Teach Me

[DrakeCahill13]

I would like to be a programmer. Please, can anyone direct me to any resources that could help me code and design and the like? A Youtube series, maybe?

[Phoenixflo44]

Where exactly do you need help?

[DrakeCahill13]

Starting :P

[Phoenixflo44]

¿

[Phoenixflo44]

You are funny

[DrakeCahill13]

Call me a noob, but I'm looking to start from scratch

[DrakeCahill13]

Thank you :P

[Phoenixflo44]

Coding mods? I'm partly even a noob xd

[DrakeCahill13]

I mean everything, Mods, the game, Gamepacks, Textures, etc. etc.

[DrakeCahill13]

How did you start?

[DrakeCahill13]

Alright, anyway, can anyone suggest anything?

[R-One]

hi, there are some resources :

Youtube channel : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdiury ... se2rarVqPg

Minetest Modding book : https://rubenwardy.com/minetest_modding ... index.html

minetest devs wiki : http://dev.minetest.net/Main_Page

minetest API : https://github.com/minetest/minetest/bl ... ua_api.txt

[GamingAssociation39]

I've just looked at the code and got the jist of it so I had made some mods with even more help from other devs.

[MineYoshi]

To properly code you have to learn about algorithms firsts since that's like «the heart of coding». After understanding what's an algorithm try learning a simple language like BASIC, or go to Lua if you want to; after you are fluent with it try to learn more complex ones. Try learning with books.

If you want to code Minetest mods, after knowing how to code, try learning with Rubenwardy's Modding Book the basics of the Minetest modding API and then if you have questions look up on the dev wiki or ask in the forum.

[Andrey01]

At first read this official manual in order to understand how to code in Lua at all: https://www.lua.org/manual/5.3/

Then learn Minetest API:
https://dev.minetest.net/Main_Page

Preferably also read rubenwardy`s manual: http://rubenwardy.com/minetest_modding_book/
Here it spoons-feed all concepts in Minetest API.

[Vapalus]

Dis gon b gud.
The important part about programming is understanding.
Take a small mod, read it, and try to figure out - just by reading it - what each part does.
Than change that little part (make backups! Backups are the essence of programming) and look what it does.

Why do it that way? Because you're going to end up on lua-homepages, minetest API websites etc. anyways, and you have a working example of what to do.

As soon as you feel comfortable enough, program your own mod. (You're going to end up stealing stuff from other mods, but as long as you write where you got the parts from, it should be alright).

And after you got the first running, bugged piece of crap mod, delete it, no backups, and try to write it again.

As soon as you've done this, you will figure out the essence of programming: Nothing you do matters, there is always a better way to do things. (But that's just a psychological issue, and its far worse than the "I don't understand anything" feeling you will have at the beginning). It will take about 1-2 months until you get there.

As soon as you are done contemplating if you want to go on, there will be the next hindrance: Writing good and readable code.
Some rules:
Always comment the "why", never the "how". If you need to write how the code works, you did something wrong. Code has to be clear, each .lua file should be about 2 pages, printed out, max.

That also means you will stop coding spaghetties and start using external funktions; It will work a bit like that: Write a function, write another function, see that both functions got something in common, make a third function which has what both functions have in common, screw up the third function, be glad that you made a BACKUP and rant about how stupid LUA is and that you're gonna do something better (no you won't).

Even though you're trying to make your code look good, it will still look like a dinosaur in a mudbath with diarrhea. Deal with it. Everybody will tell you it's ugly.

Okay, now 2-4 months have passed and you're starting to understand that programming might not be easy. (If you still think it's easy, you didn't understand shit and you should stop touching a PC, because now you're one of those "I know programming" kiddos who screw up our reputation.)

That's when the learning curve kicks in. You'll get better and better from now on.

[DrakeCahill13]

hi, there are some resources :

Youtube channel : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdiury ... se2rarVqPg

Minetest Modding book : https://rubenwardy.com/minetest_modding ... index.html

minetest devs wiki : http://dev.minetest.net/Main_Page

minetest API : https://github.com/minetest/minetest/bl ... ua_api.txt

Amazing, thank you!

[DrakeCahill13]

Dis gon b gud.
The important part about programming is understanding.
Take a small mod, read it, and try to figure out - just by reading it - what each part does.
Than change that little part (make backups! Backups are the essence of programming) and look what it does.

Why do it that way? Because you're going to end up on lua-homepages, minetest API websites etc. anyways, and you have a working example of what to do.

As soon as you feel comfortable enough, program your own mod. (You're going to end up stealing stuff from other mods, but as long as you write where you got the parts from, it should be alright).

And after you got the first running, bugged piece of crap mod, delete it, no backups, and try to write it again.

As soon as you've done this, you will figure out the essence of programming: Nothing you do matters, there is always a better way to do things. (But that's just a psychological issue, and its far worse than the "I don't understand anything" feeling you will have at the beginning). It will take about 1-2 months until you get there.

As soon as you are done contemplating if you want to go on, there will be the next hindrance: Writing good and readable code.
Some rules:
Always comment the "why", never the "how". If you need to write how the code works, you did something wrong. Code has to be clear, each .lua file should be about 2 pages, printed out, max.

That also means you will stop coding spaghetties and start using external funktions; It will work a bit like that: Write a function, write another function, see that both functions got something in common, make a third function which has what both functions have in common, screw up the third function, be glad that you made a BACKUP and rant about how stupid LUA is and that you're gonna do something better (no you won't).

Even though you're trying to make your code look good, it will still look like a dinosaur in a mudbath with diarrhea. Deal with it. Everybody will tell you it's ugly.

Okay, now 2-4 months have passed and you're starting to understand that programming might not be easy. (If you still think it's easy, you didn't understand shit and you should stop touching a PC, because now you're one of those "I know programming" kiddos who screw up our reputation.)

That's when the learning curve kicks in. You'll get better and better from now on.

Riiiight. XD Anyway, to start, do you have any suggestions for a "small mod" to look through?

[DrakeCahill13]

Whelp, thanks everyone! I'm looking forward to learning and failing and learning and so on :P Wish me luck XD

[Reedych]

At first read this official manual in order to understand how to code in Lua at all: https://www.lua.org/manual/5.3/

Then learn Minetest API:
https://dev.minetest.net/Main_Page

Preferably also read rubenwardy`s manual: http://rubenwardy.com/minetest_modding_book/
Here it spoons-feed all concepts in Minetest API.

Minetest uses lua 5.1: https://www.lua.org/manual/5.1/