How/Where should I get Started?

[BrokenGrace]

So currently, I've been working on a personal project that's along the same line as CoC/TiTS.

I've looked at a few different websites/guides and I haven't found a lot of the answers I'm hoping to find, (primarily, due to them not being geared towards a smutty text-based adventure game) and I suppose I'm wondering where I should be getting started with this project. I thought I might receive some interesting input here, I've read topics about this on here in the past, but I can't seem to find a thread that I read long ago that I found particularly insightful. (Though I think the forums looked different then, so it might not even been here now that I think of it. They always told me your memory faded as you got older, just didn't expect it to start when I got to my twenties.)

Where I currently am with this particular project:

Spoiler

I'm currently in a course that has already taught me the basics of C++, and will later be teaching me Python and Java.

EDIT: I did learn today that I will not be learning Ruby or Javascript in my course, only brushing over them and other coding languages, but not learning them in any real substance. Though I cannot recall if the instructor specified if we'll be learning HTML5 or not, so keeping that in mind I think it's safe to assume I'll be constructing the project in Java, unless I can find a fathomable reason to construct it in Python.

I've also been writing a few scenes on my spare-time, I've got ABOUT 30,000 words of scenes thus far, (which is actually a very small number, but when I consider how many words I've poured into anything else, I feel proud even with that number.) and it's still growing as I get inspired.

Currently all I really have that I could present others is a title, a storyboard of the overall plot, as well as the general setting that still needs tweaking for specific races, and no doubt has room for further development. As well as the aforementioned scenes that I have already written.

Getting to the point, I was hoping for outside input on development of a project like this, such as where I should be in my process before I start reaching out to other people for assistance. (I doubt I could tackle this whole thing alone.) Should I have a base engine already constructed? Should I have a GUI already developed? I'm just curious what specifically I should have before I even consider approaching others with my project.

EDIT: I no longer am really questioning which coding language I should construct my project in, as the only one I'll be learning in my current class that is likely to be helpful for this project is Java. Though if you have other opinions and think there might be another language better suited I'd love to hear them.

I hope I've made myself understandable, I'm sure this subject is probably banal for these forums, but I'm hopeful I haven't come across as callow, though I suppose that is what I am. Thank you in advanced to those who decide to humor me with a response, any input or redirection for information is much appreciated.

Additional Unrelated Question:

Spoiler

If someone could privately message me on how to change my username that'd be swell. I made this account ages ago, and I thought it might be better I just change the username for it rather than just make a new one.

 

[Ch0w]

i dont think i've understood it 100% but lets try

Those coding languages you're learning, or going to, are the based bread of coding
I believe Java would be a better one in my opinion if you want to make a game on similar ropes like CoC and TITs
Java has better integration on simply everything, really everything.
Learning or understanding some HTML5 coding would also be a good pick specially together with Java.

But that's just my experience

 

[BrokenGrace]

i dont think i've understood it 100% but lets try

That's a fairly convenient answer as my instructor clarified that we'd only be brushing up on those other languages, and that the only ones we'd actually be learning were C++, Python, and Java.

But no, I think you got the general gist, as you did answer one of the two primary questions I was asking. The only other question was, where should I be in the development of my project before I start recruiting others for it? As far as should I already have a base engine to build off of, should I already have a GUI developed, how much should I try to have together?

Though hearing that you might not have understood, tells me I likely want to edit the main post to be reduced in length, as there is probably a lot of excess fluff in it that nobody cares about.

 

[Grimoire]

From my understanding, Fenoxo and Savin started building their Game Engine first before building their GUI and then worked on writing a list of purser code using GitHub to organize their broad system intake and variables. Fenoxo mentioned in one of his livestreams for a TF2 gameplay that he had a similar problem trying to find a suitable system to handle the Transformative system that we know today. Ch0w is right on the Java and HTML5 because its a widely used concept to start out with as majority of the systems operate using them, with Flash becoming obsolete, you may have to find an alternative way to distribute your game or project to you audience.

As a basis, you will want to start out small and build your foundation (i know its a construction terminology but work with me here) then you build up your supports and then form your skeleton then build around your foundation. In project, build your engine and understand what you want to do for it first. Draw up a web of conceptional ideas and evaluate the pros and cons of each then build off from your base engine. If you know what to add and can handle the programming language for on your own, then you can proceed to more intricate writing. Speaking from a author / writer's perspective, i took on a very large project for COC and got swamped hard and fast from all the variables and what i had to account for. But starting out small and got you your engine to the point where it's applicable to adapt and integrate other modules to it seamlessly, you'll stand a better chance in the long run.

Looking at Fenoxo's development on the COC engine compared to TITS engine, the problem was the coding was hard coded for a small adaptation. Fenoxo had a huge community that had many great ideas but the COC game engine was not adaptable and couldn't integrate newer ideas and program modules like TITS could because it was older. Because there's a new coders, Fenoxo had to work with what he had at that time so the small project that is COC grew bigger and what he learned transformed into a side project: TITS which is technically COC 3.0. So in essence, if you took the path Fenoxo started you'll run into the same pitfalls as he did with COC.

So my advise would be to know what you want your project can use and what it can handle before you build upwards to the point where it will be impossible to integrate a new module to improve something later, adjust your programming to account for any and all variables that will undoubtedly hurt your project. Once your foundation of your project is complete and you know you can fix it, then you build your skeleton and plan accordingly and take into consideration that you'll have to find bugs and glitching later in your work. Once your planning stage is made get a second opinion on you coding so that you know that there isn't a mistake and find out what you can do to improve your work for a more experienced programmer BEFORE you move on to more complicated stages in your project that could be ruined and you find yourself stuck and lose your patience with it. It would also help to set a schedule in your daily routine to set aside to go over your work and appraise what you have to do some troubleshooting before moving on.

I'm not a programmer but i do handle large projects with groups of people and find that input helps greatly for complicated jobs. I hope this helps.

 

[Ch0w]

Though hearing that you might not have understood, tells me I likely want to edit the main post to be reduced in length, as there is probably a lot of excess fluff in it that nobody cares about.

its just that i was falling asleep when i've read that before, i've answered wrongly in another thread by the same time i did here so yeah, its mostly my fault

 

[Upcast Drake]

Btw Java and HTML are not a good pair at all. HTML is a browser GUI markup language and Java can't even run in browsers.

They probably mean JavaScript, which is completely different from Java. The people who created JavaScript in the 90s named it after Java to try to increase it's popularity. This has been confusing people ever since.

If you want your game to run in-browser, then (for now) you're going to be using JavaScript in some shape or form. JS is combined with HTML and CSS to form the unholy trinity of web development.

If you don't care if your game runs in-browser, then you have a lot more options. Java/FX is popular, as well as Python.

 

[Ch0w]

Btw Java and HTML are not a good pair at all. HTML is a browser GUI markup language and Java can't even run in browsers.

They probably mean JavaScript, which is completely different from Java. The people who created JavaScript in the 90s named it after Java to try to increase it's popularity. This has been confusing people ever since.

If you want your game to run in-browser, then (for now) you're going to be using JavaScript in some shape or form. JS is combined with HTML and CSS to form the unholy trinity of web development.

If you don't care if your game runs in-browser, then you have a lot more options. Java/FX is popular, as well as Python.

yes there's java script indeed, but java and html5 have been and can work together for some time now.
It's not simple but not overly complicated, but you're right that they can and work pretty well alone, that's why i suggested of learning/taking a look at both.
So he could decide what his focus would be.

HTML5, as a web coding can run on basically anywhere there's a internet browser.
Java is used to create its own application, but because its a fluid coding, you can create an application which can then be made to run also on any place, from pc to consoles and phones.

my personal pick is HTML5, but again its all about your personal choice

 

[Upcast Drake]

Java can only run in the browser using deprecated JNLPs. You're right that it runs on all kinds of hardware but it still requires users to download the program, often for every new release.

The only way Java and HTML work together is if you have a Java server dynamically generating webpages, which is not what you want if you're creating a game that you want to run in the browser.