1. Use descriptive subjects/titles for your threads. Some people will simply skip anything that doesn''t look promising.


2. Show some initiative. Search the web for "learn C++ free" and "C++ tutorial"; you''ll be amazed what you find.


3. Start here

quote:Original post by blahtotheblah
I am a cheep lazy ass 10th grade genius who is very interested with tweeling his computer. Therefore , being the incredible genius he is, has asked for information about learning good generally universal programming language that is most generally oriented towards gaming, From what i've heard C/C++ are good basic languages, but i have no programming exsperience and as of now i am very willing to spend 50$ dollars on a "beginners kit for programming" to get me started. I would greatly appreciate any tips or links to help or accomodate me.

I will not be a grammar Nazi like the other(s) and will just get down to helping you.

This list was and still is very helpful to me.

If you want to make "main stream" games, like the ones I assume you play, then you will want to go this route:

C -> C++ -> Windows API -> DirectX API -> Game Engines -> Game Scripting -> Make Your Own Game

A few suggestions:

1) Get only C PRIMER PLUS and C++ PRIMER PLUS to learn C/C++ for the other books are just repeats.

2) Don't buy TRICKS OF THE WINDOWS GAME PROGRAMMING GURUS unless you want to develop 2D games.

3) Don't call C/C++ basic languages unless you want hate mail...

If you only want to spend $50 then pick up either of these books:

1) Game Coding Complete
2) Programming Role Playing Games with DirectX w/CD

The seconded book even has an entire chapter on C++; however, you will need to know C before hand. They are both gate way books into game development as some call them. But IMHO, after reading those books, you'll certainly have enough information to develop your own game. So their not "beginner" or "intermediate" or "advanced" books but are just game programming books period. However, you are going to need more than just one book. For the more books you have, the more information you have, obviously. If you want a kit, then you could probably go with BlitzBasic/3D or DarkBasic but in the end I don't think you'll get what you want out of these "soft-core" methods.

In my continued philosophy that game development is not hard, for everything is hard, and only takes time, money, and patience to learn, I'm not going to give a comment like I have seen: "Good Luck!", "Welcome to hell, don't get burned…", etc. I'm only going to say that game development is at the bare minimum a fun, never ending, mind expanding, exhilarating, adventure for any human (or monkey) to travel.





"Do not flame people you don't know in a public forum. Only amateurs do that. Professionals in the industry know they will run into each other over and over. The person you flame this year may the person you want to do business with next year. Don't burn your bridges," (Diana Gruber, http://www.makegames.com/chapt6.html) .

[edited by - DIRECTXMEN on March 26, 2004 10:44:46 AM]

C++ is a great place to start (and no...it's not a "basic language"...it's a very powerful high-end language that's suprizingly simple and gives TONS of good experience if you're ever wanting to move on to Java or C#). Just make sure you get a book that sticks with the basics - nothing object oriented for quite a while. The simple stuff in C++ (except for keyboard input and output) is pretty much identical to C, so you'll be learning both at the same time if you take it slow.

If you're just barely starting, I'd recommend getting a C++ text book like what you'd use in college rather than some "Teach Yourself..." type book. The Deitel & Deitel Series are really good ones...If you're near a college/university, find out what book they teach from...go checkout they're engineering library to see what kind of C++ books they have there.

Just remember...take it slow. Even if it seems like stuff in the book has no value at all (that's how I felt when I first learned inheritence, recursion, trees, etc.), having a good understanding of how the language works rather than just how to do some cool stuff with it will pay off big time in the long run. Good luck.



[edited by - J1NX on March 26, 2004 3:54:34 PM]

If you are just starting out with C++ and want nothing but the very basics I would suggest this book by Tony Gaddis. It was how I cut my teeth on C++. I then recommend using the Deitel & Deitel series. Deitel & Deitel jump into advanced concepts very early in their books so I would not recommend it for any beginner. I hope this helps you.

I entirely disagree with anyone who wants to propose C++ as a first programming language. Just look at the typical topics that come up in this forum on a regular basis. The number of "gotchas" involved in C++ in writing even a simple program - the things that will scare beginners away, the things that hide the programmer''s intent in the details of getting it to work, the things that you have to worry about before you Know What You''re Doing although you really oughtn''t have to - is just way too high. If you want something reasonably C-like but higher-level, go with Java to start. Seriously, C++ is probably the *last* commonly-used language I''d ever think of suggesting to a beginner.