Should I use a game engine in making a RPG game?

Should I use one or SDL is fine?

Well it depends on how complicated you want to make it!

I think it would be pretty complicated to create an RPG game with just the SDL, but what you would learn from doing it would be more useful in the future. You'd learn more about how graphics works instead of just learning the API for a game engine.

How much experience do you have with programming and with the SDL? If this is your first real attempt at making a complicated game (and I suspect it is, or you might know the answer to your question yourself), then my answer would be "neither". You can't make a good RPG game easily. Try checkers or asteroids or maybe millipede or a simpler game -- and even that might be pushing it.

I really want to make one because I have a great story right now to put on and also I really want to become a game programmer and make games that everyone will enjoy playing.

I made many 2D games like tetris, asteroid, tick tack toe, and snake using SDL. I want to make a better game like a RPG. I asked here because others recommend me to use a 2d game engine. My question is if using a game engine will make my life 100x better creating a 2d game.

I don't know if I'm really good at programming and SDL but I know how to use some object-oriented and also really love using linked list in some of my projects.

Thanks dwks for replying. Hope others will help me also. :)

Just as a reminder, but you realize there are other "make games" typical applications out there that will make your game RAD?
Starting from scratch in C++ will take quite some time. It's your decision, of course.

Yeah I know there are some application that will make my game development faster. But I want to know more about C++ and SDL so I want to continue this.

By the way, anyone here knows where can I find some images for my dialog system? I'm creating a class for it right now. If you have any tips on making one that would be great. :)

Thanks.

Alright, I just wanted to make sure you knew.

Ok now I'm using SDL and creating all the classes needed. I'm right now in the collision detection and the tiling. I can't focus on my game because of school.

I'm reading a book about Data Structures for game programming. Anyone here can recommend me a book about creating games for beginners?