Chapter 1 Complete

Chapter 1 is finally finished! I am in the process of placing it on the website now; feel free to check it out. Let me know what you think; post any critiques on the forums. Thanks!

The Helpful Coder
www.TheHelpfulCoder.com

www.TheHelpfulCoder.com Is Up!

Success!!

I had no idea creating a website was so tediously difficult. I tried to avoid learning html but I suppose I grew from it : ). Builds character, right?

I highly encourage you all to visit the site and check out the forums (the coding section is under construction... I will be adding to it often from here out) and start posting! There is a lot of content about the online mmo Warhammer Online, but also programming sections. It has begun!


The Helpful Coder
www.TheHelpfulCoder.com

Starting the Website and E-book

Good news! The http://www.thehelpfulcoder.com/ website should be up and running tommorow, the 22nd, for all your browsing needs. I would like to invite you all to head on over there to check out the forums and the info I'll provide.

On top of that, more good news! I have begun work on Ch. 1 of my e-book, which I will release, for free, chapter by chapter. Be sure and check it out! I'll also be doing some updates to my blog layout; mabe add a picture.

The Helpful Coder

Why Become a Game Programmer?

At first, it doesn't seem so strange to think of games as "easy to make". Take Warhammer Online for example (great game) - just put in some characters, give them some stats, give them a place to fight, and watch it go.

If it was that simple, everybody would be a programmer - and our salary would be very low. According to the Game Career Survey of 2007, a starting programmer can expect to make $57,913 a year while rising easily to $90,000+ in a matter of 5-6 years.

If your in it for the money, be ready for a very long and frustrating journey. Programming should be a joy, an adventure - something to be proud of and a source of satisfaction. Somebody has to make those awesome games (Warhammer... cough.. ), so why not you?

Not everybody has been called to the programming profession, but this is a good thing. It would be kind of silly if everybody suddenly became mailmen/women or chefs. Don't get me wrong, I highly encourage all of you reading this to delve into the exciting world of programming and see for yourself if this is your niche; just don't be heartbroken if it isn't "your thing".

Programming is 10% skill/knowledge, 90% determination. You will begin to notice that as you practice writing more and more programs, you will pick up fairly quickly what words to use where. To make it even better, the "keywords" are in English! The best programmer isn't the one that can do creative and crafty things the first time, but the one that can fight through a bug for an hour, coming out of the brawl that much better. A bug is any problem in the code you or anybody else wrote.

You must learn to love to learn! The growth of knowledge in the computer industry grows faster than anyone can learn it. This means the percentage of what we know as individuals goes down each year! Get used to not knowing it all - you never will. Just be able to stick it out and keep on pushing past any difficulties you have until you come out victorious and that much better.

Programming is incredible; it will always be needed and rewarded. Be patient, relax, and get ready to have some fun : )

The Beginning

My first post... oh the potential!  I can't wait to get started!  I am here for one purpose - to provide those in need with the information they desire to begin the AMAZING track of becomming a game programmer.  The road is a fun one for sure, but can be confusing at times... dark at times... and without someone there to guide you, its a mess.  Let me give you a little bit of my background:

I'll first say, I am not a "professional", as I have not yet passed into the professional world of game creation.  I am still a student.  I have, however, had excellent guidance - guidance too incredible to selfishly keep to myself.  I was a part of the ISM ( Independent Study and Mentorship ) program for my high school back in Frisco, Texas.  This program gave its 20 or so students the academic freedom to explore the topics that interested them and to gain a mentor from that o-so-scary "real world".  

Through an incredible string of connections, I was honored by having a man by the name of Squirrel Eiserloh, the technical director of Mumbo Jumbo Inc., become my personal mentor.  He took me from learning to open a new file to creating my own ascii rpg, from learning file input and output to using a professional engine (made by him personally) to develop 2d and 3d games.  I am now developing games at the University of North Texas, competing in the ACM programming competition, and realizing just how much I have to share with you all!