I have been programming for a while. The problem is, all the programs i write are merely console apps. I've never really used anything apart from the standard libraries for a language. I've written programs in Java, C and recently i decided to learn C++ (it's basically like a more friendly version of C, from what i have seen thus far!). I've also done a lot of scripting in Lua. I understand the core concepts of programming languages: logic, data types, encapsulation, modularity, data structures (linked lists, heaps, stacks, etc.), header files, and things like that. I've created a variety of programs that ultimately don't do anything interesting. I'd say the most interesting thing i've written is a chess program that reads in a text file containing a chess grid and then outputs the list of possible moves that result in the white team winning.
I am also decent with photoshop and a self-taught modeler, and I consider myself quite proficient with Blender (in my opinion it has the easiest-to-learn interface). I've created and submitted models for Team Fortress 2:
I've also done a lot of work with the Hammer world editor from the Source SDK, here's one of my semi-finished maps that i kind of abandoned:
I also enjoy playing around with sound engineering, and I've produced a few sound mods for a few Valve games (mainly the Left4Dead series). Mostly tweaks made to sounds that seem low quality or "off". I can be a bit of a nitpicker when it comes to audio.
There are a lot of video game programming concepts that I've come to understand over time - controlling player visiblity, proper implementation of netcode (ie. using UDP over TCP), level of detail, environment cubemaps, and other things. I understand the concepts but i've never actually implemented them in any way. The problem i am faced with is that I want to create some sort of game - whether it be a sidescroller or something similar - but i don't know where to start. The game would probably be more of a learning adventure than something i want to sell for profit. I've come to the conclusion that I want to write my game in C++ using XNA, after doing a little investigating. But since all i've ever done is write simple console apps i don't know where to start at all. It feels like i'm making some sort of quantum leap from a simple program that parses a text file and does some computations to a full blown video game.
So i beseech you, programming gurus, where is a good place to start? Should i start my own Source Mod and muck around with C++ or should i begin a project that uses XNA? How have you made the leap from simple console programs to an actual game?
Any input, suggestions or comments are appreciated! I really do hope I can become a well rounded video game producer. At this point i feel like a jack-of-all-trades with no real expertise in any field.
