Allegro Cheating?

Rather than looking for what is 'professional', look at what is practical. For that reason, I would definitely recommend looking beyond Allegro. Take a look at SDL, or if you want to fiddle with 3D stuff, OpenGL or DirectX, or any other library or API that sounds interesting. Besides broadening your insight, you may find something that better fits your needs than Allegro. Even if you don't, learning to be flexible is more important than being an expert in a single area.

Globals aren't evil for the sake of it. They're 'evil' because they make programs harder to maintain on the long run. For example code or small programs they can be just fine. The same is true for small hacks and ugly fixes. They solve a problem now, but make maintenance harder later on. Don't learn new techniques because you're afraid you're not a 'real programmer'. Learn them to save yourself time and sleepness nights later on, and to be able to focus on getting good products out rather than wasting time on countless bugs.

Believe me, that's a good reason to improve your programming skills. I can tell from personal experience... not having to spend so many weeks on all sorts of bugs-that-cause-other-bugs-after-you-fixed-them is much better than being called a real programmer, I'd say. ;)

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Original post by Captain P Rather than looking for what is 'professional', look at what is practical. For that reason, I would definitely recommend looking beyond Allegro. Take a look at SDL, or if you want to fiddle with 3D stuff, OpenGL or DirectX, or any other library or API that sounds interesting.

Wait, is SDL more advanced than Allegro? I thought SDL was bare-bones simple and couldn't compare to Allegro. I use SDL, it's easy as heck and I thought I would have to move up the graphics library ladder if I wanted to make real games. How do they compare with one another? (I guess I should be making a seperate thread for this...)

SDL and allegro are comparable as far as ease of use and feature set goes.. SDL leaves a bit more up to the programmer though. I wouldnt put it on the same level as DirectX or OpenGL though. If you want too move up, move up too one of those, not SDL.

Alternatively, you could look at an engine, like irrlicht, and possibly learn to use that. although SDL, opengl, and directx are common enough that they should be worth your time to learn.

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Original post by Deamonslayer im just curious if my Allegro coding is a real game programmers way.

There is no one 'way' things are done; if you can produce a working game then you're a real game programmer. I certainly wouldn't recommend limiting yourself to Allegro without looking at what other options are out there, but as long as it let's you create the games you're trying to make use whatever you're comfortable with. Particularly since you wish to start your own company rather than getting hired elsewhere it matters more that you're able to create a polished product than how you actually go about doing it.

Do try using some other libraries and APIs though, even if you don't end up using them the experience will come in handy, and you may find something you're more comfortable with or with is better suited to your particular needs.

I would strongly (!) recommend that you not try to start your own game company straight out of college, unless you're already independently wealthy, and don't mind becoming less wealthy.

Getting some in-industry experience will teach you a lot. Even if that just turns out to be learning in detail how you don't want to do things, that will be valuable unto itself.