You want to learn programming first? then game programming?

Ill tell ya, I read the book C++ in 21days(hours) either one by sams publishing. It got me going in C++ without a problem. It is also cheap. Id like to hear what others say about this book, I think it is not liked well by many experienced programmers but like I said I am into building an entire engine now and thats where I started. I also got books like Advanced C++ and what not, but by the time u get through C++ In 21 Days you will want to look for info on the internet anyways.

If ya get through that book and want to start a game, go out and get McShaffry's book Game Coding Complete 2nd Edition. I found it to be a life saver. There are alot of errors here and there but the just of it will get ya through what u need to know to make a good game. And it will teach ya about code seperation.

GL,
Brad

Quote:Original post by Asrai
I have never come across that book but I recommend this book!

Seconded, you learn C++ and apply it to basic games. It's a creative, fun, and to some, addicting, way to learn C++. It's in easy to understand English, and will take anyone just beginning.

I too have recently been learning how to program and C++ and it's funny you should bring up this book

I was sitting in Barne's and Noble the other day looking for good C++ resource books and I came across that exact one.

However, I don't recommend it for beginners....

I was looking through it and the author doesn't seem to go into too much detail on the background of things.

I, myself, am using Sams Teach Yourself C++ in 24 hours, though I've heard that "Sams C++ in 21 days" is a better resource. Either way, whichever C++ resource you pick, you'll always need more. Authors are good at explaining some things and awful at others. So you'll find it best if you pick up 2 or 3 books on C++ and work your way through them. Also, I've recently discovered the internet to be the best resource you have at your disposal. The forums here at gamedev.net are like working in an office with a team of experienced programmers. Anything you read in your resource texts that you don't understand, the community here will be happy to help you understand it.

But bottom line, I recommend any of the Sams C++ books.

For a second opinion on Asrai's book, I got it as well, and I must say...

It's a great book. The only problem is that don't expect to learn how to program a game with it, despite the title. It's a GREAT book for teaching C++, I guess mainly because it teaches the concepts with familar examples. I've learned more from this book than I have from either of my computer science teachers... XD

But to program a game is really applying knowledge. No matter how good a book is, it won't really teach you "how" to program a game. Learn the language and parts of it, and see how you can "implement" it into making a game. That's how I decided to start at school, since all the school projects were boring and unhelpful...

I used Micheal Dawson's Beginning C++ Game Programming (linked to in one of the first couple replies Edit: More than that it seems, its a good book :D) and found it to be very helpful, but it doesn't cover a couple of the more advanced topics such as templates. I bought Learn C++ in 21 Days after that to finish learning C++, and though it covered everything, the examples it used became 2-3 pages long and seemed much less comprehensable.

I would recomend getting Beginning C++ Game Programming for its clarity/simplicity, and then learning the rest of the language using internet/compiler references and tutorials.