Vote for the Next Tutorial Series

[chili]

The two choices are: a) move directly on to 3D or b) make a game out of the advanced engine before moving on to 3D. How much time is spent on the game depends on how many topics people want to cover while doing it, but that will be decided later (only if you guys choose to make the game, of course). Check out the video for more details.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0Wd73lhxt8

[SpaceAnimation]

I'd say 3D but making a game would be fun! Is there a way we could do both?

[AmbroseSilverWolfe]

Personally, I think it would be best to slowly work on game mechanics before we dive into the deep end that is 3D. All topics mentioned should be included (including a title screen, game options, load/save (with multiple saves(optional))) in the the game. I'm aware that it may take a lot longer to get to 3D doing this game, but I believe mechanics are just as important. Eventually, when we all finally get to 3D, We can put everything we have learned and, work on another game in 3D.. (perhaps an RPG? <- wishful thinking)
That's just my 2cents on the whole thing.

[cameron]

I personally, am kind of indecisive atm. I have been working on networking stuff latley I finished NFC a few months ago and I just started a c-s chat program similar to IRC. I would like like to cover SSE, then go straight to 3D. But, if I had to choose I would say 3D.

[albinopapa]

I'll admit game mechanics are important. As far as title screen, what do you need that has not already been covered?

If yo have made it through the advanced lessons you know a pretty fair amount of C++.

Title screen:
- We have covered importing images and using sprite fonts.
- The input class has been updated to allow text input and (menu) navigation.
- We've already covered hit boxes for mouse selection of sections on the screen

Save Games:
- File I/O, sorting and dynamic memory allocation and dynamic arrays (vectors) have already been covered.

We've covered 2D collision detection and handling in both bouncing off walls in the advanced lessons and being stopped by walls in the intermediate lessons.

We've covered Vector math; adding, subtracting, dot and cross product of 2D vectors.

We've covered Matrix math; adding, subtracting, multiplying.

We've covered transforms; Rotation, translation and scaling in 2D

In my opinion, we should move on to 3D, even if it's a 3D software engine it's the next logical move. Mostly because there are several tutorials out there to initialize Direct3D and get simple stuff on screen. I want to learn about 3D collision and octrees and AI algorithms for 3D pathfinding. I want to know the formulas for as many special effects chili can muster, because only chili can make this stuff sink in.

EDIT: I have a suggestion. We can update the framework, including making the software 3D engine covering multi-threading and SSE to speed up the processing of the 3D data.

Software 3D engine
SSE
Resource management
Multi-threading
Sound - XAudio
MCI - audio import
Input - XInput
Networking

Game
AI - path finding or whatever else is covered under this topic
physics simulations - not to a scientific degree just collision and some fluid dynamics

[WangChungFoster]

I'm partial to making a game because I don't necessarily want or need to learn about 3D at the moment. It would be nice to see a fully implemented game just to get an idea for the flow of the different modules in the game loop, as well as a lesson on what is required to port your game, and what needs to be included to release your game. I think that will better prepare those of us who are slow learners for the the jump to managing a 3D world in essentially raw C++.

[MLinfinite]

Hardware accelerated 2d game would be my no 1,, but I dont know which way you ll go in 3d. Anyway ill stick on.

[Dio Brando]

I voted for 3D, but either is fine with me.

[bobloblaw]

I'm down with making a game. I'd really like to see how chili handles the files/classes as the game grows in size. We can still learn about AI movement, or proceduraly generated worlds without jumping to 3d yet. I've got nothing against 3d but there is more to learn that we havn't exhausted yet: Multithreading, particle effects, bloom, multi-level loading. It would be really helpful to see chili's implamentation. At the moment I have learned enough c++ to be dangerous, now I'd like to be precise in my execution of game archetecture.

Peace bros.

LKC

[chili]

Leave it to bobloblaw to hit at the ultimate problem of game programming(programming in general). BTW, I'm typing this on my phone in the plane, waiting to leave Tokyo for Hawaii aloha