Ok, this is a post from the Game Programming forum, its gotton 0 hits for like 6 hours and I would love a single response, so I will post it here and only here too, because its game design and this has to do more with design rather than programming... Hello, I am embarking on writing an engine in VB.NET with DirectX9, a 2D engine, and I am reading Game Desing: Theory and Practice, which has been good so far but hasn''t really talked about charts to show how you want your engine to run, so I drew mine out and I was wondering how it was so far. If your a VB programmer, you''ll understand it better, but you should get it even if you don''t use VB. Galactic Wars 2 Design Ok, frmMain.vb is what the program will load up in startup, and a module is similar to a class except for it is not an object, it allows me to declare the DirectDraw surfaces and DirectInput device as globals so I have no problems accessing them. So how does it look so far...? And a question, how do I do a GUI, like menu system with clickable buttons, and in game info popups and taskbars and such? I implemented my own idea of a menu system, but it was keyboard only and worked horribly. So any ideas are needed and appreciated! Thank you! EDIT: By the way, I have no clue why I named the topic Game Design: Theory and Practice other than it was the book I am reading... <- Digital Explosions -> "Discipline is my sword, faith is my shield do not dive into uncertainty, and you may live to reap the rewards" - (Unreal Championship)

I should probably add that this game is called Galactic Wars 2, and is a sequel to my very poorly thoughtout and coded Galactic Wars. This version will include more than one level, a better high score table, a possible internet high score table, to battle others on the internet, multiplayer, multiple ships and much more. It is an all out 2D space shooter. I hate to do this, but it is like Space Invaders except you just hooked up a 5000 watt sound system to it and turned it all the way up...

I''m hoping to stretch my limits of 2D graphics and game designing with this project, so I can increase my limits in the end.

<- Digital Explosions ->
"Discipline is my sword, faith is my shield
do not dive into uncertainty, and you may live to reap the rewards" - (Unreal Championship)

Um...despite what that book may tell you...the general consensus is that game design is about things like game rules, how the game is played, what actions can/can''t the player perform...in short this forum generaly has nothing to do with programing

Your question would get more response in something like the ''game programing'', ''general programing'', or even the ''software design'' design forum...

Here''s the first of an excellent series of articles discussing game GUI development. I know you''re using VB, but I imagine the basic design principles still apply.

Thanks guys, but neverSayDie, the article ends, and I cannot find its sequel or whatever...any idea where it is?

nevermind, i found it! thanks again!

<- Digital Explosions ->
"Discipline is my sword, faith is my shield
do not dive into uncertainty, and you may live to reap the rewards" - (Unreal Championship)

[edited by - Krisc on January 3, 2003 1:23:14 PM]

http://www.gamedev.net/reference/programming/features/gui2/

My best suggestion is to read what wonderful resources they have here @ GDev.net. UP at the top in the "Resources" catagory, click on "For Beginners" You''ll find this 2 part article.

There you''ll find some articles to jump start you, including the fore-mentioned article. That is the best place i feel to start with any topic.(I''m sorry if my post sounds a little condescending, I just read it, by no means am i trying to act in such a manor) Best of luck...

Sincerely,
Brent "DD"