Is Dark GDK Still Available for Download?

[yungman]

I am trying to play with C++ in game and graphics, the book is Gaddis Starting out with Game & Graphics 6th edition. It requires download of Dark GDK from gdk.thegamecreators.com. I cannot get into that page. Are they still around?

If not, is this end of the road in using the Gaddis book as it's based on Dark GDK?

I don't mind buying other books in graphics and games using C++ if anyone have any suggestion.

Thanks

 

[jedishrfu]

According to the Internet Archive, its part of an MS Visual C++ 2008 meaning it may have been carried forward to later versions. However, if they are out of business then its unlikely its still being maintained.

Internet Archive on Dark GDK

https://sourceforge.net/projects/darkgdkosp/

https://dark-gdk.updatestar.com/

https://game-creators-dark-gdk.updatestar.com/

And then there Dark Basic:

https://www.thegamecreators.com/product/dark-basic-pro-open-source

 

[yungman]

Thanks jedishrfu

A few of those links are really old, I looked around the web since I posted last night, seems like there are newer ones. I looked at Geek for Geeks site, they have tutorial stuff that are very different.

My point is whether I should even follow the Dard GDK at all. Maybe I should get another book and use what is popular today.

The question is what is the most common one people use today?

I am looking at these books:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1838648577/?tag=pfamazon01-20

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1789535301/?tag=pfamazon01-20

If you have any other ones, let me know.

Thanks for answering.

 

[jedishrfu]

I think the 2nd edition is likely better with some mistakes of the 1st getting fixed. The fact that they have a 2nd edition means they must have an interested audience of programmers.

They have a Github repository that is regularly updated:

https://www.github.com/PacktPublishing/Beginning-Cpp-Game-Programming-Second-Edition/

and they have an associated PDF with colorized screenshots and diagrams:

https://static.packt-cdn.com/downloads/9781838648572_ColorImages.pdf

It looks like they are using Visual Studio and SFML:

https://www.sfml-dev.org/

You could first check out the SFML tutorials and see if you even need the book:

https://www.sfml-dev.org/tutorials/2.5/

Alternatively, you could instead look into graphics programming as games are big into graphics. I found this site that gets in OpenGL.

https://www.cprogramming.com/graphics-programming.html

 

[jedishrfu]

Here's a video on working with C++ and SFML:

 

[yungman]

Thanks for the reply, I don't think there's another newer book by Gaddis, 6th edition is the only one I found regardless of cost.

The other question is whether the material in the old book still applies with newer graphics interface from other sources. It's the bitmap on the screen that takes the most effort to learn.

Until last night, I thought learning graphics with C++ is just follow the book, never realize there needs to have interface and all that. I have to learn all the new stuffs about graphics interface.

Thanks

 

[yungman]

I have another even more basic question. What do you call those graphics interface for C++? Do you call it graphics engine or what? I really want to look on the web more myself, but I need to know the right name to search! Ha ha, this back down to A, B, C level again, I don't even know for sure the basic name to search.

 

[pbuk]

Unity.

 

[yungman]

Unity.

Anything free? Do I look for "open source"?

What do I call those, "Graphics engine for C++", " Graphics interface for C++" or others?

I don't even know whether I want to get into graphics and gaming, I just want to learn and try. I don't want to pay for it.

Thanks

 

[jedishrfu]

They usually call them gaming engines. Your program uses library calls and classes to interact with them. Unity is one such example. It runs on 25 platforms and supports Javascript, C# and C/C++ and Unreal is another. Both have been used in many commercially popular games.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_engine

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_game_engines

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unity_(game_engine)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unreal_Engine

Unreal favors C++ whereas Unity favors C# for game development so Unreal might be a better fit if you get serious and want to become a millionaire. :-)

 

[yungman]

Sorry I keep coming back and ask a lot of questions. This is my first day looking into graphics in C++. I have been doing a lot of reading on line, looking at books and what they use. So far, I found two sites that are used by 3 different books.
Both books below use SFML https://www.sfml-dev.org/download.php:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1838648577/?tag=pfamazon01-20
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1789535301/?tag=pfamazon01-20One book uses SDL http://www.libsdl.org/download-2.0.php

One book uses Glad https://glad.dav1d.de/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1800208081/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Which one is the most popular, I want to get the one that won't be obsoleted soon and buy the book.

Thanks

 

[yungman]

They usually call them gaming engines. Your program uses library calls and classes to interact with them. Unity is one such example. It runs on 25 platforms and supports Javascript, C# and C/C++ and Unreal is another. Both have been used in many commercially popular games.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_engine

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_game_engines

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unity_(game_engine)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unreal_Engine

Unreal favors C++ whereas Unity favors C# for game development so Unreal might be a better fit if you get serious and want to become a millionaire. :-)

We cross posted, Thanks, I am really hot on the trod in looking for this. I am so tired of keep learning and learning the C++ from chapter to chapter. It's driving me crazy. It's time to try something more interesting before I decide to quit all together.

Can you look at my post and see what do you think about those that I found. It would be nice to have a book to go along with the specific game engine.

I read back your older post, you already suggested SFML, is that the best one to go with? There's two books on that already.Thanks so much for your time.

 

[pbuk]

I'm not generally a fan of books for learning programming but I do like the look of the John Horton book - make sure you get the 2019 edition.

SFML isn't going to disappear, but neither is it likely to be at the core of the next Grand Theft Auto (it's not even really a game engine). This means that it is probably a better fit for learning the principles behind game development than engines like Unity or Unreal that are used to produce big budget games.

 

[jedishrfu]

Personally, I feel playing with Processing IDE will give you a happier experience. There are numerous libraries for graphics, games and AI available to download via the IDE.

Everything is free. It works pretty much out of the box and is based on Java.

The concepts you’ve learned in C++ can be applied to much of Java but not all of it. Java is somewhat simpler than C++ ie no multiple inheritance and no STL. It can produce great looking graphics and simple games with minimal effort.

It was designed for teaching OO concepts to students, interactive artists and casual programmers.

Did I mention it was free?

 

[yungman]

Personally, I feel playing with Processing IDE will give you a happier experience. There are numerous libraries for graphics, games and AI available to download via the IDE.

Everything is free. It works pretty much out of the box and is based on Java.

The concepts you’ve learned in C++ can be applied to much of Java but not all of it. Java is somewhat simpler than C++ ie no multiple inheritance and no STL. It can produce great looking graphics and simple games with minimal effort.

It was designed for teaching OO concepts to students, interactive artists and casual programmers.

Did I mention it was free?

What is Processing IDE? What do you mean by "available to download via the IDE"?

Sorry, these are all new to me again!

 

[yungman]

I'm not generally a fan of books for learning programming but I do like the look of the John Horton book - make sure you get the 2019 edition.

SFML isn't going to disappear, but neither is it likely to be at the core of the next Grand Theft Auto (it's not even really a game engine). This means that it is probably a better fit for learning the principles behind game development than engines like Unity or Unreal that are used to produce big budget games.

I just bought Horton's book. Yes, I got the 2nd edition 2019 edition
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1838648577/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Ha ha, learn a lesson this time, bought Gaddis one for cheap and it's total waste of money now, the graphics engine is too old!

Looks like I have to spend a few more days on Template waiting for the book to arrive.

Thank you.

 

[jedishrfu]

Perhaps another thread would be best to discuss it. Here’s a link to Processing

https://www.processing.org/

Look around you’ll see there's a whole ecosystem of java based stuff with rich graphics.

 

[yungman]

Perhaps another thread would be best to discuss it. Here’s a link to Processing

https://www.processing.org/

Look around you’ll see there's a whole ecosystem of java based stuff with rich graphics.

Thanks jedishrfu

Let me get the book and study with the SFML first, just when I feel a little more comfortable with C++, this is a whole new world for me again. Too much information, I shouldn't even ask and waste your time to response. All the new stuffs is getting scary, so much to learn. I guess a lot of old people just refuse to learn new things, you don't learn, you never know how little you know and how much you get left behind! It's sad that I have all the enthusiasm and determination, but the brain is fighting me all the way and leaking all the way.

Thanks

 

[jedishrfu]

No kidding about the brain, mine forgets more than it learns. Longterm for me is like 2-3 days.

 

[yungman]

No kidding about the brain, mine forgets more than it learns. Longterm for me is like 2-3 days.

It is kind of scary getting old and lose the mind. I studied a lot in my life, Even after I retired in 2005, I still studied. I studied all the math, EM and all, but by 2012 when I was studying antenna, I found myself kept forgetting things. I wrote very good notes( at least for myself). I could study, wrote the notes, few weeks later when I looked back my notes, Did I write this? I had no memory of that. Then I read my notes, I really understood the subject, that I actually understood and wrote all down nicely!

I quit serious studying in 2012 when I had a chance to work on some design on musical instruments electronics and diverted my attention to that. Those are not particular hard and right in my wheelhouse. I designed and even applied for a patent and got it. Then I moved onto to learn and design hifi amplifier. Those are all easy for me. Then I got restless and decided to pick up C++! That's when I get into something I am not familiar with and start from scratch! I really did not know what I was getting into!

It's been hard, you guys kept saying why I don't listen and kept asking the same question. I forgot I asked! So many times I learn again and try to update my notes just to find it WAS THERE already. I forgot I even wrote it in the notes already.

This doesn't happen if I work on electronics as it's part of me, it's just natural. When I learn about hifi amps just 3 years ago, it's different, but it's still electronics, I had no problem studying, designing and have quite a few really high end amps to show for. I never thought I am this bad now even compare to 8 years ago! I am trying so hard to keep learning to keep my mind from turning into jello. But it's getting hard.

I wish I can enjoy what retired people enjoy, wood work, fixing cars, remodeling the house or something relative easy stuffs. It just doesn't work for me, I will never be satisfy doing those. In fact, I regret knowing those as I feel bad that I don't want to do it when anything breaks. I hate doing those. Now, two forcets are developing a slow leak, I just pretend no to see it!

 

[jedishrfu]

Another good thread candidate. Discussions on how to keep your memory pliable. Also just the fear of losing your memory can give you enough anxiety which can prevent you from remembering stuff.

Just keep learning and now we return to our regularly scheduled program I mean thread.

 

[jedishrfu]

I think we've covered the book aspect well enough and its time to close this thread before we derail it. I'm guilty of this, my apologies to all.