Programming Forums > Application Development > Visual Basic

lectricpharaoh · May 23rd, 2006, 6:13 PM

Okay, things you need to know to write a game include general program logic and basic I/O (you need input from the user, after all). You also need to learn how to validate that input, so that your program doesn't puke on its shoes when the user does something 'wrong' (which users do quite often).

Other things that you will likely need to learn are:

File handling- otherwise, you cannot save/load games, high scores, etc, or dynamically load graphics at runtime- in other words, all the graphics would need to be embedded in the .EXE, which is generally an inflexible approach)
Graphics- depending on the type of game; text adventures, for example, don't need graphics, but the vast majority of games today make heavy use of them. Also, how you handle graphics varies from system to system, and even on one system, there are various ways to do it.
Sound- most games also rely heavily on digital sound effects and music. Like graphics programming, sound programming is highly dependant on the target platform.
Data structures- things like linked lists, binary search trees, and the like. These are important in most games programming, just as they are in regular applications or systems programming, but in games, there is an emphasis on choosing the fastest algorithms, so even if you don't learn to write your own, you at least need to learn how to pick the most appropriate ones to use.

So, as you can see, there's lots to learn, especially for games programming. Besides, as to your original question, maybe if you offered a little more information (what kind of game, etc), it would help.

Eric the Red · May 23rd, 2006, 8:24 PM

Please try learning this somewhere else first. Use this more as a guideline. If you just copy and paste this.. you won't learn a thing. Thus, the harder stuff will seem impossible.

Opening a file

(Toggle Plain Text)

   intNewFile = FreeFile
    
   cdl1.Filter = "Text files (*.bat)|*.bat"
   cdl1.ShowOpen
    
   If cdl1.FileName <> "" Then
       Open cdl1.FileName For Input As #intNewFile
       txtFile.Text = ""
        Do While Not EOF(intNewFile)
            Line Input #intNewFile, strTextLine
           txtFile.Text = txtFile.Text + strTextLine & vbCrLf
            blnFile = True
        Loop
        Close #intNewFile
    End If
strFileName = cdl1.FileName
timerCheckFile.Enabled = True
strStats = txtFile.Text

//********

saving a file

(Toggle Plain Text)

intNewFile = FreeFile
    
      ' cdl1.Filter = "Text file (*.txt)|*.txt"
    cdl1.InitDir = "H:\ICS3M"
    cdl1.Filter = "Text file (*.bat)|*.bat"
    cdl1.Flags = cdlOFNOverwritePrompt
    cdl1.ShowSave
    
    If cdl1.FileName <> "" Then
        Open cdl1.FileName For Output As #intNewFile
        Print #intNewFile, txtFile.Text
        Close #intNewFile
    End If
    
    strFileName = cdl1.FileName

msk420 · May 24th, 2006, 2:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donnie

im really dissapointed to tell you this but (i dont know how to handle files)

It's kind of sad that you come here and ask us for code for a game that your coding. How do you feel about that? I think that you should actually learn how to program before you come to the forums again, or you could check out the tutorials and then you can post about things. But please do not bother us with useless posts, and then tell us that you dont know how to handle files in VB. I am a C++ programmer but I saw this thread and it took me back to my VB days and I'm sorry but you need to learn more.

Donnie · May 24th, 2006, 12:04 PM

not really that but the opening code i had screwed up majorley but do u really think thats non hackable to newbies?? or peeople who cant program???

niteice · May 24th, 2006, 1:37 PM

Um, what? "non hackable to newbies" is a very broad definition. Since you're storing the data in text files, I'll assume it's plain text since you're storing the data that will be in the list box. So, if you want security, that's not what you do.

Eric the Red · May 24th, 2006, 7:28 PM

It's been a while since I've used VB 6. However, the code I posted uses a common dialogue box. If you want to save to a file without a common dialogue box, then just do some research.

May 23rd, 2006, 6:13 PM	#11
lectricpharaoh Caffeinated Neural Net Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Dry west coast of Canada Posts: 1,005 Rep Power: 5	Okay, things you need to know to write a game include general program logic and basic I/O (you need input from the user, after all). You also need to learn how to validate that input, so that your program doesn't puke on its shoes when the user does something 'wrong' (which users do quite often). Other things that you will likely need to learn are: File handling- otherwise, you cannot save/load games, high scores, etc, or dynamically load graphics at runtime- in other words, all the graphics would need to be embedded in the .EXE, which is generally an inflexible approach) Graphics- depending on the type of game; text adventures, for example, don't need graphics, but the vast majority of games today make heavy use of them. Also, how you handle graphics varies from system to system, and even on one system, there are various ways to do it. Sound- most games also rely heavily on digital sound effects and music. Like graphics programming, sound programming is highly dependant on the target platform. Data structures- things like linked lists, binary search trees, and the like. These are important in most games programming, just as they are in regular applications or systems programming, but in games, there is an emphasis on choosing the fastest algorithms, so even if you don't learn to write your own, you at least need to learn how to pick the most appropriate ones to use. So, as you can see, there's lots to learn, especially for games programming. Besides, as to your original question, maybe if you offered a little more information (what kind of game, etc), it would help. __________________ And once again, Probability proves itself willing to sneak into a back alley and service Drama as would a copper-piece harlot. - Vaarsuvius, Order of the Stick

May 23rd, 2006, 8:24 PM	#12
Eric the Red Hobbyist Programmer Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 214 Rep Power: 0	Please try learning this somewhere else first. Use this more as a guideline. If you just copy and paste this.. you won't learn a thing. Thus, the harder stuff will seem impossible. Opening a file (Toggle Plain Text) intNewFile = FreeFile cdl1.Filter = "Text files (.bat)\|.bat" cdl1.ShowOpen If cdl1.FileName <> "" Then Open cdl1.FileName For Input As #intNewFile txtFile.Text = "" Do While Not EOF(intNewFile) Line Input #intNewFile, strTextLine txtFile.Text = txtFile.Text + strTextLine & vbCrLf blnFile = True Loop Close #intNewFile End If strFileName = cdl1.FileName timerCheckFile.Enabled = True strStats = txtFile.Text intNewFile = FreeFile cdl1.Filter = "Text files (.bat)\|.bat" cdl1.ShowOpen If cdl1.FileName <> "" Then Open cdl1.FileName For Input As #intNewFile txtFile.Text = "" Do While Not EOF(intNewFile) Line Input #intNewFile, strTextLine txtFile.Text = txtFile.Text + strTextLine & vbCrLf blnFile = True Loop Close #intNewFile End If strFileName = cdl1.FileName timerCheckFile.Enabled = True strStats = txtFile.Text //******** saving a file (Toggle Plain Text) intNewFile = FreeFile ' cdl1.Filter = "Text file (.txt)\|.txt" cdl1.InitDir = "H:\ICS3M" cdl1.Filter = "Text file (.bat)\|.bat" cdl1.Flags = cdlOFNOverwritePrompt cdl1.ShowSave If cdl1.FileName <> "" Then Open cdl1.FileName For Output As #intNewFile Print #intNewFile, txtFile.Text Close #intNewFile End If strFileName = cdl1.FileName intNewFile = FreeFile ' cdl1.Filter = "Text file (.txt)\|.txt" cdl1.InitDir = "H:\ICS3M" cdl1.Filter = "Text file (.bat)\|.bat" cdl1.Flags = cdlOFNOverwritePrompt cdl1.ShowSave If cdl1.FileName <> "" Then Open cdl1.FileName For Output As #intNewFile Print #intNewFile, txtFile.Text Close #intNewFile End If strFileName = cdl1.FileName __________________ Death smiles at us all. All a man can do is smile back.

May 24th, 2006, 7:28 PM	#16
Eric the Red Hobbyist Programmer Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 214 Rep Power: 0	It's been a while since I've used VB 6. However, the code I posted uses a common dialogue box. If you want to save to a file without a common dialogue box, then just do some research. __________________ Death smiles at us all. All a man can do is smile back.

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May 24th, 2006, 12:04 PM	#14
Donnie Newbie Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 10 Rep Power: 0	not really that but the opening code i had screwed up majorley but do u really think thats non hackable to newbies?? or peeople who cant program???

May 24th, 2006, 1:37 PM	#15
niteice Programmer Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 98 Rep Power: 4	Um, what? "non hackable to newbies" is a very broad definition. Since you're storing the data in text files, I'll assume it's plain text since you're storing the data that will be in the list box. So, if you want security, that's not what you do.

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Programming Forums > Application Development > Visual Basic

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