Just Starting Out

General discussion about LÖVE, Lua, game development, puns, and unicorns.
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RyanImperion
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Just Starting Out

Post by RyanImperion »

.....Hello! I just started looking into LUA as a stand-alone language, since I wanted to try something different. I've mostly been using Java at this point, with some C++ and Python mixed in. Anyways, my friend recommended that I start out by making a post asking for any advice or pointers. This is that post.

.....So, my question/request in general is, "How would I best go about starting LUA/LOVE?". A further extension is, "What would be the most useful stuff to learn?". I've already got Sublime Text, and LOVE installed. Which brings me to a slight detour; I'm having trouble setting up the "System Build" that is supplied here: http://love2d.org/wiki/Sublime_Text_2. I copied it directly (From the "Windows" segment), and it said that "'love' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.". My friend suggested changing it so that it points to where love is installed. When I used "\", it gave parser errors with pink backgrounds. When I changed to "/", it said "'C:/Program' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.". Advice would be much appreciated. My current setup is: http://pastebin.com/jYBPZVW9

.....Anyways, I'd like to thank anybody in advance that can give any advice. Recommended tutorials are also appreciated. Hopefully I can have something to show for you fellows soon, eh?

-Ryan

Edit: Forgot to mention that I looked at LUA in Roblox, heh. Not sure if it counts.
Edit 2: Finally found out what the problem was. I had to escape the "/" characters. End result is:

Code: Select all

"cmd": ["love", "C:\/Users\/Ryan\/Desktop\/LUA Programs\/First Test"],
Last edited by RyanImperion on Fri Feb 14, 2014 9:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
davisdude
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Re: Just Starting Out

Post by davisdude »

RyanImperion wrote:.....Hello!
Well hello, and welcome! :)
RyanImperion wrote:I just started looking into LUA as a stand-alone language, since I wanted to try something different. I've mostly been using Java at this point, with some C++ and Python mixed in.
Slight side note: *Lua, *LÖVE. Nothing major.
Well, I'm not familiar with any of those languages, but I'd recommend LÖVE any day over any of the other languages I learned (those being JavaScript and Batch... ). It's nice to use and not too hard to learn. It also keeps a readable interface, since it's dead-space neutral (in case you don't know what that is, it just means you can style it however you want. LÖVE also has a great community, so make sure to ask for help whenever you need some! :D
RyanImperion wrote:.....So, my question/request in general is, "How would I best go about starting LUA/LOVE?".
My suggestion: Read the wiki. It has TONS of great examples and is very well documented too. As for Lua, take your pick. You could also read PiL (slightly outdated, unfortunately, but typically applicable). As far as I know, there are no full 0.9.0 tutorials out there on YouTube yet, but I could be wrong.
RyanImperion wrote:A further extension is, "What would be the most useful stuff to learn?".
Classes. Lua doesn't have full class support with inheritance, but you can implement your own after you've learned the basics, obviously. Lua isn't too hard of a language to learn, though, and can do some great things.
RyanImperion wrote:-Problems with Sublime Text-
I have no advice about this, as I use Notepad++, but that's just a personal preference.
RyanImperion wrote:.....Anyways, I'd like to thank anybody in advance that can give any advice. Recommended tutorials are also appreciated. Hopefully I can have something to show for you fellows soon, eh?
As mentioned above, I can't recommend a current tutorial. Goature's tutorials are pretty good, however his explanations can be a little on the short side, so if you don't understand something, just ask. SockMunkee Dev also has some more recent videos, but not a ton of them yet. I seem to remember his explanations being wordier, but he didn't get quite as advanced (these are the older ones, though. I haven't watched the newer ones yet).

Have fun! :)
GitHub | MLib - Math and shape intersections library | Walt - Animation library | Brady - Camera library with parallax scrolling | Vim-love-docs - Help files and syntax coloring for Vim
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RyanImperion
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Re: Just Starting Out

Post by RyanImperion »

.....Thanks for the quick response, I'll certainly look into those links and google some more. Glad to feel welcome :P. Also, my appreciation for correcting the odd term or two. Hopefully I can get a hold of this as quickly as it looks to be.

-Ryan
davisdude
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Re: Just Starting Out

Post by davisdude »

RyanImperion wrote:.....Thanks for the quick response,
No problem! :)
RyanImperion wrote:Also, my appreciation for correcting the odd term or two. Hopefully I can get a hold of this as quickly as it looks to be.
No problem. Happens to everybody. :P

If you're wondering why most people have obey in their name, see here.
GitHub | MLib - Math and shape intersections library | Walt - Animation library | Brady - Camera library with parallax scrolling | Vim-love-docs - Help files and syntax coloring for Vim
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micha
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Re: Just Starting Out

Post by micha »

Hi and welcome to our forum!

You should first learn the basics of Lua and then start with LÖVE.

I learned Lua from Programming in Lua. This is the book by the inventor of the language. The first edition of the book is freely readably on the internet. The book, however, is very densely written. That makes it very good, if you already have programming experience. For beginners, it is probably a bit too tight.

For learning LÖVE, you can read the tutorial on the wiki, google for even more tutorials, read the wiki, watch youtube tutorials, ask in this forum, or download projects from the projects and demos forum and study the source code.
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Nixola
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Re: Just Starting Out

Post by Nixola »

Try this:

Code: Select all

{
    "selector": "source.lua",
    "cmd": ["\"C:/Program Files/etc.\"", "$file_path"],
    "shell": true
}
lf = love.filesystem
ls = love.sound
la = love.audio
lp = love.physics
lt = love.thread
li = love.image
lg = love.graphics
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JovialFeline
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Re: Just Starting Out

Post by JovialFeline »

This worked just great for me. Had no clue that page was on the wiki, so big thanks!

Code: Select all

{
    "selector": "source.lua",
    "cmd": ["C:/HC_Stuff/HC_Development/LOVE/love.exe", "$file_path"],
    "shell": true
}
e: Ha. Sorry, Nix.
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RyanImperion
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Re: Just Starting Out

Post by RyanImperion »

.....Thanks for the quick responses! It's currently 5:40 AM, and I want to toss this up before I left for school: The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.
.....I'm using the code that Nixola provided:

Code: Select all

{
	"cmd": ["make"],
    "selector": "source.lua",
    "cmd": ["\"C:/Program Files/LOVE/love.exe\"", "$file_path"],
    "shell": true
}
.....Again, much thanks! Hopefully this can be sorted out soon.

-Ryan
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Nixola
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Re: Just Starting Out

Post by Nixola »

Why is "cmd : make" there? Try to remove it; also, if it still doesn't work, try \"C:\\Program Files\\etc.\"
lf = love.filesystem
ls = love.sound
la = love.audio
lp = love.physics
lt = love.thread
li = love.image
lg = love.graphics
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RyanImperion
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Joined: Thu Feb 13, 2014 11:26 pm

Re: Just Starting Out

Post by RyanImperion »

.....Still doesn't work, but I'm just using the straight cmd-code from the wiki (http://www.love2d.org/wiki/Getting_Started). Thanks for all the help, and I think I can find my way for a while. I'll be sure to post in the Dev. segment if I ever need anything else. Glad to be here, and what-not!

-Ryan

P.S. Gotta find me an "Obey" avatar...
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