Claymerikorp’s games are simple because we can’t make anything more complex. Yet. We’ve only been at this since December of 2008 when we took a look at what people were doing and thought, “Hey, I bet we could do that.” You’ve probably looked at XNA Indie Games and thought the same thing. You’d be right.
It can be tough to figure out where to begin. I’d hardly call myself an expert, but I have gone through the initial learning process and can impart some wisdom on how to get through the most daunting stages. Here it is.
Don’t Spend Money
It might be tempting to rush out and buy a bunch of “How To” books, get a brand new computer and subscribe to Microsoft’s $100/year Creator’s Club. Don’t. You can get started and see if programming is for you without spending a penny.
Here are some things to consider before handing out your hard-earned cash:
- Buying a book means you buy all of it, even if it contains sections you don’t want and will never need.
- It can be very difficult to find a book written to your experience level. Most assume at least some knowledge of programming, and that can make them difficult to understand.
- Almost everything you could ever want to know can be found online for free.
- You might find that you don’t like programming.
- You don’t need to join the Creator’s Club until you are ready to put games on Xbox 360. You can get started on PC and most of the code is identical, at least on an introductory level.
- Basic programs — the types you’ll make first before tackling something more complex — will run on any reasonable laptop or PC made in the past few years.
Try These Resources
Free tools for managing and creating your program. You’ll need Visual C# 2008 Express at the very least: http://creators.xna.com/downloads
A very good video tutorial, courtesy of Microsoft: http://creators.xna.com/en-US/education/gettingstarted/bg2d/chapter1
A good series of beginning tutorials. This one has particularly easy to understand explanations: http://www.xnadevelopment.com/tutorials.shtml
Start in 2D
We all have great ideas for games kicking around in the backs of our minds. The trouble is making them exist in reality. If you’ve never made a game before, start in 2D. Don’t even think about three dimensions until you’ve completed at least one game in two.
Also, consider the complexity of your project before beginning it. You’ll be much more likely to have fun with what you’re doing if you begin with something feasible. You might have a great idea for an old-school 2D RPG, but how likely is it that you would finish that project if it was your first crack at game making? The same goes for your modern take on Super Mario Brothers, Super Metroid, or Legend of Zelda. Why not start with something easy like an old-school, single screen arcade game? Something like Rocket Fart is a good place to start.
Find a Friend
The Xbox 360 Indie Games library is filled with games that feel half-baked. Part of that might be due to the fact that you’ll very rarely find a person that is a great artist <i>and</i> a great programmer. I’m neither, but I did latch on to a talented artist in Dave Clayman. It helps the process immensely if you’re working with someone else. Things will move twice as fast and you’ll actually be able to see the fruits of your labor before you get frustrated and give up.
Ask For Help
Don’t be shy about admitting you don’t know what the heck you’re doing. You can leave a comment here and I’ll do my best to answer it. You might find better advice on the Microsoft Creator’s Club forums: http://forums.xna.com/forums/
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