Not impressed with corona sdk beginner rants

Getting Started Newbie Questions
#1

Hi I’m not that happy at all it is stated that corona sdk is suppose to be easy in creating drag and drop games and makes you think that’s all you need

but from what I have seen this is not the case . The marketing strangely is a bit misleading to say the least even so after all this

At least they should of made an effect of having a properly selected tutorials to those new in the game of using corona sdk for the first time

I mean I was going to be willing to purchase but I have now strongly changed by mind

I did go to various places including corona sdk beginer tutorials page but hey they all lead to some one else producing the tutorials and even the official corona sdk tutorials on YouTube are way to difficult to grasp how the hell is someone with no knowledge at all of any programming suppose to follow them.

At least make an effect corona sdk before everyone starts jumping ship I mean just look at the tutorials you expect me to follow

http://corona.techority.com/2011/01/12/corona-for-newbies-part-1/

You guys call this a beginer tutorial I don’t think so having to look through someone’s code just to use a drag and frog interface? I see no sense do you?
Then this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Voq1rMy9elU. Does this guy not know he is presenting corona sdk to total newbies what’s that about function x and y position pardon?

Next this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcRaabRAtXo. Both files let you config? Pardon config what ? What the hell is lua anyway are you telling me I have to find out what lua is a learn lua with the poorly tutorials around the web

Take this for example http://bitcast-r.v1.iad1.bitgravity.com/infiniteskills/iskills-media/coronasdk-demo/0201.mp4. What the hell is foo same course goes on about vent handles pardon lol

It all sounds like total garbage and giberish for a total beginer if you ask me how do you expect them to learn this corona folks
I have come here as a last result from some kind folks on here if they can at least point new beginers in the light of the right direction as yo must understand comming from a similar position that I don’t know code I don’t understand any of the tutorials what order should they be in

Why are the tutorials from third party’s and why are the other marshal language

Any one video tutorials would be better after all who wants to sieve through someone code just to learn a tutorial

Many thanks for reading this and your time please suggestions anyone as I think this post would be great for anyone else needing the same advice as I am sure quite a lot of people agree with me from what I have read in various forums and from people talking about corona sdk

Anyone care to jump in?
[import]uid: 169835 topic_id: 29625 reply_id: 329625[/import]

#2

Hi,

I totally understand your frustration, especially if you don’t have any programming back ground.
Corona is by no means a drag and drop solution for making games, instead it will allow you to make amazing games with very few lines of code.

Just like learning anything in life, the first few steps, tries, laps etc are the hardest. The minute you grasp the basics, there is no looking back, you will in no time be making pretty advanced games.

In my opinion it is worth while investing some time to just learn Lua coding, there are many examples around. Get your feet wet with writing Lua programs and then approach Corona.

My advice is take it a little slow and I am sure you are anxious to make cool games, but spend the time to learn the basics, it will pay off in the long run.

-Mohamed [import]uid: 144378 topic_id: 29625 reply_id: 118908[/import]

#3

Codeacademy,

I’m sorry to hear you are having a bad experience. We have been using Corona for 2 years and love it, but we fully acknowledge that its not for everyone. It sounds like you are new to programming, so there are some other programs that might be a better fit for someone just getting their feet wet. You might want to look at Game Salad or Game Maker. I haven’t used them myself, but to my understanding they are designed for users that don’t have a history of programming under their belt.

I hope that helps. [import]uid: 9840 topic_id: 29625 reply_id: 118909[/import]

#4

You are spamming the forum!

Corona SDK is the most easiest SDK to develope mobile apps with, and it is powerfull. It is at least 100 times easier then using x-code and cocoa etc. Of course it is not easy for a total new beginner to start up - without any knowledge of coding. I am not aware of your development skills but I can assure you that if you take a look at : http://www.learningcorona.com/ - you will find many useful tutorials to get started. Once you get the hang of it, you will find it easy!

Regards, Joakim [import]uid: 81188 topic_id: 29625 reply_id: 118910[/import]

#5

What you need is a Game Idea. When i started with programming (Xcode and obj c and C++) it was a struggle, because I’ve been spending too much time on tutorials and reading other’s game codes. If you’ve a realistic goal, you can write down your game logic in UML on a paper, create some assets like images and sounds and your first mock ups. The rest is just technical stuff.

I had no real programming experience before and just released my first app (in Review) and my 2nd app is almost finished.

http://www.coronalabs.com/blog/2012/08/03/guest-post-from-concept-to-finish-the-importance-of-the-pitch/ [import]uid: 98393 topic_id: 29625 reply_id: 118912[/import]

#6

I fully disagree with the comments above. Corona SDK along with Lua is one of the most fluent productive game development platforms there is on the market. The tutorials and the language itself is simple to learn and use. The tutorials are what they are, however I have NEVER seen Corona being advertised as a drag/drop game creation platform, and rightly so, tools like game salad are fine for prototyping and testing ideas out but to make a truly cross platform game which has everything a user expects these days, Social & Web Connected apps which run slick and smooth with nice graphics and sound are HARDER to do in apps like Game Salad as they afford less control in the way the code behind is structured and controlled.

My best suggestion is you stick with Corona and if you are not an experienced programmer, perhaps concentrate on your own short comings before coming in with such an attack. If Ansca’s tutorials are not good enough You Tube is awash with them. There are plenty of good video’s, site based tutorials and sample applications on the web that should allow you to gain a good grasp of Lua/Corona.

I fear that you’re programming skills may be the sole reason for such an attack. If so, why not write up your idea and get someone who DOES know what they are doing build it for you? That way you can get your app/game into the market across the biggest range of platforms (for this deployment costs anyway, Unity/Unreal engine would also allow cooking for Consoles (PS3/X360 etc) but they can have large code bases and be harder to manage that Corona.

I don’t mean to be de-constructive here, however as far as cross-platform, time-to-market and overall deployment costs, Corona is easily the best tool on the market for the job. If you have ever used Unity or Unreal Engine, they are a hundred times more complex, even though, arguably the scripting system is slightly easier to grasp (as everyone speaks JavaScript? right?) Game Salad, currently only delivers to Apple platforms and the various other similar products have drawbacks and failings that Corona allows you to “code your way through”

The only real answer, I can offer, is to learn Lua and Corona, it’s really easy. Then you can write some tutorials which you think are acceptable. [import]uid: 51222 topic_id: 29625 reply_id: 118914[/import]

#7

Thanks guys I’m glad you agree but I’m replying to this particlur answer so then do you think going through someone’s code is correct to consider to be a beginer tutorial?

I don’t see any links or references that you point out?

Where are the urls you just said oh learn lua and corona which order

Do you mind telling me what in the video is x and y position and then he open a Loa file and starts rambling

You do know that the tutorials look like Greek language not English that are not acceptable as beginer tutorials why don’t they start with the basic foundations and order the tutorials line up in a sesabile decent order

Would you tell a baby to learn to start jumping fist or crawling first my point exactly

I’m interest to hear your response [import]uid: 169835 topic_id: 29625 reply_id: 118919[/import]

#8

x, and y are Cartesian coordinates in two dimensions
x is abscissa and y is ordinate

?? [import]uid: 98393 topic_id: 29625 reply_id: 118920[/import]

#9

Lol,Paul exactly my point not a word of the programming language understood do you have a beginers starting

I know this forum is much better at support then the tutorials if you guys were not here man [import]uid: 169835 topic_id: 29625 reply_id: 118924[/import]

#10

Well some one has just suggested Michelle fernadez maybe that’s the starting point [import]uid: 169835 topic_id: 29625 reply_id: 118926[/import]

#11

I would be interested to find out a little more on your background and what you would like to achieve, but I fear that your lack of experience may be the key issue here. Corona is the platform, i.e the thing that actually takes the code you write (in lua) and transforms that code into Android/iOS/Kindle applications. It provides that as the main function, and that is primarily what you pay the subscription fees for Secondary to that, Ansca provides an extensive set of Lua Library files, which help you when you want to display stuff on screen, talk to device hardware, get data from the web and so on. These libraries together form the SDK part of the framework. In addition, you will get access to extensive forums, code samples, tutorials etc.

As for web links, You can type “Corona SDK Tutorials” into Google and gain access to the plethora of resources that are available. However, if you are not a programmer, perhaps you should become one first before trying to code a game or app? I am not being nasty with that comment BTW, I just know what a development project runs like, and to try and code a serious commercial app with little or no experience or programming would be a daunting task.

The language itself is, I suppose perhaps a little tricky to the unfamiliar as it is not strongly typed, nor indeed very object-oriented, in the traditional sense. But one you grasp the basics of the language you will find it is actually very easy. I learned the basics in just a few hours and over the concurring months I have gotten more and more comfortable. Admittedly, I program professionally for my career, therefore learning a new language for me is fairly straight forward, Best advice I can give to get to where you need to be is:

  1. Design your game as far as you can on paper
  2. Get the idea clarified completely in your mind
  3. Forget easy drag/drop, make a quick couple million, (it ain’t gonna happen)
  4. Learn Lua (this is the programming language you will use to create your app)
    4.1) Learn the basics, logic statements such as if/then/else
    4.2) Look at program flow control (While & For Loops)
    4.3) Look at how to containerize functionality (local/global functions)
    4.4) If it’s a game, look at helpers such as Director, MovieClip etc.
    4.5) Look at Lua Tables, they are a key data structure to understand
  5. Get your app resources created and then use your new language skills to make them dance

It might be a challenge, “but hey if it was easy, everyone would be doing it”.

All I can say really is, If the task of learning Lua/Corona SDK Libraries (in the way the rest of the community has done and the way to be honest, most programmers learn to code in a new language, by example code, good and bad) perhaps my first suggestion of out-sourcing the actual build might be an idea?
[import]uid: 51222 topic_id: 29625 reply_id: 118927[/import]

#12

Tons of tuts as I mentioned earlier - both for newbeginners and more talent…

Look at Peachs beginners tutorials, they will guide you!

http://www.learningcorona.com/

[import]uid: 81188 topic_id: 29625 reply_id: 118928[/import]

#13

Hello just want to achieve a simple app that would play sound and say good once you pick the righ object

A simple game like this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFAZ744eRGY

Am not asking for a million air app get rich

I have knowledge of HTML CSS I also have a little very basic of action script but so limited I have ditched flash for corona hence reason for asking for tutorials

The HTML curve to learn was dead easy but corona seem like jumping in a stack of hay and finding a needle.

The HTML was not hard to learn easy head body tags fon etc it’s the othermstuff of picking up corona that’s seems impossible

Is Michelle Fernandez a good absolute start point ? Your option? Now you know my background

Jakes apia really reluctant to go through peaches tuts as you have to download and open the file n corona sdk just to read the code and learn Plus how far will hey guide you will she tell you the nxt steps? Im looking for a more lean back approach and not to start messing with files yet I want an understanding first like you get with HTML and clear explanations [import]uid: 169835 topic_id: 29625 reply_id: 118930[/import]

#14

Sounds like you would benefit from patience and the realization that learning anything new is going to take some legwork! [import]uid: 147305 topic_id: 29625 reply_id: 118940[/import]

#15

Ok Cool, that Tutorial is an Objective-C/XCode tutorial, that would be a BAD place to start. Obj-C is a very difficult language to learn (it is basically an Apple basterdised flavour of C/C++, on a 1-10 of difficulty to learn, I’d give it an 8 or probably more a 9). Lua is FAR FAR simpler than that (more like 2 or 3). If you can do HTML & CSS then you should be flying in a couple of days. It is VERY similar to JavaScript (which I am sure working with those languages, you will have had exposure to). Think top down, declare first call after and you should be fine. (you can forward declare and so on, but save that for another day)

I would also suggest downloading the Free SDK, you only need to pay if you want to actually publish your app. That way you can get access to the framework and start learning, I would also heavily avoid XCode, at the end of the day you only really need notepad (or any text-editor, Textpad, Notepad++). There are some commercial Corona IDEs out there such as CPM, but I prefer (personally) to use the Lua plug-in for Visual Studio and use VS 2010. (I Do 99%, or as much as possible of my stuff with the windows SDK and windows tools, only suffering the 'cack’intosh when I need to build for iOS :slight_smile: (but that is just a matter of preference and hardware availaibility).

I have included below a simple sample that will:

  1. Displays 2 objects on screen
  2. Plays a sound when you touch the objects (I will break it apart after the code)

To run, create a folder somewhere, and a new text file named main.lua inside the folder, paste the code below entirely into that file and save)

(Create 2 PNGs one called yes.png and one called no.png and save them in the same folder you place the code below, both should be 128x128 pixels) The audio files come from the air hockey tutorial

Then, open main.lua in the Corona Simulator (free to download)

-- main.lua  
  
--The code is fairly simple, starting at the top and going down, (this is how corona will do it as well):  
  
-- Include SDK Libraries  
local ui = require("ui")  
  
-- Setup device  
system.activate("multitouch")  
display.setStatusBar( display.HiddenStatusBar )  
--system.setIdleTimer( false ) -- turn off device sleeping  
  
local sampleGroup = display.newGroup()  
  
-- Load the audio  
local buzz = audio.loadSound( "buzzer.wav" )  
local correct = audio.loadSound( "winner.wav" )  
  
local Handle\_Wrong\_Button\_Touch = function(event)  
 audio.play(buzz)  
  
 return true  
end  
  
local Handle\_Correct\_Button\_Touch = function(event)  
 audio.play(correct)  
  
 return true  
end  
-- Buttons  
local wrong\_button = ui.newButton{  
 defaultSrc = "no.png",  
 defaultX = 128,  
 defaultY = 128,  
 overSrc = "no.png",  
 overX = 128,  
 overY = 128,  
 onEvent = Handle\_Wrong\_Button\_Touch,  
 id = "wrongButton",  
 text = "No",  
 font = "Helvetica",  
 textColor = { 255, 255, 255, 255 },  
 size = 24,  
 emboss = true  
 }  
  
wrong\_button:setReferencePoint( display.BottomCenterReferencePoint )  
wrong\_button.x = (display.contentWidth / 2) - 96  
wrong\_button.y = display.contentHeight / 2  
  
-- Buttons  
local correct\_button = ui.newButton{  
 defaultSrc = "yes.png",  
 defaultX = 128,  
 defaultY = 128,  
 overSrc = "yes.png",  
 overX = 128,  
 overY = 128,  
 onEvent = Handle\_Correct\_Button\_Touch,  
 id = "correctButton",  
 text = "Yes",  
 font = "Helvetica",  
 textColor = { 255, 255, 255, 255 },  
 size = 24,  
 emboss = true  
 }  
  
correct\_button:setReferencePoint( display.BottomCenterReferencePoint )  
correct\_button.x = (display.contentWidth / 2) + 96  
correct\_button.y = display.contentHeight / 2  
  
sampleGroup:insert(wrong\_button)  
sampleGroup:insert(correct\_button)  
  
-- Here would be where you would normally enter into a game loop or change to another scene, if not, Corona will just finish doing anything here   
-- and no more functionality will take place, except for that created through assigned event handlers such as our touch handlers..

we setup the device, turn on multi-touch, hide the status bar (and optionally stop the screen from going off if no activity)

next we declare 2 containers for logic, one to handle when the user touches the correct button and (again optionally) one for the wrong button.

next we use the UI library from the Corona SDK to create 2 “buttons”, these are multi-state images (i.e. they have more than one state) with an attached event handler. We assign each of our touch handling container functions to the desired button, this will be called by Corona when the user touches the button.

And that’s it, after some small jiggery pokery, press the buttons hear the noises :smiley: (I am sorry, but I have coded this live in the forum so if it has some “undesired features” then I do apologise, the tutorial was aimed more at showing how easy lua/corona was rather than an accurate coding lesson.

As you can see that took very little time, some 20 mins or so and most of that was images, the code works top to bottom in the simpler applications.

Once you get a basic grip of Lua, you will be sorted, the language is easy, director is very useful to look at as it allows you to have Lua scene files (menu.lua, level1.lua, player_options.lua etc which containerize each of the separate wee elements of your game such as menus, gameplay, score tables, player help and so on, the easily switch between them in your code.

(To get it running, you WILL need some other bits, like a build.settings file and a config.lua file but these are abundant on the web, and the forum here does not allow file attachments :smiley: ) [import]uid: 51222 topic_id: 29625 reply_id: 118945[/import]

#16

Actually, I’m curious as to what led you to believe that Corona SDK is a drag-and-drop app building application? After looking through the tutorials you listed, it should have become quite clear that its a programming language, not a Design tool. I don’t see any thing on the Corona Lab’s website touting this as a drag-and-drop tool.

That said, there are 3rd party tools that provide some drag-and-drop design tools that spits out the required Corona code including one that reads Adobe Flash animations and makes them accessible in just a few lines of code.

You’re going to find that its going to be very hard to complete anything more than the simplest app using tools like Xcode’s interface builder without some programming knowledge to make it actually do something.

I don’t have experience with things like Game Salad, but I know they are more interface and less programming but that comes at a price of a) I think they are more expensive and b) you’re more limited in what you can do.
[import]uid: 19626 topic_id: 29625 reply_id: 118961[/import]

#17

I think Rob is spot on here.

If you are looking for drag and drop I think the Kwik plugin is kinda setup that way through photoshop.

Also you could take my online Corona class at Otis College : )

http://www.otis.edu/ce,course.php?crs=606&dsc=2&sem=33 [import]uid: 10903 topic_id: 29625 reply_id: 118968[/import]

#18

All drag/drop, quick win tools have drawbacks of one variety or another, but for your needs they would work, game creator, game salad are two such tools.
In terms of Corona, Basically, what happens, is you write the code using a text editor in Lua (i.e the language you are writing with is Lua). When you are ready, you ask corona to build a version for your desired device, Android, Kindle, Nook, IOS etc. You will do these as seperate builds.

My best guess (as that is their technology) is that Corona has a skeleton application for each platform that then takes your Lua scripts and generates the appropriate native binary files which it then sends back to you as a ready to go application. But the actual details of that process are irrelevant.

As for learning Lua, no not in particular, the actual language is a common stumbling block for newbie programmers. Learn how to PROGRAM in general, the language itself is largely irrelevent. All programming languages pretty much do the same things, once you understand the general concepts of programming, (control statements, loops and program flow control and containerization/modularization) you can code in any language fairly quickly.

As I said yesterday, stop being daunted by the challenge and grab the tools and get started, start with simple stuff like “Hello World” and work from there. The sample from yesterday will give you a good starting point. it meets you spec and will just need some tinkering to get working. Within a few days you will be going confidently.

http://www.lua.org/pil/ here is a book on lua, read that, it should make things a lot easier. Remember, learning the Lua language will simply allow you to communicate with Corona via the SDK libraries (and 3rd party libraries) it provides. What Corona does with that in order to get you a device binary is largely irrelevant. (Later on you can get up to much more trickery with native SDKs and so on) but that is nothing to concern yourself with just now. (Only thing to bear in mind, not all of the Lua language is supported by Corona, but that book will be a good start) [import]uid: 51222 topic_id: 29625 reply_id: 119084[/import]

#19

Thank you very much all you guys just need clarity on third party add o n and wether the need to learn code?
Guys some nice people have pointed me to http://developer.coronalabs.com/content/getting-started-corona-game-edition. On this forum thanks to the two users This is exactly what I needed this is what I am reading now and was wishing for as a starting point I found it thanks to the two user on this forums

Ok fine thanks nielster for explaining the tutorial walk through thanks for the great effort very kind indeed but Does corona sdk compile that code you have show above automatically? Or have you gone to the lengths of manually type the code from what you know and skills you have.

What language is your code in who produced it? Is it lua? JavaScript?

Do I need to learn this language separately from other resouce for example lua.com or will the above tutorials have me automacally understand the language and no need to side track what I am basically asking I guess is can I follow only one true guide in a systematic order
Will mobile devices book from fernadez help me out here? Do you suggest I get it actually I’m scrapping the book in favour of the beginer doc with corona sdk they seem quite similar but someone from this forum did point it out to me just asking

Im guessing I will have to learn lua first right even though I’m a non programming no xperience so I have came to this conclusion I mean that’s what you are suggestion right nielster? I need a little bit more clarity

Hang on what about gumbo I have seen a few tutorials does they let you get away with not learning lua code or is that a limitation somewhere? But still reading the above tutorial

I just don’t want to read the ntroduction then move on to a book which teaches the same thing then learn lua separately only to discover the topic is covered in the tutorials some where here at this http://developer.coronalabs.com/content/getting-started-corona-game-edition

Same with the tuts from peachys what’s different from hers to the ones here http://developer.coronalabs.com/content/getting-started-corona-game-edition

I guess all in all I am asking for a systematic order way or learning

First second third etc

I’m worked it out so far as

Number one : http://developer.coronalabs.com/content/getting-started-corona-game-edition
Two: not sure about this book fernadez who knows it is cover the same thing above

Third: is it learn lua all over from lua.com

Fourth: Is it then use gumbo so I don’t have to code over and over maybe?
This is the answers needed please fellas

Much greatful for your time for reading this post I’m sure the advices and answers will help much a need in a similar simulation for many years

[import]uid: 169835 topic_id: 29625 reply_id: 119069[/import]

#20

Sorry nielster I edit the post please can you clarify with the points you made is my order better or the order you suggested

Thank you very much all you guys just need clarity on third party add o n and wether the need to learn code?

Guys some nice people have pointed me to http://developer.coronalabs.com/content/getting-started-corona-game-edition. On this forum thanks to the two users This is exactly what I needed this is what I am reading now and was wishing for as a starting point I found it thanks to the two user on this forums

Ok fine thanks nielster for explaining the tutorial walk through thanks for the great effort very kind indeed but Does corona sdk compile that code you have show above automatically? Or have you gone to the lengths of manually type the code from what you know and skills you have.

What language is your code in who produced it? Is it lua? JavaScript?

Do I need to learn this language separately from other resouce for example lua.com or will the above tutorials have me automacally understand the language and no need to side track what I am basically asking I guess is can I follow only one true guide in a systematic order

Will mobile devices book from fernadez help me out here? Do you suggest I get it actually I’m scrapping the book in favour of the beginer doc with corona sdk they seem quite similar but someone from this forum did point it out to me just asking

Im guessing I will have to learn lua first right even though I’m a non programming no xperience so I have came to this conclusion I mean that’s what you are suggestion right nielster? I need a little bit more clarity

Hang on what about gumbo I have seen a few tutorials does they let you get away with not learning lua code or is that a limitation somewhere? But still reading the above tutorial

I just don’t want to read the ntroduction then move on to a book which teaches the same thing then learn lua separately only to discover the topic is covered in the tutorials some where here at this http://developer.coronalabs.com/content/getting-started-corona-game-edition

Same with the tuts from peachys what’s different from hers to the ones here http://developer.coronalabs.com/content/getting-started-corona-game-edition

I guess all in all I am asking for a systematic order way or learning

First second third etc

I’m worked it out so far as

Number one : http://developer.coronalabs.com/content/getting-started-corona-game-edition

Two: not sure about this book fernadez who knows it is cover the same thing above

Third: is it learn lua all over from lua.com

Fourth: Is it then use gumbo so I don’t have to code over and over maybe?

This is the answers needed please fellas

Much greatful for your time for reading this post I’m sure the advices and answers will help much a need in a similar simulation for many years [import]uid: 169835 topic_id: 29625 reply_id: 119088[/import]