I'd recommend using a library such as SFML or SDL, if you're using c++ or c# (and there's always the route of Unity, gamemaker or other such engines).

They're great for simplifying graphics, input, window handling, audio, etc. and generally a good first step into the graphics end of game making.

I know you mentioned you'd prefer not to use tutorials as they're often filled with things you don't need, but perhaps find one that separates the chapters where you can filter through to the relevant information. Or, simply go straight to the documentation. I do find these tutorials rather easy to get through though, and quite informative (most of your questions regarding the game manager and classes and such are laid out pretty clear). If you want the straight code of an existing game, perhaps rifle around github. The only issue with that is there's no guarantee the code isn't teaching you terrible practices (though to be fair, tutorials lack that same guarantee). Also, often other people's raw code for a game can be ridiculously tough to parse without spending rather a large amount of time with it or just simply so complex that it's less than useful. That's just been my experience with it though, but if it works for you, have at it :)

If you'd like to use MonoGame, I think it should be fine. It wraps up game programming concepts in a similar easy to use fashion as SFML.

You say you don't like following tutorials, but would rather look through code. However, I've found these very useful and they have pretty concise code examples.

http://rbwhitaker.wikidot.com/xna-tutorials

http://rbwhitaker.wikidot.com/monogame-tutorials

I'm including the XNA link since MonoGame is an open source port of XNA so you'll probably find them useful too.

If you're having trouble getting started on a game project because you're not sure what pieces you'll need, you might want to tackle simpler games. Take a look at this article and pick one of the games early in the list to do. It explains which game types you should make first and why. Pong is a great first start.

http://www.gamedev.net/page/resources/_/technical/game-programming/your-first-step-to-game-development-starts-here-r2976

Let me know where I can pick up my VHS tapes...

- Eck

When I started out with visual games, I found both Lazy Foo's SDL tutorials and the official SFML tutorials to be very helpful. I think that maybe you should take a step back and forget for a second about making a game. You said that you are already capable of coding a decent game on console, so maybe you don't need to worry about game-related programming right now. Instead, set these simple goals:

- Create a window.

- Keep that window running, and be able to close it.

- Fill that window with color.

- Display an image on this window.

- Move the image through code.

- Move the image through player input.

Each one would be a project by itself, that you could complete rather quickly (a couple of hours in most cases).

Once you are able to move a sprite arround with the keyboard arrows or the mouse, you'll already be able to explore a huge number of possibilities in game making.