where do I go as a complete noob to learn coding?

[element19090]

If I wanted to learn how to do things such as scripting games and such where would I go to learn? I'm a complete noob. I hope this is the correct place to post this. Admins feel free to move to proper location if this is incorrect.

[Veritable]

If I wanted to learn how to do things such as scripting games and such where would I go to learn? I'm a complete noob. I hope this is the correct place to post this. Admins feel free to move to proper location if this is incorrect.

Scripting Games and Programming Games are two completely different beasts. I shall give you some tips to send you on your way, however, and hopefully you find something that can motivate you in the right direction

Scripting
Scripting is more of a high-level type of language generally speaking. With Scripting, you can do things such as (but not limited to):

• Create Unique Interfaces via Addon Development (Ex; World of Warcraft, World of Warships/Tanks/etc, Wildstar)
• Do modules/plugins for bot software to do certain tasks that are required but not included with the base package. (Ex; Lumber Harvesting Routine for specific types of lumber in Ultima Online via EasyUO)
• Create entire games within a game client, so long as it is supported by the clients API Lua/Python/etc. (Ex; World of Warcraft and Wildstar have Texas Hold'Em, World of Warcraft also has an entire Mini-Game section dedicated in Wowinterface (Mini Games, ROFL : World of Warcraft AddOns)

For things like Addons, you want to learn the game specifically, and go from there. You can read up on the basics of the language anywhere, but the majority of the restrictions of the language, are on a per-game basis. For example, a LUA Addon in World of Warcraft is definitely not compatible with Wildstar even though they both use LUA for their interface. You will have to modify the code in accordance to the restrictions that Carbine has put in place for it.

Programming
Programming will allow you to do low level type of development, but usually requires you to learn much more than just one language to complete it. This is where you will do any of (but not limited to) the following:

• Create your own 2D Side Scroller game in Unity (Can be done in supported languages like C# and JavaScript)
• Create Software in Visual Studio C# for Generating Game Statistics in a game
• Create an actual Bot or Automation system for any Game

You really have to think about what you want to do, and follow the path accordingly. Java is not the same as JavaScript mind you, similar as in they are from the same company, but they have different applications. Java is a programming language, and JavaScript is a scripting language for the most part used in Web Pages (see jQuery), but it is used in Unity for development of games... there are pages on the internet comparing the two, I won't go any further.

Some resources
Sebastian Lague - Unity Game Development [ YouTube Page ]
This guy has a lot of really good tutorials for Unity. I would suggest going into Unity first, and try to make something small at first. Like a Side Scroller or something with very few tasks for your character to do. That way you will learn the absolute basics of the language. You can pick up either C# or JavaScript this way.

Unity3D Tutorials - Unity Game Development [ Website ]
This will lead you through the absolute basics of Unity and how it operates. I started here.

If you want to get into Android Application Development [ Website ]
This will be Java so, always a good place to start as well. You will learn concepts you can take to other languages.

Learning Computer Science Methods [ Website ]
This is an entire series of lectures from Stanford University. You can take all the courses at your leisure, install Java and follow along. They have all the materials you need there. It is a really great series to introduce you to the way a developers mind should work by way of tackling problems and the order of your processes to accomplish some kind of task.

Edit: I will add something on the topic of the actual WoW Emulation. There are TONNES of tutorials on how to learn the language, however, you really just should pick up the absolute base of TrinityCore for example, and then go from there. Find out something simple you want to do like, add an NPC that says something in the game like "Hello World."

Don't try to do AI or Boss Encounters off the bat, if you don't know anything about the languages, you will get frustrated and let it go probably. It happens constantly That's why there are tonnes of players of private servers, but not very many able developers to maintain and fix bugs. You not only have to learn the 'adding of npcs or whatever' you also should learn C# or whatever the emulator is written in, so that should the need arise where you have to fix a bug with the source code and recompile the server itself, then you can do it without freaking out.

Hope that helps, any more questions lemme know

[Confucius]

Learning programming in general then using that as a foundation to build your knowledge would also be a good way of going about it. This is a good book if you are new programming http://www.amazon.com/Programming-Pr.../dp/0321992784 it teaches C++ and good principles for programming that will help you in the future no matter what area you want to focus in.

Also when learning it's important to make sure you understand everything that is presented to you, if you are watching a tutorial and don't understand something make sure to search about the topic until you do unless it's something that will be covered for sure later on. If you don't then something simple can become overwhelming very fast!

[Veritable]

Learning programming in general then using that as a foundation to build your knowledge would also be a good way of going about it. This is a good book if you are new programming http://www.amazon.com/Programming-Pr.../dp/0321992784 it teaches C++ and good principles for programming that will help you in the future no matter what area you want to focus in.

Also when learning it's important to make sure you understand everything that is presented to you, if you are watching a tutorial and don't understand something make sure to search about the topic until you do unless it's something that will be covered for sure later on. If you don't then something simple can become overwhelming very fast!

Especially in C# cause some of the crap that goes on in that language, took me a LONG time to get the hang of. Example; Classes within Classes and Structs, and the differences between Tuples, Lists, Dictionaries and Arrays.

[element19090]

Thank you both for all the helpful info!! I am a complete noob so this is super helpful! Veritable, your little miniguide there has given me what i need to know what direction I need to take to learn what I want to learn thank you! Scripting is what I am interested in. thanks a bunch for the input both of you.

[Hazzbazzy]

Codeacademy is pretty good for the basics; quite versatile in regards to coding style, but it does require some brain cells.

https://www.codecademy.com/

[element19090]

This website seems cool! and it's free! thank you.

[Hazzbazzy]

This website seems cool! and it's free! thank you.

Let us know how you get on

[dnawlols]

You might find this useful:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...lview?sle=true

[stoneharry]

You might find this useful:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...lview?sle=true

At the same time don't feel like you have to read a book. They're great for learning the intricacies of what you are working with, but you don't need to know that to program a lot of stuff. Before I went to university I had only learnt programming through trial and error and reading online quick guides, and a ton of google'ing to answer all my questions from mostly forums. Also reading other peoples code and trying to understand how that works.

[shrink1991]

Awesome information in this thread, I would say I am on the same step as the OP a bit overwhelmed by all the choices out there. Thanks for giving us beginners some starting points!

Kind Regards,

[Tinyfin]

Eh...School.

[dnawlols]

At the same time don't feel like you have to read a book. They're great for learning the intricacies of what you are working with, but you don't need to know that to program a lot of stuff. Before I went to university I had only learnt programming through trial and error and reading online quick guides, and a ton of google'ing to answer all my questions from mostly forums. Also reading other peoples code and trying to understand how that works.

A little late I know but I completely agree.

I learned more about programming through my own personal drive than I have in University. Albeit, University has it's place for teaching WHY things do what they do, etc. My personal opinion about University in general however (at least in Canada) is that if you aren't well off, and you aren't majoring in engineering or something in the medical field, it's probably better off to either be self taught or attend a college (The University to college costs here are basically 20k+ a year vs 4k a year). Something that is hands-on or can be promoted through self discovery/motivation should be learned that way (imo).

tl;dr, don't go to school for programming and even skip some of the books if you can find the motivation to learn by yourself, and learn properly. (imo). As others have said, just think of a project to start and finish it. Set limits and goals for what you want your end project look like and get there. After you can achieve that, then you can move on to adding additional features, refining the code, being more efficient etc.


edit: one of my first projects ever was writing a GUI through Java's Swing library that would handle a 3x3 Gauss Jordan row reduction solver for school so I wouldn't have to write out all my homework. Just food for thought in-case you need ideas for things to get inspired to make.