the object oriented parts are very simular