Well, I'm screwed. *PROGRAMMING QUESTION*(kinda)

[CronoTriggerfan]

I'm here at Michigan Tech for summer camp, (hi gannon ) and I'm in somewhat of a pickle. I came here to learn game programming, and from what I was told, we didn't need any previous programming knowledge to take the class. I suppose that's true, seeing as all the code is given to you to copy, and then it is analyzed later; however, the class is moving quite fast (only a week to cover all of Java game programming) and having never programmed before in my life, I'm falling behind. If any of you awesome programmers out there *cough*Marshall*cough* could give me a run-down of basic game programming in Java, that'd be great. Maybe some useful commands and their applications, or perhaps a link to a website that could help. We're using Eclipse 3.1 to run the program, if that makes any difference.

Thanks in advance,
CTFan

EDIT: I didn't know if this belonged in Tech Q&A or here, seeing as I've seen programming questions answered in both. If a move is necessary, feel free to do so.

[gannon]

Ah....java. How I hate thee
Anyways, I don't have much experience with java or even OOP for that matter.

[marshallh]

I hate Java too, it's a decent model for teaching OOP but it sucks for anything else. Reliable? No. Fast? No.

Anyway, if you've never done any programming before, you're screwed. You can't pick up Java in just a few days, let alone game programming in it.

The best I can recommend is this site:
http://math.hws.edu/javanotes/c2/index.html

It's a pretty good intro to what you need to know. Try to read all of it, if you can.

[CronoTriggerfan]

Thanks for the link, marshall. I'll see what I can make of it. As for my opinion on Java.....I hate it too. Plus, we are doing EVERYTHING in OOP, which makes it much tougher. Of the little I've played around with C++, I enjoy it much more. A LOT more user-friendly.

CTFan

[Sparkfist]

I don't know about Java, never toughed the programming portion. The only way you're going to keep up is to learn the syntax and command structure. If you can pick that up you're going to have a much easier time, but it would take you a few days in reality to pick it.

I hope this work out though, good luck.

[CronoTriggerfan]

...learn the syntax and command structure....

Know a good resource focusing heavily on those I could use?

CTFan

[Sparkfist]

Look at some of the Java guides at http://www.programmingtutorials.com. I really don't know any other sites that have any information about java.

[sam fisher]

Holy Crapola! You sound like they are trying to teach you the entire of Java in 1 week... How can you find C++ more user friendly. I see Java as a cut down C++ really.

[Black Six]

Holy Crapola! You sound like they are trying to teach you the entire of Java in 1 week... How can you find C++ more user friendly. I see Java as a cut down C++ really.

I agree, compared to C++, Java is simple, no pointers or any of that fun memory stuff. And C++ is Object-Oriented, just like Java CTFan. If you don't understand the theory behinf OOP, you're basically screwed.

[sam fisher]

Ya, I just stick to good old linear C for now. The only OOP I have ever done is with Fenix on the GP32 and GP2x.