Hey everyone, let me just do a quick introduction to myself.

I'm in my last year of uni @ worcester doing Computer Games Design & Development, throughout the time of this course I have been learning C#. After visiting Euro Gamer London this year, I got speaking to a programmer from Sega - he said that everyone in the industry looks for C++ so it's something I should start learning, he also recommended this forum, hence my presents.

So this is what I'm after (if you can help me):

I'm looking for good source to start learning C++ (preferably for game programming), but ideally to produce something useful at the end (maybe to stick on a portfolio/start building one up)

If you can help me out, I'll be very grateful!

I look forward to hearing your responses

- Matt

Howdie, howdie and welcome to the site!

What framework/engine did you learn to use in worcester? Or did you learn how to do things in the abstraction level of both engines and the underlying graphics API?

Depending on your level of proficiency in said engine/framework that could be the baseline for your portfolio right there. However I will go on record by saying that actually finishing a polished game from start to finish can be just as difficult as learning a graphics API/game Engine.

So being able to actually finish a polished program and stick it in a portfolio with which I would imagine a bullet-list of all the concepts implemented ranging from AI, Networking, Graphics, Input, would be rather admirable to potential employers.

As far as C++ goes I recommend the tutorials in the link below:

http://www.cplusplus.com/doc/tutorial/

It'll start from the ground up with compilers, and carry you to more complex features of the OOP paradigm such as polymorphism and inheritance (which you should be familiar with from C#)

Once you feel comfortable in the language I would recommend this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Effective-Specific-Improve-Programs-Designs/dp/0321334876/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1414278064&sr=8-1&keywords=Effective+C%2B%2B

Effective C++ by Scott Meyers.

-Marcus

Go with something recent -- i.e., targeting C++11/C++14; anything older is a waste of time, especially when learning.

Even if you end up unlucky enough to be confined to maintaining legacy code, it's always easier to pick up older C++ coding style along the way if you already are familiar with the foundations of the language. And getting familiar with the foundations of the language is definitely easier starting with C++11.

Here's the official getting-started list: http://isocpp.org/get-started

I think the recommendations there are 100% spot on, so I won't repeat them here. I can just say that personally I think "C++ Primer" may be the choice for you (and that's what I usually recommend to C++-is-not-my-first-programming-language programmers).

For more, see The Definitive C++ Book Guide and List: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/388242/the-definitive-c-book-guide-and-list

BTW, Scott Meyers is working on Effective Modern C++: http://scottmeyers.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-four-stages-of-doneness.html

From the previews so far it definitely looks a great second/third C++ book to have.

Now, that's as far as the learning is concerned (worth emphasizing: you definitely need a book, IMHO you can't really learn much from the on-line references that won't be covered in a first chapter or two of a good book).

Regarding the reference, worth bookmarking and revisiting as you learn along the way:

http://cppreference.com/

For instance, sooner or later you'll need most of the algorithms listed here -- http://en.cppreference.com/w/cpp/algorithm -- it may save you quite some time to at least get familiarized with their existence, in order to avoid unnecessarily reimplementing the wheel :-)

Good luck!