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What programming language for this development?

Discussion in 'SimTools Plugins' started by Barry, Jun 25, 2014.

  1. Barry

    Barry Active Member

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    I want to ask a question which feels like a bit of a stupid question but I need to ask it anyway.

    I'd love to get into game development and plugin development but I'm a web developer. I work with PHP and JavaScript on a daily basis. At university (10 years ago) I done Java, C, and C++, all of which I paid no attention to and lost interest in because I worked in the construction industry straight out of university.

    I'm wondering what programming language I need to learn to get involved in this and how I can just get started. I know there are lots of tutorials online but it's difficult to know what direction to go in first.

    My assumptions would be that I should start learning C# on Visual Studio Express 2010. Is this the correct direction to start with? Any tips or help would be fantastic. I tend to learn quickly if I have an interest in something so hopefully I can pick it up quickly.
    Barry, Jun 25, 2014
    #1
  2. eaorobbie

    eaorobbie Well-Known Member SimTools Developer Gold Contributor

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    Most of its coded in Visual Basic by @yobuddy , nice and friendly code, but because of how some games structures their data we have to use c (@value1 to our rescue there, big thanks from all).

    I develop my little simple testing apps in Visual Basic and yes Im in the same vote as yourself, I studied IT for 4 years on a very big mine site, providing Hardware support and Network Development, we had a WAN that stretched 22km's and over 150 pc on a LAN that all linked back to 2x HP9000 unix boxes with 2 tb of drives, god back then bigger than the average computer desk (1.2mx1.2mx 1m high) massive compared to drives today.

    Then left the industry to follow an engineering dream, and ended finding my passion in Steel Fabrication.
    I have just been working through self learning books but have found out way more by just doing it and researching others codes to see how they made certain things work, then not copy but put it into my way and see if it all runs, Bloody good fun.
    SimTools has reignited my passion to build programs been nearly 20 years since I felt like that. Thanks @yobuddy.
    • Like Like x 2
    eaorobbie, Jun 25, 2014
    #2
  3. Barry

    Barry Active Member

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    So would you say it might be best to start off with visual basic first?

    I actually enjoyed doing C at university because it kind of clicked with me and I was able to pick it up quickly because we had a very very good teacher. C# seems to be pretty common at the minute because it seems to tie in pretty well with objective C for app development.
    Barry, Jun 25, 2014
    #3
  4. yobuddy

    yobuddy Well-Known Member Staff Member Moderator SimAxe Beta Tester SimTools Developer Gold Contributor

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    I really believe it's easier to get started with .NET in VB, as I have found the intellisense to be much better in vb than C#.
    Also, the code from vb compared to c# is so close, they even have auto translators on the net.
    So in a way your learning both with only some minor changes.
    And I prefer writing code without brackets '{ }' everywhere, VB provides a more readable code IMO.

    But you really could use either, only for C# you would have to translate one of the plugin examples into C# first.
    The real advantage of C# right now, is there are more C# programmers, so its easier to hire someone to work on a pre existing C# program that a VB one.

    Really thou, the reason I chose vb.net is I had never programed anything in it.
    So it seemed logical to see what I could do, and SimTools was born.

    Let me know if I can help you get started buddy!
    yobuddy
    • Like Like x 1
    • Informative Informative x 1
    yobuddy, Jun 26, 2014
    #4
  5. value1

    value1 Nerd SimAxe Beta Tester SimTools Developer Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    If it wasn't you, @yobuddy, I would say "feminine logic" :grin

    Anyhow, I vote for C++ :)
    • Like Like x 1
    value1, Jun 26, 2014
    #5
  6. yobuddy

    yobuddy Well-Known Member Staff Member Moderator SimAxe Beta Tester SimTools Developer Gold Contributor

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    • Like Like x 1
    yobuddy, Jun 27, 2014
    #6