sprites

[RedHawk]

I hope this is the right place to ask this, if it is not I apllogize and if you redirect me ill go ask there.

i'm searching for a good guide for learning to do sprites from scratch.
i have no experience in the area so I will need a guide from the very basics.
further more if you can reccomend any specifical software to build the sprites it will be great.

the purpose is for a game creation, 2D type, im writing in c/c++ on microsoft visaul C, OS is windows XP proffesional.

thanks in advence.

 

[Josh]

For games?

 

[Negata]

I still don't really understand what it is you actually need. What's your language and purpose and that kind of stuff..?

 

[RedHawk]

hehehe u are right

yes, it is for game purposes.
i am thinking of something to do that will look like the pokemon on GBA.

 

[Ytys Vynsan]

Eclipse

^_^ thats got basic engine and sourcecode on it
also guides for sprites and templates for making them^^

(Old School)

 

[Negata]

Well I was curious because I'm working on a 2d game project using direct3d myself, although it's very slow due to my laziness, but there's nothing I can say to help you without any details about OS and language you use.

 

[username1]

Remember, How to ask a question

Also --
"The amount of help you recieve is directly proportional to the information you give"

 

[RedHawk]

thanks username1.
i have edited for full information.

 

[username1]

Learn about the Win32 GDI (Graphics Device Interface).

I remember there's a book with the title of "Programming Windows" which has, among other things, a small chapter on sprite animation.

 

[Negata]

If you're only new to sprites and have some exprience with c++ already, you could learn what I do, too, the D3D way. But then again, if you don't need the added capabilities at an increased complicity/code length... You can find a D3D 2D sprite tutorial/article with keywords > d3d 2d sprite textured quads < if you want to have a look.

 

[Josh]

If you want i could send you Beginners Guide to C# Game Programming.

 

[username1]

D3D 2D sprite tutorial/article with keywords > d3d 2d sprite textured quads < if you want to have a look.

Umm... DirectDraw is best used for mostly 3D work. For 2D, GDI/GDI+ is all you need. DirectDraw is more complicated.

 

[Negata]

Umm... DirectDraw is best used for mostly 3D work. For 2D, GDI/GDI+ is all you need. DirectDraw is more complicated.

As much as I've studied about the matter, it appears D3D (note: after DX8 there's no/no need for DirectDraw) is very well suited for 2d graphics aswell, as long as you don't need "setpixel" or similar functions. GDI is slow performance, D3D highly efficient. Besides, once you've setup basic functions for your needs, using them can be rather straightforward, ie. DrawTexture(texture, rect). Well that's my preference, not settling for something mediocre, although I'm still only learning. And here we go again debating about something unimportant only because we weren't given enough info to answer precisely.

 

[RedHawk]

ok first of all thank you all for the help so far.

secondly, i was thinking about something less complicated:
making character sprites, enemy sprites, background sprites etc.
then when i'm writing the code using visual c on win XP ill implement the sprites i have created.

problem is i don't know where to start from regarding creating sprites...

ovcourse I am open to suggestions, if you think you know a better way i'll more then happy to hear them.

 

[RedHawk]

If you want i could send you Beginners Guide to C# Game Programming.

thanks but i need to do this in c/c++, it's a school project.

 

[Negata]

Ok, so your question is mostly about design, eh? Do you know how to draw at all using GDI (with all the HDC's, LineTo's and such)? And again - referring to username1's magnificent find "how to ask a question" - this all is information you could've included in your initial post, and behold: your problem would already be solved by now.

 

[Ytys Vynsan]

Most 2D Games/mmo/etc are made in Visual basic ^^, C++ would be better but Vb is faster to learn and use ive done a few 2D games in my time ^^, but, what kind of game do you want, please give us a Spec for your game, lke a taste of the story the battle system etc etc, this will help us all give you as much help as we can...

 

[RedHawk]

Ok, so your question is mostly about design, eh? Do you know how to draw at all using GDI (with all the HDC's, LineTo's and such)? And again - referring to username1's magnificent find "how to ask a question" - this all is information you could've included in your initial post, and behold: your problem would already be solved by now.

hehehe, im learning-you can bet on it that my next post/question will be alot more informative.

yes, i belive it is mostly about the desgin.
ammm GDI? HDC?? LineTo??

my game idea is very simple.
the game will be constructed from rooms, each room will contain monsters that u need to kill in order to move on.
you gain levels and each 5 rooms or so you will have the chance to stop at a shop and buy armor items and such...
what i want to learn is how to drow(its not draw? right?) my character and the monsters and items and so on and so on.

 

[Negata]

Well ok, GDI = Graphic(?) Device Interface, HDC = Handle to Device Context and LineTo is one of the Drawing functions. If you search for any of those terms on MSDN you'll get results that might give you a bit of overlook on the subject. I haven't really used GDI approach to graphics myself, but I'm pretty sure it provides a Blit function of a kind (copies a bitmap from memory onto the screen to a given location), and it'll be the main function you'll work with when drawing your game scene.

As a very basic idea, you could have a file to store your level data, say, 10x10 characters, where each number represents one of your pictures (tiles such as brick wall, floor and so on..). You load it into a string and then in your drawing function (look for WM_PAINT message and you'll get an idea of where you place all your drawing code, again on MSDN) within a loop you Blit the bitmap related to each number onto the corresponding screen coordinates. After this you make one more Blit to place the player sprite to where he's standing.

Sprites, as per your topic, aren't a very big subject overall, basically they're just bitmaps drawn onto the screen.

I'm sure there are loads of tutorials on the subject. The keyword for your searches will be GDI, that's why it's mentioned in this thread so often.

 

[Ytys Vynsan]

Eclipse

^_^ thats got basic engine and sourcecode on it
also guides for sprites and templates for making them^^

(Old School)

as i said here, they do give out there source code, u should have a look at how and what etc its made ^^ this could help you in the long run