How do you program a game w/ C++ ???

[Kazikame]

I am just starting out in my programming journey an I started for the main purpose of game programming, I have no clue on how to include graphics or anything... Is there a tutorial of this somewhere or could someboy please teach. I am sorry if I have botherd anyone with this post. Thank You.

//_Kazikame_\\

[Procyon]

How much programming experience do you have? What kind of game are you thinking of making?

A good general game development site is www.gamedev.net. Other than that, without any information I don't know where to point you.

[Darkenzeru]

I was thinking along the lines of an RPG , I just need to know how to add graphics and make it more interactive.

[Stoned_Coder]

forget game programming for at least a year and learn the syntax of c++ and how to use the STL properly. After that you may want to spend another 6 months learning some of the windows api. After that you can then progress to directx or opengl.
c++ game programming is near impossible for a newbie to the language but with time and experience there is no better language for programming rpg's.
If you are not prepared to expend time and much effort towards achieving your goal then maybe you should take a look at Darkbasic or even Visual basic. These 'languages' will give you much faster results but you will never create anything to rival a c++ program of the same ilk.

[-KEN-]

hehehe - "languages" hehe.

[Xterria]

I was just like you when I started programming C++. I wanted to include graphics and stuff. The reason I even started is because I saw all these great games made out of C++. Boy was I surprised after the first three weeks that still all i could do is make output in a Console(Those Small Black Boxes like DOS). Now everything is coming clear to me, I am starting to program for windows, and, starting to program Graphic stuff for DOS just to brush up on my skills. Soon I will be able to make a cool game. I'm 12 right now, and I just love programming. With an honest effort and dedication I'm sure that I'll be able to create a professional game before I'm a teenager.

[master5001]

The best way to go about programming in c++ is typed the code using your keyboard, possibly looking at some sort of monitor. After that use your handy-dandy c++ compiler to compile your wonderful code.

That superficial answer should tide you over until you find a good site on game programming and buy a decent book on programming c++.

[Witch_King]

C++ will teach you how to conceptualize the design of the game. The standard language is the skeleton and the graphics is like putting flesh on the skeleton. It's probably not a good idea to start with graphics programs.

Also real game development is a large project. You probably can not go it alone, however learn as much as you can.

[phantom]

I know it sounds corny but do a course, even if it's a night course, a human teacher will teach you a lot better than a text book. I learn from text books at the same time so if I don't understand something I ask my teacher the next day. I've studied C++ for a year now and have not started on the advanced stuff.
By the way, openGL is a great graphics program and nehe.gamedev.com is fantastic to learn from.

[Unregistered]

Jamagic www.clickteam.com seems better that dark basic and the syntax is closer to c++ id recomend that instead of db. Personaly though I'd still say just start learning c++ you don't really need any entry level languages.

[Eber Kain]

Dont bother takeing a course if you know anything about what is going on, im in a c++ class now, and its a joke.

If i had of taken it 2 years ago, then I could be learning some stuff, but as it is the class is sad.

[phantom]

I'm sorry to hear you think your class is a joke but really that comes down to individual teachers. The teachers I have are very competant and very helpful so I have no complaints about my course.

[kitten]

I really wish there would be qualified teachers available, but any class I've taken that includes programming have been a joke. Last C++ class finished before we could even deal with classes.

[Eber Kain]

dont get me wrong, my teacher is good, and knows whats hes doing.

There are just so many people in the class that cant figure out how to declare a function we cant do anything intresting.

[Xterria]

Don't take a class...read a book and be happy
read some tutorials and be happy
then go outside and be happy with your dog
anyway
I learned all by myself (I'm a big boy! hehe..) on how to program a game and stuff. I decided after lots of hard thinking and drooling over all these cool games made out of C++, that I should start to learn. i asked my mom if i could simply go to the bookstore and buy a book for C++, and a book for game programming in C++(Though i never found any books for game programming, so I just took what I knew and used it) Of course I ended up learning all this garbage before i could make a game...bla bla. What I'm trying to say is you can learn how to make a game faster by taking your time instead of having to keep up with everyone else in the class. How would I know? I spent one week in this so called 'computer camp' with a bunch of teenagers that think they know everything and theyve got zits all over their head and down to their neck...then the fairy came over to my house and asked me if I wanted to go on a date then im like :eek: then she's like :rolleyes: then im like :( then she's like :mad: then i said that she said that he said that the fairy said :confused:

[morphia]

Well? Did you go out with the fairy or not?:confused:

[Drakon]

Although I've never taken a computer class, it sounds like they are somewhat slow... My brother is in college, and he started class in late august I think. Anyhow, he is taking the computer sciences class. Last week, when he came home for the weekend, he said they were still on things like while loops and arrays. They may be teaching it very well, but I learned them from the C++ Programming For Dummies book in about two days(I cant remember, but probably less actually... however it didn't cover arrays very well).

[bobish]

You can learn the c++ syntax quite well in 1 and 1/2 months if you study hard. you don't really need to know all of the syntax to move on though (i don't know much more about classes that the basics) but be sure to learn all the C stuff and the at least the basic c++ stuff.

[Unregistered]

I agree with what has been said about getting a good teacher.

I am in college now and going on my third programming class. I started with C, and a great teacher, who made it both interesting and comprehendable. Then I took C++ and the teacher was horrible. I was able to overcome it by buying several books, reading and then rereading. Some of the books were easier to read than others, some had more examples than others.

Given the opportunity if you can find a good teacher, it would be worth your while to take a class.

I remember from little league football, we had this coach who wouldn't let us throw the ball. He used to yell "You guys haven't mastered blocking or the running game yet, so how in the hell could we expect to throw the ball successfully."

He said learn to run, and then we will learn to fly. He was right, and I have always remembered him for that.

PS LOL..."One time at computer camp......."

[phantom]

One thing people may have overlooked is the fact that learning a subject in depth is differant than reading from the dummies guide (no dis-respect to those who did read the dummies guide 'cause I did as well), main differance being that a book shows you WHAT to do and a teacher shows you HOW to do it.

This all depends of course on wether you have a decent teacher or not :D

[frenchfry164]

I used to want to jump into C++, and make graphix. I mean, I couldn't understand that it was so hard. I mastered all the commands in text mode, now I am starting into Mode X VGA programming, after a while, I may start windeows (that's right windeows :p ) programming.

I have never read a C++ book. I read a C Game Programming book, front to back, but never C++. I saw one at Barnes & Noble I ordered, so I'm excited about that.

But this site is a very good place to start. Go through ALL the tutorials in this site, it'll help A LOT. Then after that, go to http://www.cprogramming.com/fod and study all those commands. Then go to your town's library, see if there is any programming books. They may be old, but don't worry. Just make sure they are 1993+. Read up on Text-Based RPG's. Make a small game, nothing big. Once you get all the quirks out, give your friends a copy, and upload it to the internet. See what everyone likes and dislikes about it. Fix the dislikes, and if you can, make the likes more likable. Remember, please the majority, not the minority. Once you get the majority to have 10 or less dislikes, you are ready to advance to graphix. Go to http://www.brackeen.com/home/vga

Make sure you do not have a windows compiler, but a DOS compiler before doing this. Once you are good at the tutorials in there, try making a tile-based engine. It took me a weekend to do this.:rolleyes: Then go do a dance. Next MY STORY HAS ENDED, THIS IS AS FAR AS I HAVE GONE.



THE END

[The V.]

Also, it all depends on the specific class you take, how good it is.

Of COURSE an introductory class is going to be easy -- it's an intro class. So far, I've taken (first 3 of these weren't my choice, but were required):

* Intro to Java -- Pathetically easy
* Intro to algorithms/Data structures -- pathetically easy 'cept for Red/Black trees, which were still reasonably easy
* Assembly Language/Machine Optimization -- reasonably easy
* Neural Networks and Fuzzy Logic -- averages ~20-25 hours of hwk/week, moderately challenging material

Of course, I came into all of this knowing C++ and x86 ASM, so learning Java and MIPS assembler wasn't exactly hard or unfamiliar territory.

[wayko]

So far i have taught myself serveral program languages from c++ to sql

i started c++ last year with the tutorial from here. i was lost so i went to c++ for dummies, i learned somethings nothing big, then i picked up visual c++ 6 programming blue book. I learned alot from making dialog boxes to making my own paintbrush program. i still learning and i think having someone that knows to help would be a great + to someones learning ability. if you know c++ basics u might want to take an advance course. if you know some but don't want to go to begginers course ask to take a quiz and see what can be taken care of by few brush up sessions and try your hand on the advance course. i believe this will help. but if u want to really understand the language take the beginners course. u have to know A before you learn C(++) :D corny i know.