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Learning C++, Where Do I Go From Here?

Started by Thermalwolf Jan 10, 2011 at 9:30 AM 3 replies 1.2k views

Original Post

Jan 10, 2011 at 9:30 AM

Video Gaming is a passion for me. I love trying new games, and I especially love the makings just to get a glimpse at how it was all done. With that said, I enjoy the though of programing an designing for a living a lot. It's been a passion for me and I'm finally ready to learn and adapt! Basically my question is, once I get the C++ language down (Not mastered. I know that really being able to put out comes from years of hardwork), where should I go from their? I'm starting now on pre-processors following the website Learn CPP. It's very nice and seems to cover every aspect of C++. It's kind of hard but I'm getting it. Toying around with the examples, trying different things, playing with headers and multiple .cpp files. Simple stuff to get it stuck in my head.

I'm downloading Havok Physics and DirectX SDK and am going to open their examples and peak at the code, see what I've learned so far and see how it's applied in real programming.

Also what colleges or courses are recommended? I know all these schools like DeVry and Westwood offer their "Game Design" courses but I'm talking real deal. I know I wanna take something in psychology as a team aspect thing to help me work better in a team environment.

Pretty much I've realized I need to tone myself down and look at it from a real perspective. My download of those SDK's is to purely see what's ahead of me in my future, and not try to actually make a game or something lol. I'm going to stick with what I'm doing now, and ofcourse make games like tetris and pong, but I just wanna know where do I go after I've got the basics and intermediates down.

Thanks in advance!

Sappharos

Jan 10, 2011 at 11:33 AM

Have you made any console games? Like an RPG, or Tic-tac-toe or something?

EDIT: I don't mean PS2 or Xbox consoles, I mean text-based games.

CJ_COIMBRA

Jan 10, 2011 at 11:51 AM

You could try http://www.gameinstitute.com/ courses.
But I wouldn´t go right for DirectX. Instead try some simpler stuff like Allegro or SFML first. They share several concepts with DirectX but without monstrous appearance.

SwampThang

Jan 11, 2011 at 7:40 AM

Just like the other posters said, the best route to take is to make something simple in C++.

DirectX, Havok, AAA middle-ware code is very difficult and extremely large and complex code. In order to get to that point, one must have a very solid foundation of experience and knowledge in C++.

Your best bet is to create something small (console based, GLUT, SDL, etc).

For learning C++, you will be most effective with good sources, my personal favorite sources are books, MSDN documentation, and the documentation of the product you are using. Be wary of random bloggers, check your sources!

Here's two sources which got me from struggling in C++ to fairly comfortable:
For pointers:
http://www.amazon.com/C-Pointers-Dynamic-Memory-Management/dp/0471049980
For the pre-processor:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/y4skk93w(v=VS.100).aspx

jpetrie

Jan 11, 2011 at 8:10 AM

Generally, C++ is not the most ideal language to begin with. It was designed and built for a programmer who already knows what he or she is doing. A language like Python is a much better choice when starting out.

Looking at the DirectX and Havoc SDKs aren't going to help you much -- your enthusiasm is admirable, but if nothing else it's going to give you a very skewed early impression of what the language is like, one that's leveraging extremely advanced, nontrivial concepts you will probably try to frame in the limited context you have already acquired and thus misunderstand them. Plato's allegory of the cave, et cetera.

Focus -- in whatever language you choose, C++ if you must -- on doing very simple projects within your skill level. Guess-the-Number games, tic-tac-toe. Et cetera. Work through your learning resources slowly -- if you insist on continuing to learn C++ I would abandon the site you're currently using (it's not that great) and look up "C++ A Dialog" and/or "Thinking in C++." They're both free and available online.

As for schools... Well, these are my thoughts about game schools.

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