I have just started learning game/graphics programming (with OpenGL) for a few days. Everything I know so far is very basic like camera, VBO, shader concepts,...I'm just very curious to know what common challenges/problems in game programming are to kinda estimate the time I will need to dedicate to my learning. My biggest goal at the moment is to make a decent looking 3d game with many open worlds and pretty looking shaders.

What are the challenges that I should be afraid of (or prepared for) the most to make that kind of game?

From what you described, your biggest 'challenge/problem' will be the discovery that your game requires a lot of content.

That is also a good point. Thank you sir.

I would say any game programming challenge is time constraints.

Problem solving takes time and every new problem you are facing for the first time is hard to estimate how much time it would take to solve it.

It also takes time to research the ideas on how to better approach the problem.

First don't aim that higher. Baby steps!(

I would say any game programming challenge is time constraints.

Problem solving takes time and every new problem you are facing for the first time is hard to estimate how much time it would take to solve it.

It also takes time to research the ideas on how to better approach the problem.

Yes that is a challenge in almost every task.

First don't aim that higher. Baby steps!(

).

I always aim high in anything I do but I 'take baby steps' too.

I'm sorry I didn't make my question clear but it doesn't matter, I will just discover the challenge as I move on then :P

Not specific to game programming, but generally:

* Requirements analysis (the single hardest thing - mainly because your customers are guaranteed not to know what their requirements are, particularly for games, which usually looks something like "be fun")

* Time management - knowing how much time to spend on which tasks

* Knowing when a task is complete (this is very difficult in a game)

* Knowing how to split up large tasks, and when the tasks are split small enough