Re: C++ Programing

["Benjina" <benjina@mindspring.com>]

Eugene,

    My name is Ben Humphrey.  I am currently starting in the Game Industry
this year.  Making games has been my life long dream and now I am actually
doing it making the big bucks :)  I started out just like you.  Visual C++
is a great compiler...the best!  I too took programming classes each year at
high school.    I am currently working on putting together some coding
examples for my new Domain, www.GameProgrammer.net  So far, I haven't got it
up, but soon.  I would always look for source code for visual studio C++
that had to do with graphics and game programming topics, but they were
scare... there wasn't a lot of documentation out there.. and the stuff that
was out
there was either too hard to understand, or not documented well enough, or
just very little source code to look at.

    If you are interested...  I would love to use you as my MODEL for what I
will be putting on my web site for people EXACTLY like you.  THe whole page
will be devoted to just teaching programming, while eventually incorporating
what they learned into games.  I want to start small.  Just simple console
applications, the go into colored text, then ASCII colored text for making
ascii art type games...  Then, go into window applications.  Starting a
simple windows application.  Then putting maybe text in the window, then
manipulating that text, then put a bitmap to the screen, then maybe
animating a bitmap, then maybe using directX calls, then eventually going
into 3D using openGL , etc.  (Which I am working in now)  If you are not
familiar with openGL, it's a bunch of API's (Application Programming
Interface = functions) that help you render in three space.  I currently am
working on a 3D world reading in 3D objects and terrain and can move about,
look up, down, spin around, rise above and below my world..  I have a map
editor, etc.....  I am now modeling characters into my world... my next task
is making the characters move.  ITS SO EXCITING!! :)   IF .... you at all
are interesting in being tutored by someone who went through it all ...  Let
me know.  I would love to teach some and get a feel for my examples and
code, to see if they are easy to understand and applicable to what most
people are striving to learn.

Some background on me:

    I attended college for a year, and then the next year went to Digipen
Instutue of Technology. www.digipen.edu
    If you have not heard of this school, it is the first and the TOP in the
US for learning how to make games.  If you are really serious about becoming
a game programmer, there is no better place in the world as far as I know
and am told to learn.  BUT< the course is extremely difficult and takes ALL
of your time... you don't have a life :)  You are pretty much at school from
9 AM to 10 PM , then up till 2 in the morning doing math or coding your main
game.  it was the hardest and best experience I have ever gone through.  I
did a year at digipen and loved it.  I get CONSTANT job offers, just after a
year.  it is really a 4 year college and you can get an AA or a BS degree.
It's kinda expensive though.  They only let 100 people in a year, so I was
REALLY lucky to get it.. but I hear they are letting in twice that next
year... it keeps getting better.  The drop out rate is sickening there.
There is so many people that go there and don't know what they are getting
into.  It is HARD work, but if you love to program and love games, it's the
coolest thing you could ever do for a job.

Tell me what you think.

Ben Humphrey
Humongous Entertainment
Game Programmer
benjina@mindspring.com
benh@humongous.com
----- Original Message -----
From: <EAZYE985@aol.com>
To: <GAMEPROGRAMMER@gameprogrammer.com>
Sent: Sunday, May 14, 2000 5:29 PM
Subject: C++ Programing


> Dear Game Programmers,
>      Right now i am a freshman in high school.  I take a programming class
> there but we don't do much.  I just got a copy of the C++ compiler on my
> computer.  I want to be a Gameprogrammer when i grow up, and want to get
an
> early start.  So i f anyone out there could let me know what i can do and
how
> to do it with my c++ compiler as far as programming games, please let me
> know, answers would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you in advance.
>
> --Eugene
> =================================================================
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> of any topic related to the art, science, and business of
> programming games. This list is especially tolerant of beginners.
> We were all beginners once
>
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=================================================================
The GameProgrammer.Com mailing list is for the open discussion
of any topic related to the art, science, and business of
programming games. This list is especially tolerant of beginners.
We were all beginners once

To SUBSCRIBE or UNSUBSCRIBE please visit:
http://gameprogrammer.com/mailinglist.html