Getting AWAY from game programming.... and moving on to something new (Need advice)

[ThePentiumGuy]

Hey all,

 

I think it's about time that I start looking at other aspects of .NET besides graphical. It's been about a year since I've even touched things like ASP.NET and ADO.NET. Of course, I won't stop game programming. But if I choose to become a professional developer, I really should have more experience in other areas as well, but that's a different story.

 

I've found that over time, I've basically lost the language. I'm really not doing things the proper way in Visual Basic.NET; see my tutorials in the Tutor's Corner. I'm not taking advantage of the features which VB.NET offers. I think it's time for a change. Thanks to DaRock for influencing me.

 

Some pointers from the aformentioned person:

"[You need to learn] Polymorphism, Inheritance, Stack and Heap management, Event driven programming, and Services."

 

However I usually find that I learn better while applying things. Now I realize that I could learn this by programming a game, but my main goal here is virtu - excellence in all that I do. Just like the Renaissance times - see Da Vinci. The man was not only an artist... but an architect, engineer, painter, inventor. He even scetched things that are used today (for example the primative form of a helicopter - he imagined the blades on the top and formed somewhat of a similar structure to the current heilicopter). Now the extreme side of this is that he would learn to write backwards (mirror script) and used dead bodies to study the vein locations, contours... see David.

 

My question to you is, what should I pursue next? I used to easily dismiss the thought of databases (I used to say "boring, the end") and I found ASP.NET useless. Now things have changed a little.

 

What other areas of VB.NET do you recommend me to explore? It's about time I took the bull by the horns and.... (uhh).... eat it(?).

 

-The Pentium Guy

[samsmithnz]

You have to think of an application that would make your life easier... and then use vb.net to achieve it...

[ThePentiumGuy]

That's the thing, I need some motivation.... to make some type of application. So any receommendation? I'm willing to eat anything thrown at me (ok fine not anything, but... something reasonably challanging, but not impossible(like "Write VB.NET compiler, using VB.NET")).

 

A challange would be appreciated.

 

-The Pentium Guy

 

Edit: Why did my font go white? WYS!=WYG. Scratch that.

[ThePentiumGuy]

Nothing yet? I've thought of some ideas (sort of Real-World)

 

-A chat program. (Knowledge of Sockets and Threads). I will use my computer as the server and all messages are sent to the server and then sent to the recepient. Username/Password, Logging in, message limiting. Also DirectConnection, where the user and the recipient speak directly.

This brings us to ASP.NET (to set up the server).

 

-Well OK, if the chat program is "Step 2", then ASP.NET is "Step 1". I'll install IIS on that computer.

 

Just as a side note, to learn ASP.NET I'll create a real-time price engine, which will display certain prices on a webpage (localhost of course). I will update the prices (of whatever item) by entering in some values and the webpage will be automatically updated.

 

But the prices will be stored on a database. Which brings us to ADO.NET

 

-An SQL Server will be installed on my computer, with a database of the listed prices. Now this is just to learn how to do ASP.NET ... using ADO.NET

 

Back to the main focus (the chat program):

THe username and passwords will be stored on another database, the server will connect to the database and then verify if the username exists (if not then it will return a "Username does not exist" error), and if it does then it will verify the password. If the password matches then it will connect to the IIS server and you can begin chatting.

 

---

 

So in summary:

ADO.NET - To store a database containing the Usernames/Passwords on an IIS server. I realize that IIS is insecure, but for now security is not an issue yet.

 

ASP.NET - To setup the IIS server. My question is do I even need ASP.NET?

 

Sockets - To connect to the server, the server will then send the message to the recipient. A DirectConnect option is available to bypass the server, but you cannot bypass the server completely because you need to sign in, and you need to see if the recipient is online or not.

 

I know it's not as easy as it sounds, but hey I want to learn. Any resources to help me started will be greatly appreciated.

 

But here's a question for you guys: Am I approaching this the right way?

 

-The Pentium Guy

[Georgen]

I have an Idea.

 

Is not about hot technology and is not neccesarily accomplished trough .NET but it is definetely something I plan to do this summer... Shell Extensions.

 

Many corporate users find (incredible enough) a lot of great Ideas to extend the Windows Shell, since they spent the whole day working with the Windows File and Storage system. Ideas like letting the user to easily add new namespaces, default type folders with different icons, changing the Icon of whatever the user want...

 

Well thats my idea. :)

[Optikal]

For creating a chat program you probably should not be using ASP.Net.

[ThePentiumGuy]

Yeah but then where would the username/pword database be? I'd have to store it somewhere - on a server basically.

 

Also how else would the messages be sent to the 'server' adn back to the user? The registration page to create a username/pword will be made using ASP.NET..

 

-TPG

[Optikal]

You would store the username password in a database server. You do not need ASP.Net to use a database.

 

The messages would be sent back and forth via a custom server that you would have to write that implemented whatever chat protocol you choose to use.

 

Various things like creating a username password you may choose to do via ASP.Net, but it would not be a good fit for the chat application itself, due to the real-time nature of chat applications.

[samsmithnz]

I agree, ASP.NET would NOT be a good fit for a chat program.

[ThePentiumGuy]

Custom server? Can anyone offer some insight as to what that is basically? I have a linux server downstairs so would that be suitable?

[Rick_Fla]

In the 101 .NET Samples there is a chat program that might be something you could look at.

 

Custom server just means you would need to make one application that listens on a port and then sends out to the client applications that you created. Check out the sample it's a good reference in my mind. I started creating one but just did not have the time nor interest right now.

[Talyrond]

What about a decent scripting engine now that VSA is dead in VS 2005, using CodeDom, including a fully fledged IDE. If there was a control around like this I would be at the top of the list to purchase!

[ThePentiumGuy]

In the 101 .NET Samples there is a chat program that might be something you could look at.

 

Custom server just means you would need to make one application that listens on a port and then sends out to the client applications that you created. Check out the sample it's a good reference in my mind. I started creating one but just did not have the time nor interest right now.

Thank you very much. Time to get started.

 

-TPG

[Richard Crist]

Massively Parallel Processing

 

I think it's about time that I start looking at other aspects of .NET besides graphical. It's been about a year since I've even touched things like ASP.NET and ADO.NET. Of course' date=' I won't stop game programming. But if I choose to become a professional developer, I really should have more experience in other areas as well, but that's a different story.[/quote']

 

Create an internet distributed parallel processing initiative, similar to setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu which is used to distribute processing and analysis of data gained from radio antenna listening for extraterrestial intelligence.

 

As part of your application you could gather massive amounts of data about some world-class concept or issue, possibly from willing participants who provide the data by gathering it themselves, sending in their ideas, etc. You could then divy up the data and processing thereof to willing participants and have the results sent back to your server where folks can then check updates of the progress.

 

I hope that this is an idea that spurs you and/or others to come up with some examples or other ideas for your new programming efforts. :)

[ThePentiumGuy]

Thanks, I'll look into the 'other stuff' after I do the chat program - for now I got my goal set on one thing and I'll follow through.

 

-TPG

[thenerd]

Please post the code for your chat program when you're done. I want to have a good example of this stuff as I am interested in it also.

[ThePentiumGuy]

Yeah man - this will be in a tutorial on my site (see sig). But I'm mainly doing it for myself, to get a feel for it.

 

Beleive it or not - the networking (the "Chat" part) is easier than I thought. I looked at some source code and it doesn't seem to be that bad.

[Denaes]

WIth a chat program you're getting into networking and internet protocols, but not touching on many of the basics. It seems like running before learning to walk if you're not comfortable with ASP.Net... like making a multi-form accounting app in your first month of learning VB.net.

 

Yeah, it can be done, but you have to learn EVERYTHING as you do it. Some can do it. I tend to do that only if I have to, otherwise I get overwealmed.

 

In addition to the Chat program, I'd say to do a website with ASP.net functionality... then make a basic blog, then a more advanced blog where you can get replies and add accounts, then start doing HTML games...

 

If you want to learn ASP.Net, you really have to do all of ASP.net, not just one niche aspect of it. If you really apply yourself, I suppose you can learn the hard stuff first, but that just seems a little backwards to me.

[quaizywabbit]

here's something to sink your teeth into:

 

when using two or more mediaplayer type programs (say windows media player and PCDJ) make a custom Control that does the following:

 

It simulates all the necessary features of the installed soundcard, so that each mediaplayer can be set to use IT rather than the soundcard directly.(it would act as a "go-between" for the actual soundcard. )

 

It would control the overall Master volume, and would "crossfade" between Players streaming to it.

 

This type of control would be especially useful for Karaoke player programs, where automatic background music is needed, without resorting to reinventing the wheel and writing DJ capabilities into the program. Essentially any mediaplayers' output volumes could be controlled by the Program containing this control, without any specific mediaplayer code.

Edited February 17, 2005 by quaizywabbit

[ThePentiumGuy]

Hey dude, good point - Sound is something I haven't even TOUCHED. After networking I'll check this out.

[quaizywabbit]

Great!!

 

as a Control, many programs would benefit from such added versatility, and you could make some $$$$