forums.ps2dev.org

[shorti23]

I'm currently designing Snakes and Ladders for the PSP. I am completely stuck on how to create the grid and can't seem to find any information on it. If someone could show me an example or tell me exact steps of how to go about this specific to the Snakes and Ladders boardgame, that would be great and much appreciated.

Thank you..

[J.F.]

Take some more lessons in programming. If you have to ask how to build the basic structure of the game, you aren't ready to write the game - for a PC much less a PSP. When you have learned enough to write this for the PC on your own, then you're ready to come back here.

[shorti23]

Well then can you recommend something to read or point me in the right direction please?

[J.F.]

A general search on Google yields lots of sites with programming lessons and tutorials.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=c+programming&btnG=Google+Search

Narrowing the search a little more yields sites with more specific info, in this case on game programming.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=c+game+programming&btnG=Search

You might also check any local bookstores for books on C programming (the local bookstore here has an entire shelf on C/C++ ), and game programming (not as many of these at the local bookstore, but still some).

[snow]

I just took a trip to Borders today and they have truckloads of game programming books. Look for something that's easy for beginners and isn't 2 meters thick. I picked up a programming primer on OpenGL myself so I could get some insight into how the PSP GU functions (due to their stark similarities and the partial OGL implementation).

Another option is to take advantage of the vast library of homebrew that's available out there. If you're more of a hands-on type of developer then you can download some source, compile it, fire up a debugger and poke around.

I do recommend educating yourself on the basics though as JF is alluding to. I've been a software developer for a number of years now and I still had to spend at least a month or two researching the PSP, its environment, its hardware, its threading model, building my own dev environment, getting code to compile, successfully debugging, etc.

I'm seriously thinking about documenting this as I go and releasing a book because this information needs to be easily accessible and in a readily consumable format for anyone (of moderate programming experience) to understand. It's all out there somewhere but aggregating it and understanding it is time consuming. I think the wiki here was a nice attempt but it seems the PSP portion lost popularity quickly.

[J.F.]

It's currently easier to learn to program, then learn to program the PSP. Maybe that will be different after snow gets his book done. :)

There's plenty of material out there to learn programming games, or other applications. All it takes is a little looking around. That includes both the internet and bookstores. Once you have a better idea of how things are done, then start looking at PSP programs with source. There are examples in the SDK, and all sorts of games and utilities that come with the full source.