Which Programming Language To Learn?

[Passy]

Hi guys.
I'm playing around with the idea of developing games for the Wiz. You know, you're home after an exhausting school's day and y'er bored playing the same games over and over and your friends are busy. But that's not the topic - which language would you recommend me to learn? I only have very, very, very, VERY basic knowledge in Turbo Pascal. I already tried getting used to Bennu, but there are no real tutorials helping me. I read the beginner tutorial and that was just about variables, modules and stuff and not about how to realize for example a lifebar with these things. Simply couldn't get used to it. So, which one would you recommend me to learn or which language do you use?

Thanks in Advance.

 

[iprice]

IIRC Bennu is very similar to another free language - Fenix. That's an excellent BASIC style language that is pretty well dosumented and has active forums and lots of developers using it. Some of the best GP2X and Wiz software to date was created with Fenix.

A commercial alternative (and my language of choice) is GLBasic. A very easy to use language, that also offers 3D and can create apps for pc, Mac, Linux, Wz, GP2X, Xbox, iPod Touch and iPhone and soon Pandora. The GLBasic forum is a font of knowledge and a very friendly place.

I won't bother mentioning the like of C++, Python etc. etc. but I'm sure someone else will

 

[Squidge]

Sounds like you'll like Fenix.

I'd stay away from C/C++ if you couldn't get your head around Bennu. It'll blow your mind.

 

[b1ueskycomp1ex]

Sounds like you'll like Fenix.

I'd stay away from C/C++ if you couldn't get your head around Bennu. It'll blow your mind.

Rather C/C++ than java =X

God, I hated java.

 

[Madman]

Well if you have some experience in coding, Bennu is easy. I did my first little game with it today.
Took me about 10 hours from scratch. If you dont know how to do a lifebar thingy in any other language,
then you should go with GLBasic or Bennu and do some easy stuff to learn the basics.
C/C++ requires some years of knowledge if you want to use SDL or openGL.

 

[Alex.]

I already tried getting used to Bennu, but there are no real tutorials helping me. I read the beginner tutorial and that was just about variables, modules and stuff and not about how to realize for example a lifebar with these things.

You will face this same problem with any other language you'll try, you must spend some time compiling and messing around with all the code in the tutorial until you understand every single bit of it. I guarantee that coding a lifebar will be second nature to you after that, it's just a matter of time and perseverance.

 

[Passy]

Thanks for all the replies .

IIRC Bennu is very similar to another free language - Fenix. That's an excellent BASIC style language that is pretty well dosumented and has active forums and lots of developers using it. Some of the best GP2X and Wiz software to date was created with Fenix.

A commercial alternative (and my language of choice) is GLBasic. A very easy to use language, that also offers 3D and can create apps for pc, Mac, Linux, Wz, GP2X, Xbox, iPod Touch and iPhone and soon Pandora. The GLBasic forum is a font of knowledge and a very friendly place.

I won't bother mentioning the like of C++, Python etc. etc. but I'm sure someone else will

I read Bennu is "just" a fork of Fenix, so are they similiar? I'll check it out, thanks.

The thing about GLBasic - it's commercial. And it's not available for Linux.
I'd use that if it would be a bit cheaper & available for Linux.

Sounds like you'll like Fenix.

I'd stay away from C/C++ if you couldn't get your head around Bennu. It'll blow your mind.

Okay, thanks. Guess C++ is for "T3H 1337 PR05" only?

Well if you have some experience in coding, Bennu is easy. I did my first little game with it today.
Took me about 10 hours from scratch. If you dont know how to do a lifebar thingy in any other language,
then you should go with GLBasic or Bennu and do some easy stuff to learn the basics.
C/C++ requires some years of knowledge if you want to use SDL or openGL.

That lifebar thing was just an example.
Since I don't really know how to work with SDL & OpenGL I'll definately stay way from C++. Thanks.

I already tried getting used to Bennu, but there are no real tutorials helping me. I read the beginner tutorial and that was just about variables, modules and stuff and not about how to realize for example a lifebar with these things.

You will face this same problem with any other language you'll try, you must spend some time compiling and messing around with all the code in the tutorial until you understand every single bit of it. I guarantee that coding a lifebar will be second nature to you after that, it's just a matter of time and perseverance.

I already read the whole tutorial (this one to be exact) and I can explain you every single line of the code. That's not the problem. What I tried to say is that this just aims for the basic stuff, like if you want to create a maths program, not a game.
It doesn't explain how to load a sprite for example, how to add enemies, damage on collision and so on. What I'm missing are these.. hm it's hard to say... game-making basics, not the programming basics. Like I already said I have a very basic knowledge in Turbo Pascal (Variables, constants, maths operations and stuff. The things you learn in school.) so understanding what's written in that tutorial wasn't the problem. So if someone has got some "learning by doing" Bennu or Fenix tutorials, I'd welcome it if you'd share.

 

[Squidge]

Okay, thanks. Guess C++ is for "T3H 1337 PR05" only?

Well, no, but if you can't get your head around Bennu, then your going to find C++ must more difficult.

 

[iprice]

Passy: You did'nt state you wanted a free language or that it had to be Linux, hence why I mentioned GLBasic.

As for Bennu, there is a Wiki site dedicated to it and here is the Tutorials link, which include loading images etc. http://wiki.bennugd....title=Tutorials

Looking at those tuts. it would appear that Bennu is not as closely related to Fenix as I first thought. Fenix may well be a lot simpler for your needs.

 

[Madman]

Regarding Bennu loading sprites and get them move around on the screen could not be easier.
First you grab Smart fpg editor from danko: http://www.bennugd.co.uk/viewtopic.php?id=54
Then you do some 16bit BMP. #000000 will be transparent. You import this BMP with the smart fpg Editor and save the file as an FPG.
The image will have a certain number inside the fpg file. 1 for the first etc.

Now in Bennu you use load_fpg("filename.fpg"); and you can access the sprite by its number.
What the Bennu Wiki does not state that clearly, and what took me some time to figure out, is that the process is build for this.
A process is kind of a class, which has some default vars, such as x,y,z and graph.

So if you declare a process like

Process Enemy(x,y,z,graph)
Begin

 repeat
  x=x-1;
  frame;
 until (x>320);

End

And init this with "Enemy(320,100,3,1)" you will have Sprite 1 of the FPG start at x/y on level z and will move left 1 px each frame.
Animate the sprite by changing the graph value inside the process. It cant be much easier than that.
Collision is also a breeze: You can check if your Player has a "collision(type Enemy)" and thats it. If your player is hit by any started process "Enemy" this will be true.

You can take a look at the Code of any Bennu programm by looking at the .prg file.
And if you need any help, we are here to help.

 

[Passy]

Passy: You did'nt state you wanted a free language or that it had to be Linux, hence why I mentioned GLBasic.

As for Bennu, there is a Wiki site dedicated to it and here is the Tutorials link, which include loading images etc. http://wiki.bennugd....title=Tutorials

Looking at those tuts. it would appear that Bennu is not as closely related to Fenix as I first thought. Fenix may well be a lot simpler for your needs.

Sorry, I forgot about telling you I was looking for a free one.
Anyways, thanks for the link. I'll check it out later, aswell as the Fenix tutorials, I'll decide which seems easier to me then.



And a special thanks to Madman, it's really easier than I thought. And thanks for the advice opening the .prg file. Will do that for sure.

 

[aho]

Python/Pygame isn't that bad. The big plus is that Python has some use outside of game writing on the Wiz. So, if you learn it you actually got another nice thing you can put on your CV.

Well, it's certainly not perfect yet, but it looks pretty usable.