JoeStorm

Well, I haven't been on here in a long time. So, let me catch you up on a few things.

I've been getting my hands back dirty learning some game engines. I've been learning a little bit of Microsoft's XNA by making some stuff happen. I was planning to learn how to create a 2D game, but then my 3D game engine crept back into me. I have given that and UDK a much longer break, because stuff with my school(Probably because of my laziness, but I try not to admit that :p). But, I felt like getting back to it.

I felt like I was rushing and not going about it the right way. I had all these ideas in my mind, but instead of working on stuff little, I decided to think like a noob. You know the type “I'm going to create the next Grand Theft Auto/Call of Duty. I don't need a team of 100 to complete I can do it ALL BY MYSELF! So take that!” That's not the right way in wanting to learn/create games. As matter of fact, a lot of professional game developers stress that that's not a way to learn game development. Because there's a fast way, and the correct way in doing things; and I was trying to go the fastest route to a game studio(Or hopefully creating my own studio ;)). Now, I'm going to go the right way.

My decision to dive back into game engines brings up more questions. I have UDK still installed on my computer so I can easily go back into it. But, one of the reasons that made me slow done on creating stuff, is the difficulty in UDK. I made ANOTHER noob mistake in picking out UDK. Now, let me tell you something. I am not in ANY WAY trying to say how UDK is a bad product, or it's a terrible game engine. It's not. Probably one of the best game engines that's out there. The noob mistake I've made, was not searching out other engines. I was going through a “I'm scared of programming” phase of my life(I don't know if that made a lick of sense, but let me explain).

Currently, I'm enjoying programming, but at that time, their were some stuff that I did not know and it kind of scared me into learning. So, I said to my self “Maybe, I'm not the program person. I probably would do art.” MIND YOU, the only “art” I can draw, is stick figures(By the way, I'm a MEAN stick figure drawer! :D). But, seeing that I was letting my fear get the best of me, I decided to give in to art. I was searching through game engines I came into Unity(This is funny, just keep reading and you will see why) but found out that programming is the main thing. RED SIGN ALERT, I stop reading their. I believed I dabbled in Game Maker too, but I wanted to go fast fast fast, and not LEARN LEARN LEARN. See these mistakes? I quickly deleted that off my computer. Then I came to UDK. And WOW was I impressed! It looked GREAT! I learned that I could use Kismet instead of programming, so I dived into it without thinking.

I learned some of it's features doing tutorials and various things. I even made a “game” out of it that you can see in my IndieDB page. Well, it was good, but I had to do a lot of hassling to get it done. And I didn't “dare” learn to program, because you had to full with a lot of stuff to get it to work. And importing assets was tricky too. But, I did it. Then, I eventually “quit”.

One of reasons I quit, was because theirs sooooo much features in UDK, that it was too much for me to take. Yes, I could of learned it, but remember I was running away from something.

To keep a long story short, I decided to get back into programming. I know some C++, but I'm now learning C#. I developed a tic-tac-toe game and a word guessing game. I know the basic structure of that language, so if I see someone's code I slightly know what's happening. So, by that, I downloaded XNA to do 2D work. I am developing a ping pong game which is fairly good. But, while I was typing the code, I was seriously loving it. I had some problems to figure out, but I was digging it. Which brings this whole loooooong post to meaning. KEEP READING LOL.

Which brings me BACK to game engines. Now, instead of going to be artist that I am not, I decided to go the programming route. Which in games means scripting. Like I've stated earlier, I still have UDK on my computer. One thing that I do not like is Unreal Script. Not that it's a bad language, but I just don't like it. You have to full with so much stuff BEFORE you can even program(Well, you can do it after). That, and there's really limited documents for scripting. With UDK coming out nearly every month, things change. The same script that you work on in the last month, may not be capable for the next installment. But, to find info on learning to script in it was a work in it self.

So, that brings me back into the game engine search. Fate has a funny way in doing things. I've searched some game engines and I came back to the one when I was having a phase.....Unity. Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. I downloaded it, and I have to say, it is more userfriendly. With Unity, I have three choices: C#, Javascript and Boo. Hmmmmmm C# :D. That right there, made picking it the most easy thing to do. Unity features doesn't “bog” me down in learning. I can create a script and it will go into Unity without me having to create folders here and there; deleting files and starting and restarting the application. I'm already learned the basics of C#, which will make it easy for me to learn the scripting behavior of it. Right now, I'm reading through a book. And for the first time, instead of rushing through it. I'm taking my time. And after each chapter, I'm creating new projects and using what I learned in that chapter and before it, I'm putting it in there. I'm hoping, to get enough knowledge that I can be the programmer of a group. But, I'm FAR from that(Unless, there's a group that want me to create a moving script? :D). I want to do a little game out of it to show you all my progress on it.

That's what I've been up to lately. I won't be blogging as much, but I may turn this blog into my “development blog” or create a new blog. I'm not sure yet. I want to show you all my progress as a scriptor in Unity. I still will talk about games every now and then, but it won't be like the other times. I'm more focus on the developing of games part of my life!