Help with beggining to build a game

[RayCharles!]

Hi, newbie reporting in.

I need some help, to begin understanding the "creating a game process". I tried the Valve wiki, but it's jsut too confusing, and isn't much help to real begginers like me, so I thought this forum would be a nice place to ask for help. Since I lack organization and order in a speech I'll just drop questions, in which I need help.

First of all, I DO NOT INTEND TO SELL A GAME OR MAKE MONEY OUT OF IT, this is just for educational purposes and the beggining of a big journey.

Regarding me, I want to be the code programmer, the weapon scripter etc etc, and I think that envolves every aspect of the game besides making the models, maps, and sounds for the game itself. Correct me if i'm wrong. For what I have researched the only language I need to learn is C++.
Will learning this language C++, teach me how everything connects, ie: when a weapon fires, writing a code that acceeses the sound file to play ingame, etc?

I intend to use the source engine, but I'm a bit confused about the mod terminology and such. Is TF2, CS:S and others a mod of the source engine? With this I mean, on the Source SDK, is the create a mod option (in which there are 4 other options), the beggining of my project? If I want to create a game from scratch, do I use this option, or where do I go?

I'm so confused I don't even know which questions to ask. The main thing is, where can I learn to build a game? Is there any book, or website w/e explaining the process, how things work, how everything meshes together, explaining what dll's are, and what they do.....

There is so much to ask....So, where do I begin? Learning C++ language? If so, what will I learn from it, relating to the projects I wish to do with the source engine? Will I understand how source engine, and the proejcts created from it, if I learn C++? Because I think not, since it's just a language....Also, with the research I've done, I saw the use of Visual C++ Express, I think it's a compiler. I saw that game builders use it to compile their games (correct me if I'm wrong, again ).

Where do I learn all this stuff? ^^

I'm not yet an university student, but I wish to begin now.

Thanks in advance! TF2 hats or something if you become a big help!

[hello123]

Leaning C++ will become a really really big help! (almost a most for understanding the source engine)
And then when you got your c++ basics, you can start look at the source code, and see how things are coded, and pretty soon after, you'll start writing code yourself.

[RayCharles!]

what do you mean start "looking at the source code"? the code modders write to be "understanded" by the source engine? By looking you mean messing and modifying the files, "create mod" does, in order to create the game? Is that it? Shaping those files into what I need, or want to create and then compile it to a beautiful game? ))

[taz-ed]

Before starting out on your mod building draw up some idea's of what you want the mod to be i.e single player multi-player or both !! then install the source sdk and create the respective source code. if your not going to be making the maps, custom sounds and models. look into recruiting a small team of helpers,, because you dont understand the source SDK yet its best to mess around with it a bit first read and try out some of the tutorials found on https://developer.valvesoftware.com/...ry:Programming once you have gained some knowledge then do your recruiting ( its good to show some thing in the process than have nothing at all )

[hello123]

Originally Posted by RayCharles!

what do you mean start "looking at the source code"? the code modders write to be "understanded" by the source engine? By looking you mean messing and modifying the files, "create mod" does, in order to create the game? Is that it? Shaping those files into what I need, or want to create and then compile it to a beautiful game? ))

When you create a mod, via the source sdk, you get the source code. Take a look at that when the time comes, and see how things are coded in the game.
For example how the player spawns, and how weapons are coded.

[RayCharles!]

thanks for all the help. I see I have to get my hands dirty myself. Wish there was a book for source engine or something :PPPP
Babayes!

[taz-ed]

theres dvd's and books https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Books

[PsychoJim]

It sounds like you are where I was a few months ago! A lot of the posters here are very helpful but they assume you know the basics, which I didn't back then. So I'll assume you're starting from zero.

You will need to ensure that you have downloaded not only Source SDK, but also Source SDK Base 2007, from Steam. Then you should select Source Engine 2007 as the Engine Version when creating your mod. Next you will want to download MS Visual C++ Express Edition, and follow the instructions here https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/My_First_Mod under the subheading "Prepare the solution". You will then be able to view the source code files.

It can be very daunting and probably not much help looking through these files, so your best bet is to get started with tutorials. Follow the rest of the My First Mod tutorial (you will need to have created a simple map in Hammer first), and then after that, complete this set of tutorials: https://developer.valvesoftware.com/...r_First_Entity. That should be enough to get you up and running.

Learning C++ is obviously advantageous but not necessarily essential; as long as you understand the basic principles of programming, you should be able to look at existing code and work out how to modify it to your purposes.

[RayCharles!]

Another doubt is:

when valve decides to create a game, they chose the 4th option, right?

but when I chose the 3rd option in creating a mod, it gave me a template of a multiplayer game, in which I can alter it to a totally different game?

By that I mean, can I create a game, made by me, with it's own textures, by replacing them, and coding them properly in the template?

Also, I don't understand what the src folder is :S I see that meterialsrc and the others are for the meterials, maps etc that I want to put inside my game. Do I have to mess with the files of src folder in order to get the game running?

[hello123]

Originally Posted by RayCharles!

Another doubt is:

when valve decides to create a game, they chose the 4th option, right?

but when I chose the 3rd option in creating a mod, it gave me a template of a multiplayer game, in which I can alter it to a totally different game?

By that I mean, can I create a game, made by me, with it's own textures, by replacing them, and coding them properly in the template?

Also, I don't understand what the src folder is :S I see that meterialsrc and the others are for the meterials, maps etc that I want to put inside my game. Do I have to mess with the files of src folder in order to get the game running?

Just make a standard HL2 Multiplayer mod, not the template.
And the src folder is the source code for your mod.
And oh, when Valve makes Source Engine games, they use the "selfcontaining" version. And, btw, the newest Source Engine version.

[RayCharles!]

Can I use TF2 has a starting point somehow?
If I do an HL2 mod, can I replace it's textures, making it feel a totally different game?

[hello123]

Originally Posted by RayCharles!

If I do an HL2 mod, can I replace it's textures, making it feel a totally different game?

Yes ofc!
Thats what we call a totalt conversion.
- Kinda like changing the game.
You can also replace models and such.