Thread: Want to learn Windows API for Game Programming

My book Beggining Game Programming http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA240_.jpg is based in C but uses also Windows API.

As I'm about to finish the theory of C I want to learn Windows API separately, because the book describes it very shortly -despite the fact that it is reffered to a begginer- I found the following book but it seems to me like that API has tools for purposes that exceed game progamming.

Is it true?
If thats true it would be a waste of time, and i should get a book that learns you API for Game programming. Do you know any?

Programming Win32 Under the API

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Depends on what you want to do. I used Win32 API for making little programs that do my bidding If you want to do 3D programming look in to OpenGL. There's a template for it on the codeblocks 8.02 compiler so you can get a feel for the basic "skeleton". I used the allegro library when I made my first pong game (good starting game btw). Really it depends on your plans. So... what are they?

Not really. You can learn API where ever you feel best teaches you. I started with winprog.org. That site will teach you the basics of windows programming. The best 3D tutorial/learning site I have found for opengl is NeHe. This site can get really advanced really quick though, if you don't fully understand one concept before moving to the next.

No, for anything more than just a basic program, Win32 API won't do. Especially not 3D games.
It simply wasn't designed for it.

Playing sound files, sure. Putting together complex stuff and playing from resources and doing 3D-positioning stuff, no.
Blitting pixels on surfaces, sure (may or may not be hardware accelerated, beware). Doing complex 3D stuff with triangles, lights, shadows, etc, no.
Foreground input, sure. Background input, force feedback, action mapping, no.

The list goes on. Win32 API was not designed for games.
Even if it could be used for serious programming, it wasn't designed for it, so it isn't easy or flexible.
Gaming APIs was made for this exact purpose and is flexible and easy to use and employ for games. Far easier than Win32 API anyway.

Yes, DirectX.
Direct3D, DirectSound, DirectInput, DirectShow (though this is part of the platform sdk now), OpenGL and more.
Point me to some Win32 API that handles 3D rendering and enables you to create shaders and lighting and maybe I'll change my mind.
(You realize that Direct3D works directly with the drivers and not Win32 API, yes?)

I'm writing a 2D game that uses the BitBlt function - it's pretty fast even though I haven't fully optimised yet.

Yes, Windows API may "cut it" for 2D, or simple games. But for more complex stuff, it just won't cut it.

True.

I do know OpenGL, but can't really be bothered to use it for 2D. I wouldn't even know how to off the top of my head - would you just use textured polygons as sprites?