HI there seze8.
i''m 16, pretty much same range of age. I think you should get you parents into this. Make them buy book for u, tell them it for your education. And they''ll buy it. if they don''t say this "Would you like me to be someone in life or to be a freak drugs dealer ?" That always works!!!!! After they got into it LEARN THE LANGUAGE !.
A building starts from the foor to the roof. Not from the roof to the foor. K ? One of the best books to learn are the "sams teach yourself c++ in 24 hours". After you have at least 2 or 3 sources , start by little project. Like a Tetris game, in witch involves everything a normal game has, Loops.
Another good resource is to be involved in forum. Like here ! you ask , and answer comes, you''ll also learn.
and the last and the best advice is "TRY TO BE THE BEST, BUT NEVER THINK YOU''RE".
That''s pretty much it !!!! I hope i helped you !!!
"The shortcut is not always the best way "
Metal Typhoon
Newbie, needing help with C++,please
Interesting. I am 16 and was once in the exact same position, except that I was only about 10 or 11. I also tried to dive right into game programming, but soon learned that is just wasn't possible. I could use those game studio programs and already made 3D engines and make very very weak programs that weren't games by a longshot.
I know the last thing you want to hear is that you need to put game programming on the back burner for awhile and really learn how to use C/C++/Visual Basic/Basic/Assembly before you go into programming. It wouldn't hurt to know a little of each language. Most of the concepts and structures apply to each of those languages. The way I went was to learn Visual Basic. I made little Windows programs, databases and things. Then moved further, into some graphics and simple animation. All the while still trying to make games. Finally one day, I went back to my book shelf and found one of my old game programming books and read through a little bit of it. The wierd thing was it was in C++ but I understood it. Like I said, learn one language, you'll get the rest with great ease. I suggest starting with Visual Basic, but the choice is up to you.
Yes, I finally got the skills down to program games. A reasonable goal for a first game like mine, is a Tetris game. Which was programmed in VB. Just be careful using the name Tetris, I think there is some kind of patent by the original creators of Tetris that prohibit the use of 'tris' in a name.
Don't worry if you don't understand a lot of the code that you see in games today. Your learning time is dependant on how well you know the workings of a computer and how deep your thought process is, programming requires very deep reasoning and deductive logic. I picked up on it quicker than a lot of people just because I've been around computers all my life. I was using a Commodore 128 at 2 years old :-P (long live the days of pong and (that submarine game, it slipped my mind. Silent something). Beat that Bill Gates. When you get done learning the languages, you'll have no problem reading them. If you do decide to take the path I took. Check out www.vbexplorer.com, or even if you don't decide to take that path. They have some very good information/concepts there.
But anyway... good luck. If you have any further questions shoot me an email (Daishi3058@hotmail.com).
By the way, if you do ever get your parents to come around on buying the books. I recommend the SAMS Teach Yourself books.
Edited by - Daishi on June 24, 2001 11:33:21 PM
I know the last thing you want to hear is that you need to put game programming on the back burner for awhile and really learn how to use C/C++/Visual Basic/Basic/Assembly before you go into programming. It wouldn't hurt to know a little of each language. Most of the concepts and structures apply to each of those languages. The way I went was to learn Visual Basic. I made little Windows programs, databases and things. Then moved further, into some graphics and simple animation. All the while still trying to make games. Finally one day, I went back to my book shelf and found one of my old game programming books and read through a little bit of it. The wierd thing was it was in C++ but I understood it. Like I said, learn one language, you'll get the rest with great ease. I suggest starting with Visual Basic, but the choice is up to you.
Yes, I finally got the skills down to program games. A reasonable goal for a first game like mine, is a Tetris game. Which was programmed in VB. Just be careful using the name Tetris, I think there is some kind of patent by the original creators of Tetris that prohibit the use of 'tris' in a name.
Don't worry if you don't understand a lot of the code that you see in games today. Your learning time is dependant on how well you know the workings of a computer and how deep your thought process is, programming requires very deep reasoning and deductive logic. I picked up on it quicker than a lot of people just because I've been around computers all my life. I was using a Commodore 128 at 2 years old :-P (long live the days of pong and (that submarine game, it slipped my mind. Silent something). Beat that Bill Gates. When you get done learning the languages, you'll have no problem reading them. If you do decide to take the path I took. Check out www.vbexplorer.com, or even if you don't decide to take that path. They have some very good information/concepts there.
But anyway... good luck. If you have any further questions shoot me an email (Daishi3058@hotmail.com).
By the way, if you do ever get your parents to come around on buying the books. I recommend the SAMS Teach Yourself books.
Edited by - Daishi on June 24, 2001 11:33:21 PM
do you mean Silent Service? 
Thats a Submarine game on the NES. (oh, and sorry to get off subject, i''m just an old-school game enthusiest. 
Even if I can''t spell. 
-Greg, The lazy webmaster
Thats a Submarine game on the NES. (oh, and sorry to get off subject, i''m just an old-school game enthusiest. Even if I can''t spell. -Greg, The lazy webmaster
To the dealy lama, the people i was talking about that were negative are the people that said I was too young to start. I think it''s not right to say someone can''t do something because of their age unless they''re 3 or 89 years old! Get my point? Once again, I''d like to thank every one. And I really do mean everyone, for contributing to this post.
Alright, seze, this is what you want to do. First, your parents are completely wrong. If you were to learn now, you would be way ahead of many people and would be in a very good position to go into a job later on. If you cannot convince them to let you buy a couple books, I think the best idea would be to rent them from a library. There''s no reason your parents won''t let you rent books is there? If you already know C, then just rent a book on C++ (may have to take it out a couple times). If you don''t know C, then you really have to learn that first. I am 14 now, but I started programming C at 12. That''s what I did. I bought a book on C, and when I was finished I read a book on C++. You should have reference book, but for the most part you should be okay with just renting one to learn.
And you absolutely cannot go into programming without learning of all C or C++. There''s no such thing as ''C++ Game Programming'', you''re still using normal C++ programming to do it. You must learn C++ programming (everything) if you hope to become a game programmer. After you learn C++, you will also need to learn (possibly) the Windows API (it would help) and definately DirectX/OpenGL (unless you want to write games in DOS).
And just try as hard as you can to convince your parents it''s the right thing. Let them read this post if they aren''t convinced! The longer you know the language, the more and more your knowledge can expand, and then when you go looking for a job, you won''t have any trouble finding one. And remember what I said before, if your parents won''t buy you one, rent one! Just go to the library and get a book or two. But the important thing to remember is, you cannot learn ''C++ game programming'', you learn ''C++ programming''. And before you learn C++, you should learn C. Trust me. After learning C++ you need to learn some APIs. I would really recommend buying (or renting if possible) "Tricks of the Windows Game Programming Gurus".
And you absolutely cannot go into programming without learning of all C or C++. There''s no such thing as ''C++ Game Programming'', you''re still using normal C++ programming to do it. You must learn C++ programming (everything) if you hope to become a game programmer. After you learn C++, you will also need to learn (possibly) the Windows API (it would help) and definately DirectX/OpenGL (unless you want to write games in DOS).
And just try as hard as you can to convince your parents it''s the right thing. Let them read this post if they aren''t convinced! The longer you know the language, the more and more your knowledge can expand, and then when you go looking for a job, you won''t have any trouble finding one. And remember what I said before, if your parents won''t buy you one, rent one! Just go to the library and get a book or two. But the important thing to remember is, you cannot learn ''C++ game programming'', you learn ''C++ programming''. And before you learn C++, you should learn C. Trust me. After learning C++ you need to learn some APIs. I would really recommend buying (or renting if possible) "Tricks of the Windows Game Programming Gurus".
I say anyone learning to program ANYTHING (including video games) should first start with something easy such as Visual Basic because you will easily find any kind of tutorials (again, including video games) even though that program is not designed for that. Also, learning the basics using VB can help alot when you are trying to understand something in C++ or other harder language. And for those who know nothing, I recommend looking for Online Books (VB has a really nice one) because later you''ll understand the Basics. All languages share a basic root.
I also started when I was very young and I found easier to learn VB for two or three years until I was able to really comprehend what was going on, and then quickly learned C++.
A nice thing is to have patience. Remember that you won''t learn to program in a short period of time... It''s all practice. Come on, it''s like learning Chinese in a year... You know noone can (Well I already know because I was born half Chinese wahaha!)
Anyhow just keep going even if you are in the deepest shit-of-an-error. (Usually happens)
I also started when I was very young and I found easier to learn VB for two or three years until I was able to really comprehend what was going on, and then quickly learned C++.
A nice thing is to have patience. Remember that you won''t learn to program in a short period of time... It''s all practice. Come on, it''s like learning Chinese in a year... You know noone can (Well I already know because I was born half Chinese wahaha!)
Anyhow just keep going even if you are in the deepest shit-of-an-error. (Usually happens)
hey, seze8, congrats on trying out programming.. its the best! i started with vb when i was 11,(im currently 12) and im recently moving over to c++, before u make games, learn the language first..
Hey seze8
Id just like to say that I agree to all these people.
I started programming with BASIC on an old Commodore at my grandfathers when I was 6 (currently 15), and a few years ago I got into web programming which sparked my going back to basic for a while. Then late last year (October), I d/loaded a copy of DevC++ and started C++ just learning off tutorials on the net, lately I acquired a copy ( copied CD...Hush... ) of Visual Studio 6 and have been doing C++ every afternoon since...
anyway, just stick with learning the language first then concentrate on the game side of things.
Henry
PS if any of you guys have MSN feel free to add me fluffycloud52@hotmail.com
Id just like to say that I agree to all these people.
I started programming with BASIC on an old Commodore at my grandfathers when I was 6 (currently 15), and a few years ago I got into web programming which sparked my going back to basic for a while. Then late last year (October), I d/loaded a copy of DevC++ and started C++ just learning off tutorials on the net, lately I acquired a copy ( copied CD...Hush...
) of Visual Studio 6 and have been doing C++ every afternoon since...anyway, just stick with learning the language first then concentrate on the game side of things.
Henry
PS if any of you guys have MSN feel free to add me fluffycloud52@hotmail.com
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