Tell me its okay

Hello

I have been learning to program for about a year now. I started with C and moved on to c++ straight away because I thought this would suit my aims best.

I would like to make a 3d game eventually but in the mean time I am aiming for 2d, maybe of the 'defender' level of complexity.

So my main problem is learning alone means you have no idea how well or badly you are doing.

I have been working through teach yourself c++ in 21 days and am nearing the end of that book. Still, none of the programs it gets you to write are very interesting in their results.

I just wanted to know, given that I enjoy the challenge which even this level of coding offers, how long before I am impressed with my own work?

I am fairly easily impressed by the way.

Any tips on best next stage? Win 32? OpenGL?

Did anyone else follow this path of solitude?

I'm just hoping you don't all turn out to have thousands of buddies who code too and a degree/masters or whatever.

Any comments/tips would be helpful

Thanks

Until you learn certain API's, you won't be impressed with much. Decide what you would like to specialize in. If you want to do network programming, look at socket API's. If you just want to do general windows apps and windows programming, learn Win32 API. Just make sure you are stable and experienced in whatever language you are coding with.

Good luck.

Thanks Biosx

I want to write games. I have a book on OpenGL game programming but these things all seem to assume knowledge of windows programming.

Does that mean I have to learn win32 first or could I pick it up as I work with OpenGL?

Thanks again

I just had to post. I am experincing your same struugle as you. Though I am not as far as you are I'm learning from C++ Primer Plus Third Edition.
My goals are to learn networking, gui, and database integration later on I want to apply probability, statistics and calculus (prbly for games) it seems like a long term goal and I am wondering how long it will be?
I think it's exciting every time I compile an app even though it's only console programs.

This board is a great connection point. Though I'd like to sit and chat with fellow programers in real life so far I haven't found anyone here in Missoula, MT. Though this is a university town.

I am in the same seat. I toke the path, C++ to C to Mfc to WinApi and now I am on OpenGL. I think your next step is WinAPI. It is really hard in the beggining but it will pay of with neat looking apps.

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Originally posted by rip1968
My goals are to learn networking, gui, and database integration later on I want to apply probability, statistics and calculus (prbly for games) it seems like a long term goal and I am wondering how long it will be?

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You can do alot with calc and stats with just console programs. I got a rush when I finished a program that calculated a Riemann's Sum. Try it out. Do integrals and find out derivatives and just go to town with it. I guarantee you that you will be impressed with yourself (not too mention impress the ladies :) actually the ladies don't care but oh well :( ).

I think after console programming the next logical step is to Win32 API. Don't get swayed to the dark side of MFC :p but after you learn most of Win32 API I think your possibilities are endless.

Good luck, all ;)

What is a good socket API to learn? Does it matter if I use the console to do socket crap?

Thanks guys

Its good to know that I am not alone in the lonewolf approach to learning, paradoxically.

Still, win32 looks very tricky. How hard did it seem compared to learning c or c++ anyone who has learned it? How long did it take you?

I'm in the same boat as all you. I'm learning from "Teach yourself C in 21 days." I'm not exactly following along though, just kinda programming, getting stuck/wanting to learn something new, and then reading the book. I wanna read through the whole book straight, but I don't have the patience right now. I'm also aiming to be a game programmer and I am currently looking into 13h graphics.

Keep on going fall man!

napKIN

hello napKIN


I read teach yourself c. I thought it was a fairly good book.

And I also think that I might prefer C to C++ but since I am nearly finished with C++ in 21 days I will stick with it.

I always read the book first. Its the sensible thing to do.

Maybe thats what's holding me up!

When do you expect you will legitimately be worthy of the title 'game programmer'

how long does that take?

before learning any API's you should be quite fermillier with the language that you are programming in, maybe make a few Console games or whatever.

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How hard did it seem compared to learning c or c++ anyone who has learned it? How long did it take you?

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at first it seems hard, but then once you understand the basics, the rest just sort of -- fall in to place.

If you are looking for a good tutorial, the one i learned with is:
http://www.winprog.org/tutorial/ it explains everything and is easy to understand compared to some of the other tutorials.

Once you learn some Win32 you might want a Reference (its kinda hard to memorize lots of functions and their params). There is a good one on Dual Catfish's FTP in the C++ Section its called: win32 C++.hlp

Hope this helped

I think it will be a while before I consider my self a game programmer. Although I can program games right now, they are quite simple. I origionally started with C++ then bought TYCI21D, so alot of my programming I do in C++ with some C stuff added in(I guess most people say this is a bad idea).
I just got TYC++I21D and I'm gonna start it tonight:D

napKIN