Game development guideline..

Question

I'd like to have some suggestions about game development. I need advice on following points:

1. How can I start game development? Basically I'm looking for any kind of web resources to aid starting game development.
2. Which technology should I go for, Microsoft's XNA, ActiveX, OPENGL/AL? How to and where should I learn them?
3. On which platform are games like Call of Duty, Left for Dead, EA sports games built - what game engines do they use?
4. I know C++ (moderate skills) - what should I learn in order to to program a game (preferably a 3D game)?

Answer 1

Check out

• GameDev a game developers community (visit the forums)
• Check out ogre3D for a great open source 3d graphics rendering engine
• search google....
• i would say, check out flipcode.. but it is closed for the last 5 years :) (still good articles in their archive though)

Answer 2

I've got two suggestions for number 4:

• Artificial Intelligence
• Collision Detection

Answer 3

As someone already answered, you should ask in more specific forums, such as the ones in GameDev.

If you don't mind being limited to Windows, I strongly recommend starting with the Microsoft XNA technology. It combines a great community and documentation and a lot of options if you want to go deeper.

Answering your third question, the AAA games (the most important ones) are usually created combining a lot of different technologies from different third parties. However, you should not worry about that; you should start with easier things.

As a personal suggestion, go step by step, aim low and focus in finishing what you start... In videogames is extremely difficult to finish things!

Answer 4

If you're looking at getting into game dev at the console gaming level, you'll probably want to start with XNA. It will help guide you through the design principles you'll want to learn before tackling your perceived larger goals of developing AAA titles.

I'd also suggest looking at a scripting language to familiarize yourself with how many game engines that use C++ script their UI. Learning Lua helped me get my first job in the game industry.

Answer 5

If you love Microsoft, learn XNA. If you hate Microsoft but like writing code, learn SDL. If you hate writing code, learn Unity. Start with Arkanoid and work your way up the game hierarchy: trying to make your first game a 3D one will only end in tears.

Answer 6

1. Think about a (very) simple game you would like to create (it have to be interesting but small, very small)
2. Use whatever programming language you know to implement it OR start learning an appropriate language -- if it's your first one, Python with PyGame is often a good suggestion.
3. Just do it. You'll learn a lot by doing it. If you're stuck somewhere, search on google, learn what you need, then get back to the project and continue.

As for resrouces, gamedev.net, gamasutra.com have some articles too and tool-specific community wikis are good.

In fact, there is no "leading" way of making games, because a "game" is a too abstract concept.