First steps and trying

[SixEcho]

Hello,

I am a noob in game dev here and I would like to create an RTS game.
Like i'm beginner, i want to try something very easy to do and not so elaborated graphic game.
But from where do i have to begin?
What is the language i will use?
What is the best thing to do before starting .
I know php,html,css,sql and a little of javascript and C.

Thanks for help

[fireside]

Blender is a nice free way to get started in game programming. The modeler is good and the game engine is pretty decent, at least to get started with. You've done some scripting so that's a good start.

[SixEcho]

Ok,i'll try with blender at first.

Thank you.

[alphadog]

Hopefully, you read this:
http://www.devmaster.net/forums/showthread.php?t=13176

Judging by your stated skill set, you basically know next to nothing as far as game development is concerned. So, you'll have lots of brushing up to do:

Phase I:
1. First, choose a language. The usual preference is:
- C++: hardest, but most prevalent in game dev.
- Python: Friendly and approachable. Has and gaining more
traction in game development.
- C#: Prevalent due to Microsoft. Friendly.
- Java: Good, but you may as well pick one of the above
three unless you already have proficiency in Java.

Then, learn the ins-and-outs (not necessarily mastery thereof) of that language and its syntax, ex: looping, passing data, simple I/O, etc. For example, for Python, online resources include http://www.swaroopch.com/byteofpython/ and http://www.diveintopython.org/toc/index.html

2. Learn (not necessarily master) core/basic algorithms. Get to know stacks, queues, red-black trees, binary sorts, graph traversal, etc. One good algorithms book or a couple of site will help.

3. Stop learning for a while, and do: write simple scripts/programs that exercise the above syntax and basic programming concepts. Write programs to solve limited and classic problems like iterating over some files in a folder and doing "something" such as counting words in a text file, or guessing a number, etc. The exercise should be short-and-sweet and basically a "one-pager".

Phase II: Escalating Your Concepts

Before you were learning basics; now it's time to a) broaden into the design and concept level, and b) expand on your understanding on what your chosen language can do.

4. Learn about (and not necessarily master) object-oriented architecture and design. See Bruce Eckel books, or the Head First Series on Java, C++ and/or Patterns. Find out what's a class, what's a method, how do you turn a problem into a set of classes, etc.

5. Pick up game development concepts and language, so that you can speak on forums like this more accurately. But, concentrate on algorithms on 2D stuff like for example scrolling, isometric views, collision detection (2D), AI (mainly 2D pathfinding), etc. Figure out how these things get done in your chosen language.

6. Time to stop learning and start "doing" again. Pick up a 2D engine, like Pygame (http://www.pygame.org) for Python, and code one or two 2D games. Pick some simple game you like and know: tetris, card game, board game, a simple scroller, Space Invaders, etc...

Phase III: Code A Full, Simple 3D Game

7. Study 3D algorithms. Again, examples would be collision detection (in 3D this time), mipmapping, particle systems, shaders, etc...

8. Pick up a 3D engine and make your first stand-alone 3D game.

At this point, you should know enough to figure out your next steps on your own. Good luck.