DEV-C++ or Microsoft Visual C++?

So next, I should buy a book on windows programming right? Then after that a book on either OpenGL or DirectX? Then...Games! =)

This is the right path isn''t it? The Windows programming bit sounds very boring.. I hate Visual Basic.

Well, you can find books that teach you enough Windows programming to successfully create games, but as you go on (beyond your first few games) you''ll get to the point where you realize that you want to create more detailed Windows apps. You can learn it then, or you can learn it now.

A much-recommended game programming book is Tricks of the Windows Game Programming Gurus by Andre'' LaMothe. He also wrote Windows Game Programmming for Dummies , which is also highly recommended. I never read the second, and the first didn''t do as much for me since I had read his much earlier book Teach Yourself Game Programming in 21 days about 5 years ago, and a lot of the material from that was rehashed in TWGPG. Check it out, though. I think it might be what you''re looking for.

For OpenGL you can try NeHe''s site. He does use the Win32 API, so be warned . You can download alternate versions of his tutorials at the bottom of each of their pages.

[Resist Windows XP''s Invasive Production Activation Technology!]

Dev-C++ is a very solid compiler. I only used it before i had Borland though. As far as power goes Borland and MSVC are both better. But for simpler applications you can use Dev-C++ just fine. Even for OpenGL Dev-C++ is good. But for Direct3D you need MSVC or you can get the libs for Borland CBuilder now at some site.

Windows programming is basically using a set of functions and variables defined by Microsoft to make a windows program using an API(Application Programming Interface). Things change like from int main() to int WINAPI WinMain(HINSTANCE hThisInst, HINSTANCE hPrevInst, LPSTR lpszArgs, int nWinMode) and blah blah. Its not that hard. Also dont go to far in it if you want to program games. You dont need to know that much of windows programming for games.

Also books aren''t like that because they would be too long.

"Ogun''s Laughter Is No Joke!!!" - Ogun Kills On The Right, A Nigerian Poem.