What can java all do?

[stoodder]

well you guys right now im putting forth a basically impossible at the time idea. i wanna make a site sorta like an online starcraft. i have big plans for it but i might have to learn c++ to actually do it. this summer im learning the java basics here and will go further n after. my plan is to creat this site like starcraft right? you will get your choices of species and everything like that but instead of controlling an army its a test to get yourself stronger and accomplish missions. what im trying to say is would it be possible for java read another file type to make like maps then make a system alot like starcrafts map system except a little bit more 3d, and then have you sepcific character able to scroll the terrain and everything? right now i have no clue on ho i can possibly do this but i want to. i already have the php underway all i need now is to find out if java will be anough or if i should learn c== and inquire it with the web to let users e able to work with and battle other users??? and also make an AI system for missions.

[Ops]

If I recall correctly,
reading from files - yes
3d capabilities - yes
objects moving around on terrain in 3d - yes, have fun coding that
AI - yes but once again, have fun with that heh
So yeah its possible, it's just gonna be a nightmare to program and will probably run slow because I dont think Java really likes 3d that much. however, the instructors know <span style='font-size:12pt;line-height:100%'>WAY</span> more about that than I do so they will probably end up disagreeing with me...if so, listen to them.

[wzoo1]

Actually, I *WOULD NEVER* recommend to use Java in a online/network game only because java runs slower in 3d graphics(read on some site) and it doesn't have a good 3d rendering/graphics engine like DirectX! For DirectX, you need to code the game in either C++, C#, or VB/VB.NET. If you wanna really do a game in java, then I recommend you use OpenGL since it's supported on the java platform. As for a network enabled game(like BattleNet in Starcraft and other Blizzard games...) you also need to learn network coding in whatever language you plan to make the game in.
So in summary, I HIGHLY recommend you use DirectX with C++, C# or VB.NET. Now if you really wanna do Java 3d programming(SLOW!) then use Java with OpenGL.
I'm also seeing the fact that you wanna learn a programming language for making games, well the latest DirectX with either C++, C# or VB.NET is your best recommendation.
Well, if you do get going with this game, have fun coding and I can be your 'beta' tester! lol... ;)

[stoodder]

lol alright you can be emy beta tester sure. but yea the more and more i thougt about it i did decide not to use java,. a while back actually i got a direct x 8 book ( the good lord knows i'l never read it) but either way i might read that. i im pretty sure i need to learn c++ rirst though right? well either way i am now learning c++ starting with the basic, hoping that my knowledge of php will come in handy lol. another option that i thought about was maybe using flahs, but flash to me isnt as (3d like) as i would like it to be you kow? i mean it can be but for what im hoping for is somehting not as cartoony. so in the long run im going with c++ and php for the regular site part of it (like shops and stuff like that)

also if any of you are good at drawing and have some type of template pc, or drawing template it would be coold if you could help make the images for abilities and stuiff.

thanks again guys for all the help, anyone here can be a beta tester lol long as i get paid my mhulla!! MWAHAHHAHA jk.

[Stanley]

First, off, don't put the cart before the horse. Your best bet is to get c++ down. DirectX isn't a language, it's merely libraries and api's for game programming. Unfortunatly, in order for it to make sense, you need to know C++. I know you can accomidate it in C# and VB.net, but like pushing an old man down a flight of stairs; just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

As for flash, I love the program, it's great, but games should not be made in it. Especially anything beyond a little gimmicky web game. Anything major should be done in a language, not a generator.

Java...just avoid that like the plague. Especially for games. It's good for doing interfaces for othing things because it's fast, but otherwise...yeah..that whole plague thing...

Finally, hopefully you will be able to translate PHP skills to c++, although don't approach C++ like PHP. They are designed for very different things. PHP is good for generating web pages, but otherwise, it's not much of a useful tool.

Just my 2 cents.

[stoodder]

hmm yup thaks guys seems like i am doubed to go with c++ and the compination of c# and vb.net eh? so lol, i founbd a couple of tutorials, but i cant find any free compilers that are free. gotta keep looking i guess. i tried Borland but none ofit will run for me except for the convertor. then i also look for a thing like GNDJJ er.. soething like that and that didnt work. oh well lol i hope i can find a fre one or else ill have to save up again. thanks again guys for all of oyur help, i hope this thing turns out good. its definetly in my plans and im going to get started with it tonite.

[-D12-_LMN8R]

Wait Stan, so pushing old men down stairs isn't a good idea? Gahh, that's what I've been doing wrong all these years.

As for the original question, yes, learning C++ before is absolutely recommended. My last semester of high school, my friend and I did an independant study in OpenGL - OpenGL is easier to learn that DirectX from what I've heard - and it turned into more a study of game programming theory, lol. We both has AP classes/tests to study for, so with around 5 hours a week or so, that wasn't enough to get a firm grip on OpenGL even. And he's an awesome C++ programmer, and I'm decent as well.

Basically, don't get too wrapped up in your game design just yet. Expect to put a lot more time in to learning the programming first. Either way though, good luck to ya!

[stoodder]

lol yup thank ya again what i do is basically work my way up. learn new concepts and test them around with others(hopes he doesnt flaanme his computer)... i downloaded a copy of 3d studio max off of kazaa(im bad i know) shouldnt have done that but i did. lol so im kinda working on that also to help with the 3d aspect of the game you know.

[random]

I just took the AP CS AB exam (AB == honors level) in C++, am learning Java. What genre would you guys recommend I play around with building 1st? Would FPS/TPS be too much to hope for, should I do some console (ASCII/command line) games/Ai first, or birds-eye games like C&amp;C/Civilization genre ... what are your suggestions? Basically, I can code pretty well but I have no experience in graphics of any kind, or really any AI (except for the 500 line prog i did in basic for math class that played tag in 2-D/birds-eye. that was painful %-) ). I have a book on 3d Graphics, but i tend to lose interest quickly, since I have nothing to apply it to.

Oh, and I'm taking Java/WebDesign this year at CAEN. I think a web-based game would be fun to build, since I'm learning Java/PHP/HTML/MySQL (yes, all at once - I get side-tracked a lot, lol).

[stoodder]

lol if oyu need anyhelp with php/mysql/html/photoshop/paint(this is the best i swear lol)/css/some j-script and stuff i can try to help.. though the proffessors are proboly 10 times smarter with that type of stuff lol... alrighty guys, c++ is comming along aweosme and im stuck now lol... well i found that there isnt a variable that allows spaces in the datatype... i was wondering how can i assign asmall variable a function lol lets say:
text=&quot;Hello wrold&quot;; Â*

every time i do it it terminates at the space line...

i tried using char, int, long int. short, double, float, string.

but really the only two that kinda worked were char and string but they explode at the first space, any suggestions please?

[random]

</span>Quote[/b] (stoodder @ June 09 2003,20:04)]</span>Quote[/b] ]lol if oyu need anyhelp with php/mysql/html/photoshop/paint
<span =''>
Yeah - is The GIMP a good alternative to PhotoShop? I have some (minimal) access to PS at school, and I found GIMP had a steep learning curve - is PS any better?

</span>Quote[/b] ]
c++ is comming along aweosme and im stuck now lol... well i found that there isnt a variable that allows spaces in the datatype... i was wondering how can i assign asmall variable a function lol lets say:
text=&quot;Hello wrold&quot;;

every time i do it it terminates at the space line...

i tried using char, int, long int. short, double, float, string.

but really the only two that kinda worked were char and string but they explode at the first space, any suggestions please?
<span =''>
I'm not really familiar with strings and the STD... but do a google for PString, it's an LGPL version of the apstring class used in APCS (until this coming year, when the exam is in Java). It's really easy. I'd also point out that you could save text as an array of chars:

char [] text;
text[0]='h'; text[1]='e'; text[2]='l'; text 3='l';
and so on.

The P and AP classes (pstring, pvector, pmatrix, pqueue, pstack, etc) provide a nice alternative to the std libs (or is it ANSI C++) in that they're safe - it's much harder to smash the stack accidentally with a pvector or pmatrix than with regular arrays and matrices.

I did this same program as my final proj. in java like so:
String text=new String(&quot;hello world);
but Java's swing API helped a lot - even if you can't use it for this project, check it out, it's really fun to play with - depite speed issues, it's very useful.

I agree with lots of other people - I wish someone would implement Swing &amp; other Java libs for C++; import what you need and you get (hopefully) the best of both worlds, speed and good APIs and Graphics.<span =''>
</span>Quote[/b] ]lol if oyu need anyhelp with php/mysql/html/photoshop/...
<span =''>


every time i do it it terminates at the space line...

i tried using char, int, long int. short, double, float, string.

but really the only two that kinda worked were char and string but they explode at the first space, any suggestions please?

[wzoo1]

What do you mean it explodes at the first line?

BTW, was the AP C++ test hard or easy? I'm going to be taking the AP test for CS(going to be java when I take it) in a few years... Right now, I'm learning C++ also but need to learn Java again right after that since the AP CS test has now changed to Java. (Starting next semester!)

Yea, I agree also about someone would make a language that would be easy and good with API's and Graphics as java but as quick enough as C++. (The Sun JVM on Windows is sometimes SLOW loading some programs as compared to C++ which is FASTER but not as portable as Java.)

[-D12-_LMN8R]

For me, the APCS test was pretty easy. The only thing that I got (temporarily) caught up on were classes. Classes are extremely important in C++ of course, but we hadn't gone over them in much detail. I was able to figure them out on the way. The multiple choice was easy IMO though. Lots of people thought different, but if you have the hang of creative problem solving, then you should have no problem at all.

[Stanley]

First, the APCS program is a complete joke. I found the AB test to be pretty easy. But that imho.

</span>Quote[/b] ]Yeah - is The GIMP a good alternative to PhotoShop? I have some (minimal) access to PS at school, and I found GIMP had a steep learning curve - is PS any better?
<span =''>

Well, right now, GIMP is currently trying to catch up to photoshop 6 in terms of features and such (i've confirmed this with my roommate who's very good with gimp). As for PS's learning curve, the basics of resizing photos is pretty small, but to create anything artistic or to get into advanced drawings requires a lot of time and work. Especially if you plan to create stuff from scratch. This (http://www.cs.princeton.edu/~wmorton/gallery/view.php?id=15) is probably my best work, and it's taken me two years of learning photoshop between my classes and marching/pep band to make this. If you're looking for some basic books on the subject, check out the Visual Quickstart series as well as the Photoshop 7 bible. I just picked up the bible and so far, it's pretty in depth, almost to the point of being a bit much, but it's pretty good. Now it's just a matter of time waiting for my computer to show up so I can start working through the book.

[random]

In response to the APCS exam ... it's rediculously easy. I've heard a lot of people say if you know the language, don't bother with a class, or whatever, but take the class if it's available to you. The test isn't hard, but they expect you to know about some AP-oriented stuff (like, in the C++ version, some special classes, apstring, etc, don't know if those are in the Java exam). Also, there'll be a &quot;case study&quot;, a set of classes to simulate something, in the C++ exam of 2003, it was simulating a fish tank and fish in an ocean. It's not hard stuff, and they won't dock you points if you use ANSI C++ rather than &quot;their&quot; C++ classes, but it makes it easier if you're familiar with the way the code will be laid out.

[stoodder]

lol sorry gys i worded that wrong, i meant like it stopped reading after the first space, but no matter i fgured o the problem lol.