Thread: Starting Out

>I wanna learn to program C++ to make games and learn sockett programming so i can program online multiplayer games.
Just grab any book that claims to teach the basics of C++ and was written within the last two or three years. That should get you started and save you from older standards and most of the really bad books.

For me the tutorials on this site whet my appetite, but you can't REALLY learn from them, try them and see if you actually like programming (it's very different to HTML), and if you enjoy it definately buy a current book.

1. A compiler
2. A book

Check out the Getting Started page, and the What do I need? page. There, you will find a link to the compilers page.

Here's a link to a list of free compilers.

Don't give up if your compiler doesn't compile your "Hello World" program on the furst try. Compilers always seem to be a pain to get set-up and configured.

You can start-out with the tutorials here at cprogramming.com. Here's another tutorial. Then you'll need a book. C++ is a complex language, and I don't think there are any complete tutorials, or books for that matter. But, the books generally have more information and more explanation.

I always recommend Teach Yourself C++ In 21 Days, by Jesse Liberty. I liked this book because it was easy to understand, and it is structured for self-study with questions and exercises at the end of each "day" (chapter), with answers and solutions in the back. I makes a handy reference book when you're done. (Opinions vary. Some people hate all of the "21 days" books.) And, you probably won't actually make it through the book in 21 days.

If you search the board for "books", you will find more recommendations and discussion.

A beginning book won't cover graphics or sockets. In fact, neither of these areas are even included in standard-portable C++. These are advanced system-dependent topics.