Under the assumption that resources can include books, I'll list my suggestions, but first, I'd like to plug an article I wrote about staring Dreamcast development, which can be found here. I hope to add it to gamedev.net's wiki, but I need to set some time aside to improve it before submission.
As for recommendations, I'll sort the list into two categories, books and websites.
Books:
- Accelerated C++ -- Admittedly, I haven't read this myself, but I've heard such great things about it that I don't mind passing off a recommendation.
- Effective C++ -- I own this one, but I actually haven't read it either. According to one of my Computer Science professors, it's essential in learning some of the more esoteric aspects of C++. From my own experience, C++ is quirky, so a book like this might be useful in the professional world.
- More Effective C++ -- EffectiveC++(string more);
- Code Complete -- This is a good book, especially if you believe in thorough design. I wasn't keen on technical design before reading it, but I had an epiphany somewhere on page 57: In the past, the only way I succeeded without a strong design was because I was dealing with smaller projects. If you want to go big, I suggest adopting the philosophy presented in this book. (Just to note, page 57 was an arbitrary choice, but I thought it would lead to a more poetic sentence).
- The Book of Numbers -- This book is more about math, although it does touch on quaternions, which is directly applicable to graphics programming. I don't know much about quaternions myself, but using them can result in quick three-dimensional transformations. In comparison, linear algebra, another common approach, is said to be slower than using quaternions. I won't elaborate on the specifics because the scope of this message is limited. However, I'd like to emphasize another element of this book. It facilitates a better understanding of numbers, which might be useful in any discipline, not just programming.
- The Hero with a Thousand Faces -- It's not a programming book, but it can help those who aspire to be a designer or writer. In fact, it was made popular by George Lucas after he directed the first few Star Wars movies.
- Programming The Nintendo Gameboy Advance: The Unofficial Guide -- While not a published book, it serves as a good foundation for GBA programming. Interestingly enough, the Dreamcast and the GBA have similar, if not identical, architectures.
- Calculus By Howard Anton -- I recommend this book reluctantly because there are other calculus books out there that take a much gentler approach. In fact, I almost gave up calculus when I was first exposed to this book. Out of the three Calculus books that I've used, this is by far the most thorough. Normally, I don't like books that seem to "talk over the audience's head," but this book has one redeeming quality -- it draws on all prerequisite math. I feel that reading this book is like taking a crash course on algebra and learning calculus at the same time, which is important when the maintenance of skill is a goal.
- Gamedev.net -- In respect to game development, this has been the most useful and inspirational site that I've used. There are several articles hosted on the site, but they tend to be outside the realm of my current skillset. What's been most useful is the forums. In the past, I've submitted source code and received such strong advice that I've changed my programming habits. I've also reaped the benefits of helping others. One time, I was able to help a poster on a topic that I didn't know much about, but by inference, I was able to reach valid conclusions. After helping the individual with a rendering macro, I felt a little bit more confident about pixels, in general.
- Lazy Foo -- If you want to learn about SDL, then I'd recommend Lazy Foo's site as a prime resource. If you take a look at his article section, he provides interesting advice about non-SDL related aspects of game development, although these tutorials are sparse.
- Amit's Game Programming Blog -- The great thing about this particular blog is that the author, Amit, doesn't accept advertising. This implies that his collection of links is unbiased.
- Collection of Lectures -- Another blogger, Peteris Krumins, has taken the time to compile free lecture videos from around the net. With his advice, I've started listening to them at accelerated speed. (You heard me right).
- My Delicious Bookmarks -- Since I've started using chrome, I don't maintain my delicious bookmarks, but I revisit them when I feel the need.
One piece of advice that I'd give is that, if you have the free time to read, do it. It'll help you in the long run. I'm realizing its importance too late in life, especially now that my schedule is on the verge of being overwhelming.
