I am so confused for one main reason... I do not know where to start!! First of all I should start by stating my main goal in life... to become a game programmer, gain experience and start up my own company. I'm 15 right now and I have a good amount of time before I have to college (I am looking at Full Sail.) The only thing is that I have so many options on my plate. I really just want to start making games because I have many ideas, I just don't know what to use, keep in mind I already know C++ and i consider myself pretty good at it. I could learn windows programming for games. I could learn DirectX and make games and also use that knowledge when I go to make games professionally in the future. But then theres other things that I could do, I want to get A+ certified and im not too far from that, I'm getting pretty good at flash and im not sure if I even want to use that to make my games. I also know php and I am experienced in making websites but its all too much for me to work on at once. Can some of you just suggest what I should start at first because I'm sure most of you have tryed at least some of the above, and I bet some people are even good at all that I mentioned. Thanks for all your help, Mike

Well I will suggest looking at the SDL API and start with 2D Games. After you know that, then go right ahead and make a 2D and give it some reasonable goals that you think you could achieve. Then, after you have basically mastered 2D go ahead and try out Direct X or OpenGL. You have plenty of time to learn that and by the time you get to college then, you could do pretty good maybe. Just make sure you stay up to snuff with your work. Also make sure you are pretty good at Math. You will need it when you work with graphics. With 2D, I think you need Algebra and Geometry.(not sure. I am 15 also and using SDL to make a Pong Clone and then a sidecrolling platform game.)That is all I can say right now. Maybe someone with more expierence could get stuff more clearer if I wasn't.


Chad.

Any other suggestions?

Don't go to Full Sail. Look at tech colleges to get a BS in computer science or software engineering.

A+ is a crock, you don't really need it.

I will also suggest SDL, it's a wonderful API, althought since I switched over to C# I have found that SDL.NET is unmatched. But yeah, work on a Pong clone, although make yourself some little demos first to get associated with the SDL API to start.

Looks here that you have Anxious Programmer's Syndrome (APS)

lol i was like that too after I learned C++ (and maybe I still am)


word for the wise: DO NOT RUSH!!

After learning C++, I would highly encourage you to go into GBA programming. GBA programming revolves entirely around game creation(which is why im encouraging you to look into it). Since you are so eager to start making games, GBA programming will offer you just that w/o the steep learning curve of directx or win32.

(you dont even need a Game boy to make GBA programs, how cool!)

Go to this site for a free (legal) ebook and software to program on the GBA:
www.jharbour.com

GBA programming will also give you experience programming game consoles since you are directly dealing with the game boy's hardware.

learn math, lots of it.. calculus and linear algebra, if your interest is in 3d game programming that is.

I agree with a few of the other guys. Go to a regular college instead of Full Sail. The better part of getting a BS in CS is that you can also have another programming job or anything like that without raising eyebrows