Newbie wanting to develop iPhone game. Delusions of grandeur?

[Kendo]

I have zero experience in developing or programming however I have just purchased my first iMac and wanted to get into iPhone development. You read stories about how people develop simple games that end up selling hundreds of thousands of copies allowing them to develop for a living.

The biggest and most expensive requirement is complete meaning I have an iMac. I was going to read up on a few books on Objective-C while brainstorming for ideas on what my game should be about.

Is this truly delusions of grandeur or is this feasible to a degree?

Yes I have zero experience in programming but I'd imagine the same goes for everyone who now programs for a living. You have to start somewhere right?

 

[imaketouchtheme]

There are two sides to this. You have to consider all the thousands and thousands of people with extremely high levels of knowledge with programming languages, and think about why they haven't become rich from using their skills to create iPhone apps/games. You do have the rare case that someone with no background in programming creates an amazing application by reading books and what not.


It's all about self-motivation and passion. If you have a decent amount of intelligence, you can learn whatever it is you're trying to learn to some degree. It's just all about motivation and passion. You may have to work 100 times harder than the person with vast knowledge in programming, but if you do work that much harder, you'll accomplish more; plain and simple.

This took a wrong turn from what I was originally saying, but, I think you get the picture. If you honestly think that you have enough drive to do it, then there's a good chance you can become successful from it.

 

[iSaint]

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Someone needs to create Roadkill Bingo.

There's your idea (or mine).

 

[dccorona]

will you be able to do it? with work, probably. Lots and lots of work.

programming objective c is just the first step, because you want to make a game. If you can program, you can make an app because apple provides a UI kit that essentially builds all the UI code complete with images for you.

However, games generally have a custom UI, and of course all the animation and etc. have to be made by you as well. Now obviously lots of the animation can be handled by an engine or by the code itself (if its simple), but at some point, you will have to use a computer to design some sort of the game graphics (for example, you can't just code in a trism...those had to be drawn, and exist as an image, or, more likely, several images in the app). So there is more to it than just coding

I say this not to discourage you, but so that you know that it is going to take more than what an objective c book will teach you...you probably will need photoshop knowledge among other things, and know more about coding a UI than what an iPhone coding book will teach you.

As for if it will be successful...well, thats partially how well you code and impliment your idea, and partially how good the idea is in the first place

 

[Shawnpk]

Just to give you an example, I started reading Objective-C books to learn game coding as well. This was November 2010. I recently released my first app on the app store, and while it isn't a game, it gave me a sense of accomplishment. I read those books for 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week, doing all the example coding as well. The app I released is a simple table view and web view app, but I proved to myself that I can program from zero experience. This is my stepping stone to full time iOS programming, be it for myself or as a contract programmer. If you're diligent, you can do this.

 

[xAnthony]

One thing of advice... It's not the QUANTITY of apps you make, it's the QUALITY of them. When you release something (For money) be proud of your work. Don't release something crappy just to try and make a few bucks. Be proud and happy of what you submit to the Apple store.

 

[JASApplications]

Just to give you an example, I started reading Objective-C books to learn game coding as well. This was November 2010. I recently released my first app on the app store, and while it isn't a game, it gave me a sense of accomplishment. I read those books for 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week, doing all the example coding as well. The app I released is a simple table view and web view app, but I proved to myself that I can program from zero experience. This is my stepping stone to full time iOS programming, be it for myself or as a contract programmer. If you're diligent, you can do this.

Same. I learnt Objective C from a book during the summer holidays of 2009. Read the book everyday sunbathing next to the pool

 

[jayo123456]

There are two sides to this. You have to consider all the thousands and thousands of people with extremely high levels of knowledge with programming languages, and think about why they haven't become rich from using their skills to create iPhone apps/games. You do have the rare case that someone with no background in programming creates an amazing application by reading books and what not.


It's all about self-motivation and passion. If you have a decent amount of intelligence, you can learn whatever it is you're trying to learn to some degree. It's just all about motivation and passion. You may have to work 100 times harder than the person with vast knowledge in programming, but if you do work that much harder, you'll accomplish more; plain and simple.

This took a wrong turn from what I was originally saying, but, I think you get the picture. If you honestly think that you have enough drive to do it, then there's a good chance you can become successful from it.

to be really successful, you're forgetting one very important aspect, which is luck.

you need luck, and stumble onto the right idea.
you need luck, to meet the right people who can help you develop the idea.


but all in all, if you don't try, your chances of being lucky is 0%.



Programming is impossible for some, and relatively easy for others. There's only one way to find out in which category you belong. Just grab a C book, right your first 'hello world' program, then tackle a couple more programs. If you get a feeling of pure elation, when your simple program works, then programming is for you. (for a complete beginner, you can have a couple basic programs written within the first couple days of diving into the subject)

Object oriented programming is a little tougher to grasp, so I don't think it's a good idea to start with objective C. Start with just the basic 'C'. None of it will be a waste, as everything you learn in C, can and will be used in objective C, but that doesn't work the other way around.

source: I'm a computer engineer.