c++ game developement project.

[LAfSLyTq]

ok so im confused now.. umm, all i really need at the moment is a little help on making this window display a background image, and i need the image to stretch to the screen size

[LAfSLyTq]

anyone got any ideas?
i still get credit for the progress ive made so far (thanks to you guys ;D)
but i would need a image presented to get a good grade.

[ModShop]

Have you tried Googling for an example? I'm sure there are thousands of good ones out there. I personally don't know how to use the WinAPI, so I can't help you there...

[BHX]

What degree are you going for? I've never heard of a CS instructor assigning a game as an assignment before.

[hanst99]

I would have to agree with ModShop here. You will find literally dozens of examples on how to create screens and how to draw images for any given graphics API you could use. (though as for API's that abstract a little more from their implementation, it would look something along the lines of this (Allegro 5.0 in this case))

#include <allegro5/allegro.h>
#include <allegro5/allegro_image.h>

int main()
{
    al_init();
    al_init_image_addon();
    ALLEGRO_DISPLAY* display = al_create_display(800,600);
    ALLEGRO_BITMAP* bmp = al_load_bitmap("someImage.png");
    int w = al_get_bitmap_width(bmp);
    int h = al_get_bitmap_height(bmp);
    al_draw_scaled_bitmap(0,0,w,h,0,0,800,600,0);
    al_flip_display();
    all_rest(3.0);
    al_destroy_bitmap(bmp);
    al_destroy_display(display);
    return 0;
}

A little crude (no input/output, and you can't close the window normally), but works.

[MrHutch]

@BHXSpecter - There's plenty of games-related degrees with the industry being so big now. My degree is in Computer Games Software Engineering.

@OP - This is a ridiculous assignment. Part of programming is knowing which tools to use for the job. Inhibiting the use of certain APIs like SDL is detrimental to the learning process. At the level of someone who only has console based experience, learning to use SDL is just as much of a task as any other API as you'll have to learn to familiarise yourself with libraries that you've never used before.

Honestly don't understand what your teacher is trying to achieve here.

[BHX]

@BHXSpecter - There's plenty of games-related degrees with the industry being so big now. My degree is in Computer Games Software Engineering.

@iHutch105 :: Yeah, problem is that almost all those degrees are worthless because the industry doesn't see them as training the student properly to viable in the industry. The only ones I've heard of that are taken serious are DigiPen and FullSail. Otherwise they seem to put emphasis on CS degrees as the 'or equivalent' doesn't seem to exist. I have a Bachelors of Science in Game and Simulation Programming, but it had us use the Torque Game Engine(which uses its Torque Script to do everything) for all of its advanced courses.

The only retarded part is that the degree is new enough to where the career assistance department (the ones that are supposed to help you find a job when you finish your degree) doesn't know where to send you. My Career Advisor sent me resume around to web dev companies (which was fine). The problem I have is that she eventually sent me to an interview for a Second shift supervisor position at UPS :-/.

Wait, doesn't this thread qualify as a 'do my homework' that two people made threads about just last week? :P

[MrHutch]

@BHXSpecter - It really depends on the syllabus. A fair few games companies will give you a look if you have a related degree over here (UK), whether or not your skills meet their (increasingly high) expectations is another matter. (I should note, "related degree" refers to a programming degree. There's a few 'Mickey Mouse' games degrees over here, which teach you very little and the entry criteria is so low).

The skills taught in my degree are, for the most part, fairly decent (with a few exceptions, as with any course). The main focus (apart from C++) was on subjects like advanced mathemathics and mechanics, OOP principles and computer systems architecture. Obviously, the heaviest focus is on C++, with modules ranging from basic console stuff to 3D console (by that I mean games console, not command prompt) projects.

The fault is more with the industry itself in my opinion. It's such an abstract environment from anything you can really do at home, such to the extent that you can't really work on a scale that they'd have liked you to work on. Then there's the classic Catch-22; "We want someone with at least 3 years experience in the games industry". Almost every employer seems to ask for this and, in doing so, the perpetuate the difficult nature of getting a break in the industry for the very same reason.

The other thing is that hands-on experience for their tech is too expensive for an educational institution to pay for. The pay fee increase here in the UK might help, as might a proposed industry tax break. However, the fact still remains that decent devkits in educational facilities are few and far between because of the cost.

As for your Career Advisor, that's just ridiculous. Seems like a thinly-veiled effort to show that they're doing some sort of job by suggesting work for you, rather than actually helping you get a foothold into something that you want to do.