Hello: This is the very first time that I visit a game developer´s site and also the very first time I start into game developing... A bit late for my age, but well, I´m doing what I can. Enough of an introduction though. Just yesterday I learned of the existance of SDL after struggling around with DEV C++ for a while and I saw it as an excellent opportunity to start on simple game developing. As happens with every beginning, I am full of doubts but so far I have two that are particularly itching: -Is SDL an adequate tool to start doing some 2D game programming?. I have little experience with C++ environments but I am willing to learn. I just want to know if my tools are up for the job. -I got SDL because of the obvious (video, event and sound capabilities) but I am confused at it: I thought that a SDL package had everything I needed on it but now I see that, for example, I have to download SDL_IMAGE (along with many other things for different image formats) to work with image files and such (essential even for creating a Tetris clone... Isn´t it?). My question here is: is there any package including "everything"?. I guess it will be much easier to start off. Thanks in advance for any useful reply. Wish me a pleasant stay in the forums and in game development! :).

Not exactly what I asked but something I would ask for later, so advanced thanks :). Already bookmarked, leave me a few days to read trough this and maybe I will ask more interesting questions.

Again, thanks.

Quote:Original post by The_Marlboro_Man
-Is SDL an adequate tool to start doing some 2D game programming?.

SDL is perfectly adequate, and can save you many headaches that come with "setting up" a rendering system. It lets you jump right into things, which is probably what you're looking for. If, as you say, though, you're not that familiar with C++, you may want to spend some time on getting to know the language, instead of getting to know the language and the basics behind game development and SDL.

Pleasant stay in the forums and in game development!

[¡Tambien, Sevilla es una ciudad que me gusta! (I spent some time in Granada recently, learning some Spanish, and Sevilla was one of the places I visited in my spare time. Guadix was fun, too!)]
¡Buena suerte!
-jouley

Nice to see I am on track with SDL then... About C++ Hopefully I´ll get to know more advanced things about it as the course I am taking goes on (so far we´re somewhere about... pointers. I hope we get to data structures and objects soon, as it seems to me that many SDL things are structs... As if I knew what they are :P). .. In fact, I´m getting started because I see the limitations of the matters studied in the course and with luck and dedication I think I´ll start seeing things clearer.

As for the basics behind game development... Again, I´ll try and read as much articles and things as I can. So far I´m through the links that were given above and though I can´t get the "Hello World" to appear I have been able to dissect the program and spawn new questions... I´ll try and be a bit stubborn with it before asking further.

Thanks for your wishes Jouley, and glad you liked Spain and Seville. Muchas gracias :).

Edit: I think I know why the "Hello World" didn´t appear... It may have something to do with the whole blitting code commented XD!. Problem solved, I think I will dissect the thing again, do it from scratch and move on.