forget c++

Now yesterday someone asked me to join his game develop team.

They are making a game in unity, using c#. They say i can join as programmer.

Hi there, I don't want to sound prejudiced or anything, but how old are you, and, how old are the members of this 'game develop team'?

Anyway, I recommend staying with C++, if you started the book, finish it. For sure, through the learning process you will gain knowledge and experience that will benefit in the future, while this 'game develop team' may not even finish this game at all.

yesterday someone asked me to join his game develop team. They are making a game in unity, using c#. They say i can join as programmer ... i haven't really much experience writing code and because c# is more like java (i think), i will maybe forget lots of the c++ parts and syntax

Thoughts:

1. It's not clear why you have to stop learning C++. Can you clarify?

2. You apparently have little or no experience with C# (or, apparently, Unity.) It's likely you'll make no significant contribution to the team in the next few months (or years). Are you joining the team because you want to be with friends? Is it because it's a "cool" idea? If you're young, those aren't always bad reasons!

As Lysy intimates, it does, indeed, sound like you're quite young. If so, enjoy life. If joining such a team is what appeals to you right now, go for it! If you have a talent for programming, you'll be able to learn C++ (or any other language) later if that's what you want to do.

Thanks for the reactions,

I'm 18 years old and i think i din't clarified exactly what i mean't, so sorry for that.

I mean't this:

When i join the team of those guys, it will be a learning experience for me, while i'm helping them.

I think i have to stop with c++, because i think i won't learn much if i learn 2 programming languages at the same time.

Thanks

You forget things about languages, it will happen all the time, even when only using only one language and even more with C++, which have a lot of little details that make a big difference. You can't remember everything of every language if you're not using them, and if you want to work as a programmer you'll probably learn more languages in the future.

But it's not a bad thing, you shouldn't worry that much, it's not like you'll start always from scratch, and everything will come to mind again a lot faster than you think when you return to that language.

Also, the more important things you should learn while programming are concepts, and you'll use them with other languages too. Classes are also used in C#, and you'll probably learn more about OOP, and that knowledge will be there when you return to C++, you only need to learn the syntax.

C# is an OO language, most of the syntax is the same as c++, so you'll mostly be learning good coding practices. You should be easily able to study both languages.

Don't worry too much about it. Firstly: you'll be making games either way, which is your objective. Other than that, modern C++ and C# are fundamentally very similar languages, so getting strong in C# will be an asset to your development as a programmer.

I started with C++ as my first language and then branched out to Java and C#. Later I learned less similar languages, like Python.

Going back to C++ of course sometimes you will need to use reference a little more than normal, you're not going to "forget" it.

Think of it like playing a game at the arcade, and then playing a game on a home console port. You don't forget how to play the arcade game just because you are playing the home version. Programming is the "game" and the console or control is your "language." If you play at the arcade again after playing your home version for a long time, you will of course have to get used to it again but you will not have forgotten how to play.

EDIT: It was said, but your goal is not to memorize a language. Even professional developers of many years still use language references. They don't have the whole language memorized inside and out. As you get experience you will of course memorize more and more syntax, but you'll never know every last thing and retain it fully. And it's much more useful to be familiar with many languages than to know one single language at such an arbitrary level of perfection.

The skills you gain by learning C++ will transfer to C#. C++ and C# are very similar, and at your level, you probably won't even notice much difference at this point.

If this team said you'll be using Visual Basic version 1, then still go for it - you'll learn far more about programming than any book will teach you. And every single thing you learn will still be applicable. Programming is about the logical thought process of getting from A to B - the language is secondary.

programming language skills are like human language skills, they grow with use, and get rusty with disuse.

when coding in two or more different languages on a daily basis, its possible for the syntax from one to slip into the code of the other, especially if the two have similar but distinct syntaxes. But just like being bi-lingual in human speech, eventually you'll find yourself equally comfortable thinking in your native langauge (such as english or whatever) or in C++, or C#.

learning two at the same time means it will take longer to learn each, since you're dividing your study time between two subjects. unless you only do c++ when you can't or wouldn't normally do the c# work.

I would not fret of remembering a syntax of any given language. With anything you don't use on a regular basis, it will fade.

The crucial part here is to learn the design principles and patterns that cross over into any language. Just because the implementation of the observer, factory, or insert any other pattern may vary from language to language, the goal and purpose of that pattern remains the same and this is where the biggest value comes from. Once you recognize that and recognize the importance of Single Responsibility and Separation of Concerns -- there really isn't any problem too big you can't solve regardless of the language's syntax.

Languages are overestimated.

Of course, C++ has its specific features (and problems). But after all, it's just a tool. Most programming and design principles are very similar to other C-ish languages, like C# or Java.

Sure, you will lose some skill if you don't practice - same as for any other type of ability.

So if you can land the job you're after - do it. If you need, you can continue with C++ any time later.

The only downside to learning C# is that some day you may have to go back to C++. ;)