NationStates Jolt Archive

I have no idea how to go about doing it, but I have an idea for a game based on a game my nation plays ICly, and thought bit might be fun to work up an on line version of it. It's a croiss between a few different games, but is similar in it's most basic play to gin rummy. Any ideas on how I might go about putting a (simple?) version online?

Have you programmed at all before?

Do you wish graphics included ?

If you want a game that you play online on a website, you want to get a program that lets you create flash games, look on the macromedia website and see what they have. If you get it, simply read the documentation to help you make your first game (it's harder then you think btw).

Flash is alright, but it isn't free. I would recommend you use Java, because then it can be played from within a browser, or standalone. However, if you have never done programming before, you have a long way to go before creating an online game, or even a single-player graphical one.

Yeah, you'd be surprised how difficult programming can be.

Heh. Thanks all. I seem to have asked the wrong qustion. :D

Correct (?) question: what might be the easiest way of getting something like this http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/index.php/Daistallian_Mahjong into a game form I could actually play? I don't neccessarily want to program or host it myself.

Umm... paying someone to program it for you? >_<

I have no idea how to go about doing it, but I have an idea for a game based on a game my nation plays ICly, and thought bit might be fun to work up an on line version of it. It's a croiss between a few different games, but is similar in it's most basic play to gin rummy. Any ideas on how I might go about putting a (simple?) version online?

You could try writing it as a Java applet, those are reasonably easy to embed into an HTML page. Of course, if you don't know Java or anything about design then you're screwed.

Heh. Thanks all. I seem to have asked the wrong qustion.If you don't know any programming at all, the easiest solution is probably to hire a programmer. If you can provide the graphics, especially to specifications, you should be able to hire someone for £2-300. There's a couple of rent-a-programmer sites out there.

Alternatively you could try to create a dialogue-based version of your game with html scripting, though I imagine that's one hell of a headache... Or you could learn a programming language. I don't think Java is ideal for what you want to do.

I think the easiest way to program a simple 2D game from scratch is with PyGame (http://www.pygame.org). The disadvantage compared to Java or Flash games is that Python games can't be played in a web browser.

You could download the source code of an open source game that is similar to what you want and modify that. Maybe this Mah Jong game (http://www.stevens-bradfield.com/MahJong/), I haven't tried it though. The advantage is that almost all of the work is already done. The disadvantage is that you start out with a ton of code you don't understand instead of from the beginning.

The easiest way of all is probably to google for a game maker (http://www.google.com/search?q=game+maker) program. I've heard you can easily make 2D games with those without any programming at all. Haven't tried any of them myself though.

If you are really interested in doing this yourself, then maybe learning a programming language would be useful and rewarding in the long-run. It will take time and patience, but will save money and the feeling of satisfaction after completing (and riding of bugs) of a program is a great one.

You could try GameMaker, from here: http://www.yoyogames.com/gamemaker/

Never tried it myself, but it was used to make Battleships Forever (http://www.wyrdysm.com/games.php) which is pretty accomplished.

Programming even a simple game takes time and effort. My battleships game took three and a half weeks to code, and it still wasn't finished at that point. Then I accidentally deleted the source code.

This taught me two things:

1. Always backup your code
2. Don't code games in C

This taught me two things:

1. Always backup your code
2. Don't code games in C

1. Yes.
2. No, no, no, no, no! Wrong! :p
Besides, what else would you use? Well, C++. But other than that?

2. No, no, no, no, no! Wrong! :p
Besides, what else would you use? Well, C++. But other than that?Python?

Python?

If you're not in a rush, perhaps...

If you're not in a rush, perhaps...Tehee... But I don't know C++ and Java's just useless :p

Tehee... But I don't know C++ and Java's just useless :p

It certainly is ;)

Python is used for some bits of games, I think (parsing and suchlike, probably, and also MMORPGs - I think Eve Online has quite a lot of stackless Python in its backend), but generally not for the bits that have to go fast.

1. Yes.
2. No, no, no, no, no! Wrong! :p
Besides, what else would you use? Well, C++. But other than that?

If you aren't planning on doing 3D and you don't care about being superbly efficient, Java is sufficient.

Tehee... But I don't know C++ and Java's just useless :p
Depends on what you want to do with it.

Python is used for some bits of games, I think (parsing and suchlike, probably, and also MMORPGs - I think Eve Online has quite a lot of stackless Python in its backend), but generally not for the bits that have to go fast.I have no idea what goes into game design. At all. We use python to create tools and minor modifications to programs at work, and when I say we, I mean other people do it while I pretend to have a clue :p

If you aren't planning on doing 3D and you don't care about being superbly efficient, Java is sufficient.

I've always found Java much harder work than C or C++; I learned them first, and I've always hated Java for, well, just being more effort than they are, and not letting you at the computer properly; it's much easier to understand what C is actually doing.

I've always found Java much harder work than C or C++; I learned them first, and I've always hated Java for, well, just being more effort than they are, and not letting you at the computer properly; it's much easier to understand what C is actually doing.Agreed. That's precisely what brought on my "useless" comment.

2. No, no, no, no, no! Wrong! :p
Besides, what else would you use? Well, C++. But other than that?

Okay, allow me to rephrase. Don't try to code a game that relies on graphical output in C. It's doable with Ascii art, but it's a bitch to get it to work cross platform.