Looking for insight, suggestions on game designing

[DotKritic]

I want to go into game design and maybe release a game to the XBOX Marketplace someday. Just wondering if there are any game designers out there on FFR who would give me some suggestions with the industry. What's the best way to learn (college, on my own, etc.)? Best software? Programming languages used?

I have an idea, but it's not quite on paper yet.

[blindreper1179]

I have no idea which would be "best" but my brother is taking video game designer in college, and said he's learning the stuff pretty fast. Check your local colleges and see what they have to offer as courses.

[Izzy]

The easiest way to get into xbox game development is to download visual studio and XNA 4. After that you can probably search for some well made default game engines to build from.

There are plenty of tutorials to get you started on learning xna which is written in c#.

[DotKritic]

Originally Posted by blindreper1179

I have no idea which would be "best" but my brother is taking video game designer in college, and said he's learning the stuff pretty fast. Check your local colleges and see what they have to offer as courses.

I've been looking at the only community college that offers courses in game design and development (IT Intro Game Dsgn/Dvlpmt OC)"Intro Game Design and Development", "Level Design", "Object Oriented Design Game Design", "Programming Fundamentals I", and "Programming Fundamentals II".

I've been looking at Full Sail University for the past couple of days. I started looking at universities in the area that offer Bachelor degrees in Graphic Design and another in Digital Media.

edit: Which is best: Windows or Apple?

[Cyr]

I'm sorry but if you go to college and get a degree in video game design....you've failed.
Everyone else who sees it on your resume will think the same thing.

[bmah]

If you have nothing constructive to say Cyr, don't say it.

[Izzy]

Originally Posted by Cyr

I'm sorry but if you go to college and get a degree in video game design....you've failed.
Everyone else who sees it on your resume will think the same thing.

I don't believe this is true, but I think it would be a better idea to double major in computer science and game design. Surely a lot of the classes would overlap anyway.

[DotKritic]

Thanks Izzy.

[DotKritic]

Anything else that could help me with game design?

[sticklydude]

My friend is currently in Full Sail, it's pretty expensive though.

Do you have any programming experience currently?

[DotKritic]

None.

[Thatskier]

Originally Posted by DotKritic

None.

You've got a long way to go bro

[DotKritic]

Originally Posted by Thatskier

You've got a long way to go bro

What's the best and easiest programming language to learn?

[Zageron]

Originally Posted by DotKritic

What's the best and easiest programming language to learn?

Python, to start.

[DotKritic]

I guess easiest in order.

[Zageron]

In order of importance, I guess...
Python to learn what programming is, and how to do it.
Learn HTML5 and CSS3. (This is a must!)
Then C++, Java, ObjectiveC, PHP, and/or C#, depending on what you want to do. For XBLA you'll need to learn C#.

[UserNameGoesHere]

"Easiest" and "best" programming language do not belong in the same sentence.

As far as listing them, easiest first, sure, that's easy enough.

Easiest (but worst): Something almost entirely visual like GameMaker, ClickTeam, etc...

Easy (and decent): Python, Visual Basic, Visual Basic .NET, Pascal, LISP, Scheme, Lua

Middle-of-the-road (and pretty good): Java, C#, Delphi, C

Slightly-above-middle-of-the-road (also good): C++, Objective-C

Harder but more specialized: OCaml, F#, Haskell, Prolog

Hardest and best (at least most efficient/fastest executables possible + literally can make ANY type of program, but least portable): Various assembly languages and VM languages (as appropriate for your exact hardware).

Not an entirely comprehensive list, but should be a pretty dang good approximation and useful to get an idea at a glance.

[danny53x]

Originally Posted by Zageron

In order of importance, I guess...
Python to learn what programming is, and how to do it.
Learn HTML5 and CSS3. (This is a must!)
Then C++, Java, ObjectiveC, PHP, and/or C#, depending on what you want to do. For XBLA you'll need to learn C#.

Thank you.

[DotKritic]

Originally Posted by Zageron

In order of importance, I guess...
Python to learn what programming is, and how to do it.
Learn HTML5 and CSS3. (This is a must!)
Then C++, Java, ObjectiveC, PHP, and/or C#, depending on what you want to do. For XBLA you'll need to learn C#.

Sweetness. Thanks.

If FFR had a rep system, I've give rep to Izzy and Zag.

[PrawnSkunk]

I see my future as game designing as well. I'm still in HS, so I'm getting as much knowledge as I can.
I've also read that you def need knowledge in C++ for XBLA.

So far, I've been working in Microsoft Visual Studio, pirated of course, which can be effectively be worked in for Visual basic, C, C++, C#, etc.
Microsoft also has a (free) express version for exclusively the C++ language which you might want to look into if you're not into the whole illegal thing..

Download whichever studio, and start on these tutorials.
I've found codingmix.com to be the most effective tutorial website wade into C++ without any previous programming knowledge. Try it out, let me know how it works out for you.