Starting on my first project!

[Forceofaqua]

So I am going to start my first project in hopes of learning how to use SFML better with C++. The problem I have run into is where to start. I know that planning is of the utmost importance, but how and what do I plan? What are some ways you get around the initial hump of game development?

btw. I'm planning on making a simple dungeon crawler type RPG.

[AlexAUT]

I would not recommend to make a dungeon crawler as your first game. Start with some easy arcade games like "Snake, Ping Pong, Tetris, Pacman". For these games just write down what you will need for this game and start implementing one by one like a tasklist.

Example (just some thoughts, not complete):

Snake:

• Intro, Menu, Game, Highscore = you will need a statemanager
• Menu: Design (Play/Options/Help/Highscore), Buttons, InputBox?
• Game: Assets for background,player, pickup, walls, sounds = you will need a resourceManager
• Game: Player: think about a design which easily lets you extend the player (when the snake is growing) and move each part of the body, maybe something like a sceengraph?
  Think about a system to check collision with the player itself and the walls?
• Highscore: updating, saving, loading...

This is how I am planning my projects.

Remeber this is only my personal preference!


AlexAUT

[Forceofaqua]

I still have to get used to the lingo (statemanager, resourceManager, etc). Im big on planning, but I don't want to spend too much time designing something just to figure out that it won't work.

[AlexAUT]

but I don't want to spend too much time designing something just to figure out that it won't work.

You can't design a perfect game (code wise) if you have no experience, so start writing small games.

If you want an example of a game design buy the SFML book, the book shows one way to create a 2D topdown space-shooter containing (StateMachine, Sceengraph, simple gui, network...). The book requires that you have some c++ knowledge!


AlexAUT 

[Xornand]

I know that planning is of the utmost importance, but how and what do I plan? What are some ways you get around the initial hump of game development?

If the goal of starting your first project is to learn, then you shouldn't necessarily concern yourself with a lot of planning. Just create a high level outline of what you want to build and start working from there.

Think of your project as an onion. You start with the core and you add more layers on top of what already exists as you progress through the development. Since this is your first project, I'd recommend developing through trial and error. See what works and what doesn't and plan for new things when you move from one iteration to another.

In my opinion, planning "as you go", as opposed to planning everything to the tiniest detail before you start, is a much more flexible (and thus, usually better) approach.

[didii]

Since this is your first project, I'd recommend developing through trial and error. See what works and what doesn't and plan for new things when you move from one iteration to another.

I agree. OP: you've probably read on some site which said good programmers can design everything up front and then start programming it. What they always forget to mention is how you actually become good. If you don't have enough experience you just can't plan/design everything up front and you have no choice but to learn through trail and error. The more you learn the more easier it will become to actually design parts of your program up front.
I was stuck for almost a full year simply trying to design a game. But every time I started to code I missed something and the design simply failed. This is simply due to lack of experience and knowledge and you won't get it if you don't start to code and learn through trail and error

[Hapax]

I also agree. If you don't fail, you can't plan to avoid those failures.

[Mörkö]

I still have to get used to the lingo (statemanager, resourceManager, etc). Im big on planning, but I don't want to spend too much time designing something just to figure out that it won't work.

Just get cracking, everything you make in the first few months is gonna suck anyway so just get it over with. Every time you get better you will look at your old code, laugh, and write new code that sucks less. This is the journey of a self taught programmer.

[Ztormi]

I kinda disagree you have to necessarily start with super simple projects like pong, pacman or snake. If you have a relatively simple idea in mind just go for it. Chances are you will fail miserably but the feeling of reward and achievement when you get to atleast some point with your own game is what keeps you going. Also the motivation to learn is usually a lot higher when you know you are making your own designed game.

I'd not worry about general architecture or design too much, just get to it and learn as you go. We've all been there.