Amiga Programming - What to start with?

[KhaineGB]

Since i've done my back in so I'm stuck in bed, I want to get back into programming. More specifically, I want to try my hand at crafting some Amiga games... and I'd do the lot myself. Sprites, music, everything.

However, I do want to start with the actual programming side first. This is what I've used in the past.

BASIC: C= 64
AMOS: Amiga
Turbo Pascal, Visual Basic, Delphi, Java: PC

The best I've ever managed to do was build a basic Age of Empires clone by following a college tutorial as part of my HND.

Looking at the Amiga, I see 3 possible starting points:

1) Go back to AMOS.
2) Start with Blitz Basic.
3) Screw Basic. Go straight for C.

Any recommendations? My target platform will be a barely expanded A500... keep my first program nice and small to start with (maybe a pong clone for some basic sprite movement, collision and score tallying).

 

[Hivernaal]

Hi man... I am surely the worst programming guy in the world but i really love Amos, easy (just few things to know but easy after).

But that's right Blitz basic is working with AGA (right ?) and it's basic too (easy) but i never succed to go with it surely the feeling of it...

C is a great programming tool, the best to do everything... but the hardest to begin, with).

So, what about playing with Amos firt ? And try the other if you finally think it's not powerfull enough ?

 

[Sardine]

I would use Assembler (can be difficult if your maths is weak), its the best way to program the Amiga in my opinion.

Highsofts Devpac 3 and the Amiga ref and rom manuals essential

 

[htdreams]

Hi

I'm myself a 'newcomer' in the Amiga world, and joined to make a reality of a old dream, to programm an Amiga videogame

I'm used to programming in several languages also, but started with Blitz Basic because a combination of availability, easy learning, direct machine access (with inline assembler too) and all executables are compiled to machine code (so "it's a bit" like programming in C and generating executables)

I got some tests in smooth scrolling, and also i'm in the process of making a little minigame for multiplayer (up to 5 persons in the same machine using a homemade parallel port multitap).

You can see some of my progress here:

http://eab.abime.net/coders-tutorials/67516-best-method-tile-maps-blitz2.html
http://eab.abime.net/coders-language/70269-blitz2-keyboard-issues.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPhXPRfaACg

...So, i'll just say, start easy and quick with Blitz Basic (it also allows to program for AGA, but for now i'll stick to OCS machines), and then, after some Amiga knowledge, ASM or C programming, and using Amiga hardware, will be more easy.

My plan is to make two or three games with Blitz Basic (for sure with some asm routines for things like smooth 8way scrolling), and then use a C compiler. I'm also learning ASM slowly, but however it's easy to do simple things, i understand that mastering it is daunting, so i'll chew little bits

If you want to bite something big, there are excellent crosscompilers for C and ASM like the "Super Simple WinUAE Tool Chain For Amiga Demo Programmers" or a setup for C cross compiling using VCC (i don't remember where did i saw them, gloogle it )

This topic is also commented in this forum and EAB, like in this thread: http://eab.abime.net/coders-general...a500-compatible-game-beginner-any-advice.html

Anyway, the best advice is practice, practice, practice!

 

[Templar]

I would use Assembler (can be difficult if your maths is weak), its the best way to program the Amiga in my opinion.

Highsofts Devpac 3 and the Amiga ref and rom manuals essential

Exactly. If you plan to program entirely in classic Amigas, then 68k assembly is the best bet, but you have to learn the fundamentals of the Amiga hardware first and computer hardware in general (how CPU works etc), logical maths, everything about bits, bytes etc. Either way, it seems a mountain to climb, but if you have the mood, it's really fun.

 

[KhaineGB]

Thanks for the advice everyone. :

I looked into programming 68k assembler, and the lack of literature or tutorials that quite literally tells you where to start put me off. There's just lots of references to numerous books that I don't have access to. A lot of people also claim that C is now so good you don't really need assembler unless you want to do some fine tweaking.

I might start with blitz basic and move on to C.