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INFO: For Those New To Coding
Topic Started: Oct 8 2009, 07:07 PM (287 Views)
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(NOTE: PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE THING BEFORE LEARNING PROGRAMMING OR GOING TO DOWNLOAD SOMETHING OR WHATEVER. THANKS! YOU WONT REGRET IT! AND IF YOU DO ILL GIVE YOU A COOKIE! :D
This is where any information useful to new programmers will be put. To begin with, the following is the book that I learned Java from as well as well as a very good tutorial about Java applets/games:

HEAD FIRST JAVA :
This is an excellent book on Java. Read it, follow the exercises, and you'll be programming with the best of us. I've consulted a computer science teacher and this is the book he learned java from. It teaches you the basics all the way up to University level stuff, all in a very approachable and interesting form.
Download links:
Code:
 

http://rapidshare.com/files/130597647/Head_1ST_Java.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/130620018/Head_1ST_Java.part2.rar

NOTE: This download comes in two parts called "rar" files, which are like "zip" files. To open it, download and install "WinRAR":
Code:
 

http://www.rarlab.com/rar/wrar390.exe


Java Applet Tutorial:
This is a great tutorial on the basics of making a game in java. I read it after reading Head First Java (the above book) and then used the tutorials and my own creativity to make a Pong replica:
Code:
 

http://www.javacooperation.gmxhome.de/TutorialStartEng.html


HOWEVER, PLEASE NOTE THAT:
In my opinion, considering that if you take Computer Science in Grade 11 and 12, its no use learning java outside of school. A better, and MUCH smarter, thing to do would be to learn C#. If you learn C#, you will be able to make games for Xbox 360 and sell them on Xbox LIve. Yeah, sounds awesome right? So, here's a book for learning C# from the same makers of the Java book I learned from. Its also a very good book:
Code:
 

http://rapidshare.com/files/101944812/Head.First.In.C.Sharp.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/101944800/Head.First.In.C.Sharp.part2.rar

NOTE: Once again, to open the above files you need Winrar. Download it via the link above or just google "winrar".

BASICALLY, just skip learning java and learn C# first, and you'll be way ahead of the game. Besides, C# is almost exactly like java.

OKAY, so if you're done learning C# from the above book, then download the following book on making games in XNA (XNA is the program that allows you to make games for PC, xbox 360, and the Zune. Google "XNA" for more info):
Code:
 

http://rapidshare.com/files/241143682/Beginning_XNA_3.0_Game_Programming_From_Novice_to_Professional.rar

NOTE: Once again, by now you should have Winrar installed.

Here's a timeline of the experience i had while learning programming. You may find some of this is kinda like your experiences, maybe not, but learn from it anyways:
Quote:
 

GENERAL TIMELINE OF LEARNING PROGRAMMING:
*(1.) You glance through a programming book. You ASSUME it must be super-hard, complicated, and boring from first glance.
Here's the problem with #1:
a. Programming isn't hard. (ex. If you're in grade seven and look at grade 12 math, it seems way too hard. But to a grade 2, grade 7 math probably seems like the same difficulty.)
b. Programming isn't complicated if you do it properly and take it one step at a time.
c. Programming will SEEM boring while you're learning the essentials, but then again doesn't the same thing happen when you first start learning the basics as an artist/musician/anything-else? Its the same for programming. It will get very fun, very fast. If you like solving puzzles or solving problems, or solving any sort of challenge by using your creativity and knowledge of basic building blocks, you will at least like programming; (if not love it!). :D

*(2.) OK, so you decide to learn programming. You start out, and become slightly discouraged when you aren't coding mind-blowingingly-awesome games after the first couple weeks of learning programming.
Answer to #2:
Do you think mozart picked up a piece of paper, a pen, glanced at a book on music creation, and then made a masterpiece? I doubt it. If you keep at it, and learn to enjoy the path towards making awesome stuff rather than just looking at how far away you are from doing awesome things, you will be making awesome stuff faster than you know it. After all, isn't it more entertaining to look at all the little pebbles and plants along a path, rather than stare at the horizon and keep thinking how far away it is?! :D

*(3.) You stick with programming and decide not to quit. Slowly, you start to enjoy it and it stops seeming hard or confusing. You start learning more advanced concepts, and start coding more advanced programs. You start to like programming. You smile and realize that the difficulty in the beginning was worth it.
Answer to #3:
I told you so. :D

*(4) You're programming games now, and starting to think of making a team and making some mind-blowingly-awesome stuff.
Answer to #4:
This is where I'm at. And in comes the Game Dev Club.

Oh and all of this took about 3 months for me, though #1 happened to me when I was 12, and I just gave up on learning programming after looking through a programming book. I WISH I NEVER CLOSED THAT BOOK. I would have been so much farther today. Don't make the same mistake. Try programming, stick with it for three months, and if you hate it then at least you know that you dont like it. And if you love it, then ...join the club! Oh wait... you already did! :D


IN SUMMARY: Download the C# book, read it straight through and do the tutorials and code some of your own programs. Then download the XNA one and start making games! Oh and YES, I'm learning C# too. And YES, I wish i learned it right from the start in the first place.

Anyways, that's my two cents on learning programming. Any of the senior programmers can feel free to add in their own comments and info. :D Oh and feel free to add comments or questions or whatever, WE'RE HERE TO HELP! >:3
-Daniel (club president)
Edited by Club President, Oct 8 2009, 07:11 PM.
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Videogamerkm

Awesome stuff.

Last I can remember WinRAR is a trial program from most sites. I use 7Zip, same thing basically.
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Alex
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Hi Alex here.

I downloaded the first part of the Head First Java book, but was unable to open it. :-/

What went wrong? Do I need to download another program to open it?
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mostly_harmless
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Awesome
you need both parts, and you need winrar. read the full post. put both parts in same folder, and open one with winrar. they are both part of the same file
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Alex
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Thanks for the help, I forgot to download winrar.

But the second file didn't download properly and now Rapidshare won't let me download it again.

Anywhere I can get the same file, without getting any viruses?
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Club President
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No, not really. Just wait a while and try to download it again. Rapidshare lets free users download stuff only once or twice in a couple hours or so, I think.
Also, in my opinion, you should learn C# first.
Edited by Club President, Oct 14 2009, 07:55 PM.
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Alex
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Thanks for the help. Head First Java is working perfectly.

But it seems a little long, and I don't think I can learn it all for next Thursday.

Any tips on what is most important or what I need to start coding?

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Club President
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You don't have to learn it all for next Thursday. My recommendation is to start reading it from the table of contents onwards, focusing on learning java rather than rushing through the book to get done it. Make sure you do all the exercises it has as well, as they are very important and useful. Don't worry if it seems like it's taking you a long time to get through it, because that book covers ALOT of content (up to first year university stuff).

I'd recommend spending a minimum of 30 minutes a night learning java, the more the better.

Anyways, have fun learning it and whatever you do: don't get discouraged. Just keep trying and you'll be fine. :D

-Dan
Edited by Club President, Oct 15 2009, 06:03 PM.
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