I was wondering, what do you think would be a good idea to help improve an keep mine or anyone's programming skills sharp? For one, would making snippets help much? I tend to make a standard game. With leveling systems, etc. I do this with different game genre's to help me get the hang of coming up with multiple things when I need them. I know this would help me improve my programming skills. Although I do not release said games, due to the fact that they're just there to help me improve in the field of programming.
I'm just trying to figure out how to advance in programming. I've read an understand everything in the DM Guide, and of course I've read the Reference over and over again.
There is not really anything I want to learn specifically. Other then programming, which I know very fluently as of now. I just want to know how I could master it.
Any comments, suggestions would be very helpful thanks.
ID:132284
 Jul 29 2011, 12:21 am
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Jul 29 2011, 2:18 am
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Resonence
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Do things you have never done before.
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Move to another language.
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DivineTraveller wrote:
Move to another language. This is actually quite true, if you stay with one language too long your ability actually suffers. Using more than one language actually improves your ability with both, as sometimes you have to think differently to get round a problem and realise you could do it in the other too. | |
Alright, good idea. Well how's about PHP, HTML, and CSS. Those are the alternative languages that I'm fluent in. I've been at them for at least 2-3 years.
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HTML and CSS are more for design then programming.
You'll learn more from PHP programming wise, provided you start developing something with it. You can also move to Perl/Python, since they have similarities to PHP. | |
Yeah, HTML and CSS aren't very hard.
An thanks for the tip. I will try and make a browser-based game with the PHP knowledge I have now. | |
If you want to get better with DM, I suggest learning Java and/or Python. Java is similar to DM but you'll be able to write larger programs and keep code more organized. Python is also similar and will give you good practice with lists.
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Learn how to program.
By that, I mean really program. http://www.amazon.com/ Introduction-Algorithms-Thomas-H-Cormen/dp/0262033844 http://www.cs.princeton.edu/theory/complexity/ http://www.amazon.co.uk/ Design-patterns-elements-reusable-object-oriented/dp/ 0201633612 http://www.antipatterns.com/AntiPatterns/Welcome.html http://www.amazon.com/ Programming-Logic-Design-Comprehensive-Farrell/dp/1423901967 Basically at the moment you are like someone who's looked at some badly written 3rd grade french essays and read a dictionary, and you're pretending you can write a french novel. The recommendation of doing other languages is a good one, mostly as other languages will get you to separate your logical thinking, from your language syntax. The two are very separate, once you understand that you can pick up most languages in no time, and all your skill is in experience, and understanding. The list above is just a starter. Ultimately, experience and challenging yourself is what drives improvement. Hence I've had 10 years experience, in all sorts of situations and languages, and will continue to push myself into new areas. | |
What compiler and resources do you recommend for someone wanting to learn Java? I'm looking for something free and basic, then as I improve, I'll go from there.
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Get the Java JDK here: http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/ index.html
And Eclipse here: http://www.eclipse.org/downloads/packages/ eclipse-classic-37/indigor | |
Forum_account wrote:
Get the Java JDK here: http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/ index.html Yes thanks. Very helpful. | |
Emasym wrote:
Raimo wrote:Why not? Javascript is a great language for designing websites. | |
Raimo wrote:
Well, any tutorials perhaps? I really want to learn JavaScript. This. I'm waiting to download Forum_account's links until I get a good tutorial link. I am going out in the dark with JavaScript, and I'd like to at least have some help with my first blindfolded step. | |
My links were for java. Javascript is completely different.
For other languages you won't find tutorials like you will for DM. DM tutorials don't just explain the language, they explain how to use the language to make games (because that's what people use DM for). Other languages (like java) can be used for many different things, so there's no such thing as a "good java tutorial", there are just "good tutorials about using java to do _________". The syntax of the language is very simple, but only learning that won't teach you how to do anything useful. | |