So I finally got the book and was excited that I can begin to do some programming. I downloaded the demo of blitz and had a good time reading, but by the time I was on page 12 something weird happened. I got the program blitz and by the time I clicked the program, it said that my 30 - day got expired! So I was looking all over the web , but their was nothing that talked about it but people with similar problem and gotten no answers. SO what do I do?

[quote name='UMULAStudios' timestamp='1316824166' post='4865350']
So I finally got the book and was excited that I can begin to do some programming. I downloaded the demo of blitz and had a good time reading, but by the time I was on page 12 something weird happened. I got the program blitz and by the time I clicked the program, it said that my 30 - day got expired! So I was looking all over the web (pirate bay, communities), but their was nothing that talked about it but people with similar problem and gotten no answers. SO what do I do?

So, the book depends on you purchasing a licence for a piece of software to be useful? Are you sure it doesn't include a licence in the book or something?

It does seem like a dirty trick to get kids to buy stuff.
[/quote]

I never knew about the 30 day program, I never even heard about it, that it just provided with a CD of the program that it was doing. Wow, I think that was a dirty trick, more messed up that I got the book from this website.

http://www.gamedev.net/page/books/index.html/_/for-beginners-21/game-programming-for-teens-r720

Now I'm pissed that I have to buy the program blitz that doesn't sell anymore because of how old it is. D:<

Download and use this IDE instead: http://sourceforge.n...s/blitzmax-ide/
Then continue to follow the book.

If that doesn't work, immediately return the book. Usually bookstores allow you to return the book unless it comes with a CD. Even if it comes with a CD, ask to speak to a manager, and explain (politely) that the book is a borderline scam, and requires the additional purchase of a $60 piece of software online to actually be usable. They might not give a refund, but hey, ask for store credit instead, and purchase a different programming book. Be persistent, but be polite.

Learn Python. Get a beginner's book for python instead.

Download and use this IDE instead: http://sourceforge.n...s/blitzmax-ide/
Then continue to follow the book.

If that doesn't work, immediately return the book. Usually bookstores allow you to return the book unless it comes with a CD. Even if it comes with a CD, ask to speak to a manager, and explain (politely) that the book is a borderline scam, and requires the additional purchase of a $60 piece of software online to actually be usable. They might not give a refund, but hey, ask for store credit instead, and purchase a different programming book. Be persistent, but be polite.

Learn Python. Get a beginner's book for python instead.

Can't get the file to work... Still looking for ways. Also, I'm already ordering math books online, so I think asking my dad to order python books will take a while.

I GOT IT. I used run administrator as and the system works! I think there is a glitch that makes the 29 days in to 30 days, XD.

Can't get the file to work... Still looking for ways. Also, I'm already ordering math books online, so I think asking my dad to order python books will take a while.

Don't forget also that there are alot of very good tutorials online. I learn mostly by online tutorials, articles, and forums and then supplemented by books, not vice-versa. Saves alot of money that way, even when it's someone else's money.

[quote name='UMULAStudios' timestamp='1316830083' post='4865375']
Can't get the file to work... Still looking for ways. Also, I'm already ordering math books online, so I think asking my dad to order python books will take a while.

Don't forget also that there are alot of very good tutorials online. I learn mostly by online tutorials, articles, and forums and then supplemented by books, not vice-versa. Saves alot of money that way, even when it's someone else's money.
[/quote]

This is awesome advice. Books are horrible for learning something as dynamic as programming languages, especially game development APIs which are changing on a regular basis. The internet is a very large library, not all information you find will be accurate, but it's constantly being updated with new information. The only books I'd say are worth it are all advanced subjects like what you find in series like GPU Gems and Game Programming Gems, not at all useful for a newb, but once your up to that level invaluable resources.

As for specific websites to check, that depends on the language.
- CProgramming.com is awesome for C/C++ all the way from newb to advanced. This one website has put every C/C++ book I've ever purchased to shame.
- csharp-station seems really nice for C#, found that a few days ago for my brother whom wanted to learn C# after seeing some of the code I was working with. He's been able to pick up the basics pretty fast from those tutorials, well enough to write up simple console based programs that parse user input and respond to it like a text based game.

I'd really recommend starting with a language like C#. It's supported so well by Visual Studio, even the free Express version, that a lot of newb mistakes are caught on-the-fly while your typing or when you hit Build. The debugger is so tightly integrated that it's rare the IDE doesn't jump within 10 lines of where the error actually occurred so you spend much less time on finding bugs and more time fixing them. The first language will be hard to learn, not uncommon to spend a year or two learning your first programming language but weeks or months learning additional languages.