Game Development Tutorial

[johnno56]

I wasn't sure  if I should post this here or in "Learning Resources".

Since I have recently retired I find that I now have a little more "free time". I was curious to know if anyone in the QB64 community has, or knows of, any game development tutorials for QB64? (and yes. I am aware of Terry's tutorials)

I am not wanting to know how "Halo" is created, although that would be cool, but more like the classic "8 bit" games. After all... I am "old school"... lol

I realize that this sounds a bit vague, but then again, so is my understanding of game development... Any information would be greatly appreciated.

J

[TempodiBasic]

Hi Johnno56
I am a lover of Game Programming
I can say that Terry's tutorial is supreme, both about managing input (keyboard, mouse, joystick) both about output (graphic: direct draw and images;  sound: music, sound and noise) both about events managing (collisions, movements, changes of state, time events) .
But maybe you're searching more about theory behind a game like game engine, storytelling, gameplay or more advanced tecniques: multiplayer,  game on LAN, game online, night-day cycle, season/stage cycle, crafting, map, infinite world.
We must ask only when Terry and other expert coders would share their knowledge by tutorial with code and/or pseudocode about these aspects of game programming.


one of the infinite lists "the best of 8bit games"
another list "the best of 8bit games" about commodore 64
another list "the best of 8bit games" about spectrum ZX
another list "the best 8bit games" about NES

PS:  
8bit let's think about Commodore 64/ Spectrum Zx/ NES
but you fall in error if you think only about 2D games...
see 
Nebulus  Nebulus in Spectrum ZX
Blaster    Blaster in some consoles

[johnno56]

I have been a fan of 8 bit for many years. My first descent 8 bit machine was the Amstrad CPC464 back in 1985. Used that thing until it died from exhaustion... lol The only memento I have left is the original spiral-bound manual... But now, I use more 'up to date' versions of Basic. QB64 and RCBasic. I am not after a game engine. I struggle enough with trying to code simple games. I am afraid that creating an Engine exceeds my talents (I use talents 'very' loosely... lol) My greatest difficulty is generating ideas for games... then trying to figure out the best method of turning those ideas into code...

I am not sure if I am making any sense... I want to learn 'how' to develop games. I have seen many tutorials for various types of engines. But they mainly focus on 3D type of games. But finding tutorials for 2D, 8 bit style games, for Basic... meh...

I will keep looking... Thank you for your time...

J

[Dav]

I hear you, @johnno56. I’m a fan of those kind of games too.  Anyone remember turbogfx-16 (pc-engine) games? Those were so well done. 

- Dav

[SMcNeill]

Steve's Guide To Game Programming:

1) Have GREAT Idea For Game.
2) Work Vigorously on Idea.
3) Go to Bed and Sleep.
4) Wake up and get busy with other things.
5) Lose Purpose.
6) Forget Idea.
7) Spend Month repeating steps 3 to 6.
8) Goto Step 1.

If you can't relate, then you aren't a programmer.

[bplus]

So what is first thing Johnno's Game Tutorial should talk about?

[vince]

you can never go wrong starting here

https://qb64phoenix.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=169

[johnno56]

@SMcNeill, my list is similar... I rarely, and I DO mean rarely, have #1... #6, by default of #1, is excluded.. lol Other than those... everything is spot on... *sigh*

@vince, thank you for the link. I have downloaded the 'Bible' and will study it as best as I can... Just do not ask me to preach any time soon... *boom boom*

Ah, @bplus, where would I be without your help and advice? It looks like I did not listen to everything you said, otherwise, I would not be seeking Development advice... lol  It is certainly comforting to know that you care...

(I am uncertain as to whether or not I have the "tagging" done correctly. Apologies otherwise...)

Appreciate all the help, guys. Thank you.

[TempodiBasic]

I have been a fan of 8 bit for many years. My first descent 8 bit machine was the Amstrad CPC464 back in 1985. Used that thing until it died from exhaustion... lol The only memento I have left is the original spiral-bound manual... But now, I use more 'up to date' versions of Basic. QB64 and RCBasic. I am not after a game engine. I struggle enough with trying to code simple games. I am afraid that creating an Engine exceeds my talents (I use talents 'very' loosely... lol) My greatest difficulty is generating ideas for games... then trying to figure out the best method of turning those ideas into code...

I am not sure if I am making any sense... I want to learn 'how' to develop games. I have seen many tutorials for various types of engines. But they mainly focus on 3D type of games. But finding tutorials for 2D, 8 bit style games, for Basic... meh...

I will keep looking... Thank you for your time...

J

My 2 cents

About 
Generating ideas for games ... best method to turning those ideas into code...

<------CREATIVITY--------->  ... <------------CODING TECNIQUES------------>


For creativity there are exercisess to magnifiy your state of creatiivity...

for Coding Tecniques there are so infinite tutorials in the web on how you can get an effect or an idea by code on the PC  ( I often look at Coding Train youtube channel that in his 10 minutes challanges he codes some ideas/games in Javascript with P5.js)
we must have a QB64 version of P5  coded by Fellippe & Ashish on the old website.

about

I try to code simple games.... not using Engine...

I apologise for my bad communication. The idea of game engine is NOT using a game engine.. or building a game engine to use for game creation
BUT recognize the core of the mechanism of the game with the goal to write clear and optimized code for the game. So it is important to define the gameplay and the hardware resources used for the game.

I hope to be clearer now.
Good Luck for your search.

[johnno56]

I have been a fan of 8 bit for many years. My first descent 8 bit machine was the Amstrad CPC464 back in 1985. Used that thing until it died from exhaustion... lol The only memento I have left is the original spiral-bound manual... But now, I use more 'up to date' versions of Basic. QB64 and RCBasic. I am not after a game engine. I struggle enough with trying to code simple games. I am afraid that creating an Engine exceeds my talents (I use talents 'very' loosely... lol) My greatest difficulty is generating ideas for games... then trying to figure out the best method of turning those ideas into code...

I am not sure if I am making any sense... I want to learn 'how' to develop games. I have seen many tutorials for various types of engines. But they mainly focus on 3D type of games. But finding tutorials for 2D, 8 bit style games, for Basic... meh...

I will keep looking... Thank you for your time...

J

My 2 cents

About 
Generating ideas for games ... best method to turning those ideas into code...

<------CREATIVITY--------->  ... <------------CODING TECNIQUES------------>


For creativity there are exercisess to magnifiy your state of creatiivity...

for Coding Tecniques there are so infinite tutorials in the web on how you can get an effect or an idea by code on the PC  ( I often look at Coding Train youtube channel that in his 10 minutes challanges he codes some ideas/games in Javascript with P5.js)
we must have a QB64 version of P5  coded by Fellippe & Ashish on the old website.

about

I try to code simple games.... not using Engine...

I apologise for my bad communication. The idea of game engine is NOT using a game engine.. or building a game engine to use for game creation
BUT recognize the core of the mechanism of the game with the goal to write clear and optimized code for the game. So it is important to define the gameplay and the hardware resources used for the game.

I hope to be clearer now.
Good Luck for your search.

Ah... Your "2 cents", to me anyway, is priceless...

I have watched many coding train videos, apart from questioning the sanity of the presenter, his methods are even easy enough for 'me' to follow... lol

I have used coding trains 'online' IDE to follow along with his tutorials and I was surprised that I didn't mess things up. I had even thought of trying to convert the examples to Basic, but unfortunately, my knowledge of Javascript is almost non-existent...

I am not a fan of 'engines' but have been tempted to check them out... Unfortunately, the steep learning curve, was a bit of a turn off... I am ok coding 'old school'... lol

I find QB64 quite powerful and the IDE reminds me a lot of the old QB4.5 IDE. Most of the commands are familiar but a lot of the "underscore" commands... I just find them a bit overwhelming... time and practice should take care of that...

I appreciate your advise and yes, you have made things a little clearer.... Thank you.

J