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[keith.burgun]

I'm one of the artistic types - visual art, music, design; that all comes pretty easy to me.  But programming has been SUCH a brick wall for me for the past ten years!  I just keep getting stuck, and giving up.  It's hard!

Anyway recently, I think I've gotten over a major hump.  I'm using XNA and I'm creating a turn based strategy game.

Just wondering if you guys have any advice for me... keep in mind I've been trying for at least ten years and I have bought so many books and read so many tutorials and AAGHHH.

How did you learn to program?  I'd just be interested to know.

Also, anyone wanna be my mentor? =]

-Keith Burgun, Lead Designer @ Dinofarm Games

[Accidental Rebel]

I am one of those people who easily got into programming with little effort. I dunno how I did it. It is just that when I started to program in C++, I found the whole process interesting and I enjoyed every bit of it. What I did next was I just programmed and programmed until it almost became my second language. I still have a lot to learn, though.

I guess its different for everyone. I know of people that no matter how much they try they couldn't get into programming. There's something about programming wherein you need to think differently than humans are normally used to. You need to be able to grasp every step of the program that you're planning to make on your mind and think of the logic involved. I found out that not everyone can do this.

Learning programming is different than, let's say, learning a guitar. All you need to do is follow some chords, get the right finger placements, and you're done. Learning how to compose awesome music, however, is on a different level similar to programming (Well, at least I think it is)

However, I am not saying that there is no hope to those who have a hard time learning. Maybe you could use some libraries to make things easier, or better yet, use a game development tool. After all, the people who would play your games won't care how you built it as long as they get to play it.

Hope this helps.

[Skofo]

Aren't you that guy who blatantly spammed your game here a couple times? 1 2

EDIT: A few times, rather. 3

[keith.burgun]

The thing that really bothers me is that I do *get* the concepts... I understand classes and objects and actually I was able to program using QBasic for many years.  I think what usually stumps me is just stuff like syntax.  Like right now, I'm having a hell of a time making a grid using a multidimensional array - not because I have problems understanding a multidimensional array but I just don't know how C# wants me to write it out.  So I usually just get stumped on something that turns out to be that I forgot to add a comma somewhere. =P


Skofo, If posting your game in Feedback is spamming then consider me Hormel.  As for the 2007 post, that was a mistake and I apologize.

[bateleur]

I learned programming by doing it. Given a pooter, a few API docs and a lot of free time it's amazing what you can achieve.

If posting your game in Feedback is spamming then consider me Hormel.

You didn't post your game in Feedback, though, did you? You posted your soundtrack, but the game itself is only available from App Store, right? That's not how Feedback works. People reading the thread need access to the game. If you're going to make them pay, you're basically posting an advert, which is spam.

[keith.burgun]

I didn't know that paid games weren't allowed... What about Minecraft Alpha?  And how come that rule isn't in the Feedback Forum Guidelines?  Sorta feels like you're just harassing me for some reason.

[iffi]

I learned programming by doing it. Given a pooter, a few API docs and a lot of free time it's amazing what you can achieve.

I agree, the best way to learn programming (especially syntax, which you say you have the most trouble with) is to use it frequently. If possible, I like to try thinking of why the syntax is the way it is. I learned Java by making many little test programs fiddling around with the language, and it worked great. So far, it's also working for my attempts to learn C++. No matter how much I read about a language, I always forget it unless I use it somehow.

[bateleur]

I didn't know that paid games weren't allowed.

Commercial projects are fine so long as anyone reading the Feedback forum can play the thing you're asking for feedback on without having to pay money.

It's not a question of harassing you. I bother to point out the problem because I'm assuming that as a developer you don't want to be annoying the development community. If what you want is not actually feedback on the game, but tips on marketing, you could try asking for ideas in the Business forum. (And try not to make the post look like an advert for your game!)

[voidSkipper]

I spent ages 3-10 wanting to make games but not knowing how. Someone told me I had to learn to program at age 11, so I got every single programming book in my library and read them cover to cover. It took me six months. I'm not welcome there anymore.

[johanp]

I think one big thing to remember (whatever you are learning), is not to take on too big projects. Start small (or smaller) and scale up as you go a long. And make sure you finish every substantial project that you start. There are a lot of skills that goes into completing a project that shouldn't be forgotten. Also, it's a great feeling to say that a project is complete, instead of just forgetting about it (and then do the same mistakes with the next one).

* Start small.
* Complete project.
* Evaluate what went good/bad.
* Aim higher.
* Rinse, repeat.

I think that's pretty much how I started. Including starting a lot of big projects that I never finished. Now I've been programming for 20+ years so I don't quite remember the ahrd times I'm sure I had...

[keith.burgun]

Thanks!

[0rel]

Sense of wonder! Isn't it astonishing what human brains can do with computers? It's almost like magic... We almost forget about this with today's plethora of cool apps and stuff, I guess. But creating programs oneself, from scratch, is still something different IMHO. There's a certain mind state where you just "get into it" -- the haxor mode? -- where possibilities seem to be endless and marvelous...  

(...but I'm also facing difficulties to get there ATM )

[Alex2x]

It sounds like your difficulties are simply due to lack of experience (multi dimensional array syntax, commas, etc.). These things will become second nature if you'll practice and give it time to sink in.

Another useful thing is to read open source code. Find simple games and then study how they were made. I think this would help you more than any book or article ever could.

[Zaphos]

I think it helps a lot, especially when starting with a new language, to try to break your problems down into small pieces*.  So you can write just a few lines of code, compile/test, write a few more, compile/test, etc ... instead of writing a big thing all at once.  Then you always have a good chance your bugs will be in the most recent few lines you wrote, which is a huge help ...

(*just like those acorns)

[Klaim]

People good at something just persevere.


It's the only quality required. They go beyond frustration to understand and get to the point that they enjoy it.

I've read an article about that, that children taking problems as challenges always get somewhere while others simply frustrates and think they're not good enough. Can't find the link.

Anyway if you really want to program, just persevere in learning until you feel you can do something with your basic skills. Then build something (that will make you learn) then get back to pure learning and then build something (and learn) etc. Never stop. Ever.