Win32 is not a programming language, its an API (Application Program Interface). in short, a library for programming Win32 applications [smile]
After you learn a language, you learn a library or libraries (or a ready engine, like graphics engine or game engine. or just use ANSI-C/++. by library i mean a library of functions, not books ;) so you can work with them with a programming language.
Then, usually we create our own engine or library.
And then the game/s [smile]
you can create the game and then the engine, or (not) simply create games without an engine.
GameDev.net isn't a forum only. there are more things. like this: Start Here.
You should check this out first, it designed for beginners.

pex.

Firstly, for the above responses, from the OP's comments, he's clearly already checked out the for beginners section. If you havn't already, also check out the for beginners forum FAQ, as it contains some excellent information and resources.

As Da cobra suggested, books are very good for getting, as they generally walk you through the process step-by-step, explaining most of the key concepts along the way.

Now, as the others have said, you'll need to begin learning a language. C/C++ is a good option for this, unless for some particular reason you have another language in mind. You'll likely start out writing very simple console programs (what is a Windows Console?). Although the first programs may seem quite boring and non-useful (the prime example being "hello world"), it is important for you to learn these basics.

You probably won't write very complex programs in console mode, but you can write a few simple games using ASCII graphics (text as artwork). Some good example of this are Tic-Tac-Toe, guess the number, or hangman.

Then you'll probably want to move onto using some graphics. At this point, there are a few options. You can learn Win32 and use GDI, which although quite dated, will still teach you the basics behind graphics, and still recieves reasonably wide use. Other common options include DirectX, OpenGL (more suited for 3d, but can be used for 2d if you wish), or SDL (which is often considered an excellent choice for beginners, while also being useful for more experienced coders as well).

As pex22 said, these are all examples of APIs which as a basic explanation, are pre-written libraries of code that help you to perform specific functions (such as handling graphics, input, or sound, etc). We use these to take our work much easier, and because there's no real point re-writing the exact same code for every single project.

Good luck, and don't forget to ask if you have any further questions, and keep using the resources available to you (such as this site/forums). [smile]