175
votes
25answers
62k views
Where can I find free sprites and images? [closed]
I need sprites and images, such as characters, landscapes and others. Where can I find them?
36
votes
4answers
3k views
How closely can a game resemble another game without legal problems
Majority of games build on successes of other games and many are downright clones, so where goes the limit of emulating before legal issues come into the field. Is it down to literary or graphic work ...
169
votes
28answers
22k views
What are good games to “earn your wings” with? [closed]
I believe that in order to become a good game developer, you need to make games.
From a programmer's perspective, what are some good entry level games to get your hands dirty? What skills and ...
120
votes
8answers
23k views
Fixed time step vs Variable time step
What is better for games when developing game loops, fixed time steps or variable time steps? What type of games are better with one or the other?
Variable time steps:
With variable time step, I ...
78
votes
23answers
23k views
Why is it so hard to develop a MMO? [closed]
I want to develop a MMO like World of Warcraft, but some basic research says that is going to take months (if not years) and cost a lot of money. I'd like to know why.
52
votes
10answers
12k views
Where can I find free sounds for my game? [closed]
I need some sound effects for my game. Where can I find some? Or any programs that can easily generate them?
53
votes
1answer
6k views
Role of systems in entity systems architecture
I've been reading a lot about entity components and systems and have thought that the idea of an entity just being an ID is quite interesting.
However I don't know how this completely works with the ...
93
votes
17answers
26k views
What math should all game programmers know? [closed]
Simple enough question: What math should all game programmers have a firm grasp of in order to be successful?
I'm not specifically talking about rendering math or anything in the niche areas of game ...
34
votes
6answers
2k views
How do I find artists to work on my game?
I ask "how" rather than "where" because there are undoubtedly lots of artists that are just plain lousy or unreliable.
Let's assume both paying and non-paying (mods, free games/open-source) ...
73
votes
5answers
7k views
Version control for game development - issues and solutions?
There are a lot of Version Control systems available, including open-source ones such as Subversion, Git, and Mercurial, plus commercial ones such as Perforce. How well do they support the process of ...
53
votes
26answers
19k views
Game Development Degree vs Computer Science Degree
I'm at the point in my life where I'm starting to look at schools, and was hearing a lot of mixed things about schools such as Digipen or Fullsail that target game development specifically. As someone ...
52
votes
13answers
20k views
Where can I find free music for my game? [closed]
I'm in need of some tunes for my game. Where can I procure some, preferably for free?
54
votes
15answers
12k views
What are some good learning resources for OpenGL? [closed]
I have been using the OpenGL ES on the iPhone for a while now and basically I feel pretty lost outside to the small set of commands I've seen in examples and adopted as my own. I would love to use ...
35
votes
6answers
5k views
Good resources for learning modern OpenGL (3.0 or later)?
I stumble upon the search of a good resource to start with OpenGL (3.0 or later) . Well, I found a lot of books but none of them can be considered a good resource!
Here two examples:
OpenGL ...
37
votes
10answers
6k views
Game State 'Stack'?
I was thinking about how to implement game states into my game. The main things I want for it are:
Semi-transparent top states-being able to see through a pause menu to the game behind
Something ...
15
votes
2answers
3k views
How to make a character jump?
I am currently making a game in C# using Direct X 9.0. The game remake is Donkey Kong NES. I have nearly everything completed, but I am having problems with the physics of Mario's jump. I have ...
16
votes
3answers
938 views
Legal issues for a “fangame” of a commercial franchise?
I've played around in the past of the 2D Flash fan-made version of the popular Valve game Portal. It has basically the exact same mechanics, but as a 2D side-view flash game.
Lately I've toyed ...
64
votes
3answers
14k views
Tips for writing the main game loop?
Can anyone recommend some good tips, articles, sites, etc. for writing the main game loop? What are some things that you should do in the game loop, and what are some things that you shouldn't do in ...
87
votes
8answers
12k views
Why are MVC & TDD not employed more in game architecture?
I will preface this by saying I haven't looked a huge amount of game source, nor built much in the way of games.
But coming from trying to employ 'enterprise' coding practices in web apps, looking at ...
35
votes
3answers
2k views
Effective marketing strategies for independent game projects
I would really like to hear how other independents generally approach marketing their game with limited resources. I know how critical marketing is since I've seen it first hand on several fronts. ...
64
votes
7answers
28k views
What is the future of XNA in Windows 8 or how will manged games be developed in Windows 8?
I know this is a potential dupe of this question, but the last answer there was 18 months ago and a lot has happened since.
There seems to be some uncertainty about XNA in Windows 8. Specifically, ...
40
votes
6answers
6k views
Why do we use scripts in development?
In my current project, Lua scripts are called by the C++ functions on the server side.
After that, the scripts again call the C++ functions still in that solution.
Why should we do such things and not ...
16
votes
1answer
4k views
Isometric rendering and picking?
I've been looking for a formula to plot (world->screen) and mouse pick (world->screen) isometric tiles in a diamond-shaped world.
The ones I've tried always seem to be, well, off.
What's the ...
43
votes
10answers
6k views
How can I get involved with open source game projects?
I have a limited experience in game development and would like to get involved with open source game project. Where should I look and how should I begin?
40
votes
3answers
7k views
Optimizing an XNA 2D game
Does it make sense to implement the logic to skip rendering objects outside the viewport or should I not care about it and let the Framework do it?
31
votes
6answers
6k views
Multi-threaded games best practices. One thread for 'logic', one for rendering, or more?
I'm aware there is immense slowing whenever data synchronization is required (let alone any mutex locks).
I was thinking getting it to the extreme and doing threads for any subsystem conceivable. But ...
19
votes
3answers
4k views
How do you approach resolution independence in raster based graphics content?
Those games that are not fortunate enough to run on a locked platform spec, like handhelds, need to run across various resolution formats and aspect ratios.
In a 3D game you might have a HUD or menu ...
28
votes
5answers
3k views
Any tips for creating cross-platform games?
Do you have any tips/recommendations when creating a cross-platform game in C/C++?
14
votes
1answer
4k views
Orienting a model to face a target
I have two objects (target and player), both have Position (Vector3) and Rotation (Quaternion). I want the target to rotate and be facing right at the player. The target, when it shoots something ...
62
votes
9answers
17k views
What are some programming design patterns that are useful in game development? [closed]
I have a few books on Design Patterns, and have read some articles, but cannot intuitively figure out which programming design patterns would be useful in game development.
For example, I have a book ...
67
votes
8answers
86k views
How do I get started making Android games? [closed]
I am new to game development. I am interested in developing 2D games for the Android platform. What is the best place to start with (i.e) What are the basics and how to proceed? I already have ...
43
votes
18answers
15k views
What are good JS libraries for game dev? [closed]
If I decide to write a simple game both text and graphical (2d) what libraries would I use? (Assume we are using a HTML5 compatible browser)
The main things I can think of
Rendering text on screen
...
40
votes
10answers
4k views
New to creating AI - where to start?
I am new to game programming and am trying to make a basic 2d top-down space game with 2 space ships that fight each other. I am doing well with the user controlled space ship, but have no idea how ...
31
votes
6answers
2k views
How can I promote my game? [closed]
I am a beginning indie developer, and I want to get the word out about my game. What sites can I go to to ask about reviews of my game, and where might I be able to talk about and get feedback on my ...
33
votes
15answers
14k views
What tools do you use for 2D art/sprite creation? [closed]
What cheap/free tools do you use for 2D art and/or animation?
I don't really like Gimp's interface, Paint.NET is limited and GraphicsGale is sort of archaic. Cosmigo ProMotion looks like it could be ...
25
votes
6answers
2k views
What's a way to implement a flexible buff/debuff system?
Overview:
Lots of games which RPG-like statistics allow for character "buffs", ranging from simple "Deal 25% extra damage" to more complicated things like "Deal 15 damage back to attackers when hit."
...
32
votes
8answers
12k views
How to learn 2d animation?
Where can I learn how to do simple 2d animation well? Or is it really just literally drawing every single frame of something in photoshop? Is there tips or tricks? Tutorials to help get started?
...
25
votes
16answers
26k views
What are some famous games developed with .NET and/or XNA? [closed]
Are there famous games written in .Net and/or XNA?
13
votes
8answers
4k views
How should I sort images in an isometric game so that they appear in the correct order?
This seems like a rather simple problem but I am having a lot of difficulty with it.
What should I do to properly sort images in an isometric game?
In a normal 2d top-down game one could use the ...
21
votes
10answers
3k views
What are the most commonly used programming languages? [closed]
When I took my Java courses a year ago, I was told that Java is used mostly in the overseas gaming companies while C++ is used here in the US. What languages should I focus on learning in-depth?
16
votes
6answers
3k views
Is it legally possible to make a clone of the game?
With board games like "Monopoly", "Domino", "Checkers", or "Chess", can game developers make clones and sell them? Also, can I make a clone of ZX Spectrum games? Are there many parts of the game with ...
15
votes
4answers
6k views
What are the cons of using DrawableGameComponent for every instance of a game object?
I've read in many places that DrawableGameComponents should be saved for things like "levels" or some kind of managers instead of using them, for example, for characters or tiles (Like this guy says ...
60
votes
16answers
17k views
Good game design books? [closed]
I have some experience in creating, however I like to have some well written reference material to help me produce better products. Are there any game design books that are not aimed at a particular ...
55
votes
11answers
4k views
How to design a replay system
So how would I design a replay system?
You may know it from certain games like Warcraft 3 or Starcraft where you can watch the game again after it has been played already.
You end up with a ...
12
votes
2answers
8k views
Open-source 3D models easily usable in OGRE3D/jMonkeyEngine
I'm looking for a source of 3D models (cars, game characters, furnitures etc.) which are usable in an open-source 3D game.
I found various website with free/opensource .blend files. However it is not ...
8
votes
1answer
5k views
What's the best way to create animations when doing Android development?
I'm trying to create my first Android game and I'm currently trying to figure out (with someone that will do the drawings and another programmer) what the best way to create animation is. (Animations ...
10
votes
5answers
874 views
Finding other programmers to help on a project [closed]
As a semi FAQ question attempt :
Where can you find people to work with you on a project? Particularly programmers. One thing that is obvious is that all programmers have a project (or twenty), and ...
6
votes
3answers
2k views
XNA - Static classes from game libraries executing after content pipeline extensions, how to avoid the problem?
Alright, formulated this way I'm sure it sounds obscure, but I'll do my best to describe my problem.
First, let me explain what's wrong with my real source code.
I'm making a platformer, and here ...
6
votes
2answers
788 views
Predicting enemy position in order to have an object lead its target
In my 2D game I have AI turrets that should assist the player by automatically firing towards enemies. I would like to make them fire intelligently and lead their target instead of just targeting an ...
209
votes
16answers
10k views
How can I effectively manage a hobby game project?
What are your tips and tricks to successfully finish a hobby game project in your freetime?
How do you motivate yourself to keep it up and drive right through to the finish without losing interest or ...
