New to game programming

[MrDeathNote]

By the way you may want to get yourself a c++ book or go to http://www.youtube.com/user/antiRTFM. He has great tutorials and guides you step by step.

[hurstshifter]

So i see that learning c++ has great value... i'll get on it now.

And by the way, i wanted to ask a question. I'v just started learning, and i saw the use for cin and cout. they're not keywords, so i guess their coming from a library (maybe iostream?) if i'm right, how can you print letters in c++ on the screen? do you have to use this library? or is it not a library at all?
I hope it is'nt, 'cause otherwise c++ is harder and more complicated then i thought, if even for text you need libraries full of code. correct me if i'm wrong.

cin and cout are objects of the c++ standard library. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%2B%2B_Standard_Library. Effectively a collection of standardized functions and objects that can be used to create applications. You have to include the header files (such as iostream) to access these from your application. I understand where you are coming from saying that c++ is complicated because you need to include these to access very basic operations but keep in mind that c++ is generally a language used for quick and efficient applications. You should only be including what your project requires, and other languages that might invoke all of these capabilities by default will likely be slower and more bloated.

[Live-Dimension]

So i see that learning c++ has great value... i'll get on it now.

And by the way, i wanted to ask a question. I'v just started learning, and i saw the use for cin and cout. they're not keywords, so i guess their coming from a library (maybe iostream?) if i'm right, how can you print letters in c++ on the screen? do you have to use this library? or is it not a library at all?
I hope it is'nt, 'cause otherwise c++ is harder and more complicated then i thought, if even for text you need libraries full of code. correct me if i'm wrong.

C++ is the language. Virtually everything you interact with externally to c++ is some sort of SDK/Library. Since c++ is so widely supported, this gives it EXTREME power and flexibility. To be bold, there's no real substitute for c++ at this time, it's the "king" of application/game programming.

[ismetteren]

So i see that learning c++ has great value... i'll get on it now.

And by the way, i wanted to ask a question. I'v just started learning, and i saw the use for cin and cout. they're not keywords, so i guess their coming from a library (maybe iostream?) if i'm right, how can you print letters in c++ on the screen? do you have to use this library? or is it not a library at all?
I hope it is'nt, 'cause otherwise c++ is harder and more complicated then i thought, if even for text you need libraries full of code. correct me if i'm wrong.

C++ is the language. Virtually everything you interact with externally to c++ is some sort of SDK/Library. Since c++ is so widely supported, this gives it EXTREME power and flexibility. To be bold, there's no real substitute for c++ at this time, it's the "king" of application/game programming.

That being said, for simple 2D games(and also games that are more advanced, but there is a limit) other languages can easily be used. I find Java a lost easier than C++, so that what im using, even though it isent the fastet language out there. You have to do pretty advanced stuff to use all the resources of modern computers.

So C++ is great, but if you find it too confusing there are easier(atleast i find them that) alternatives like java or python, and they do work too.

[Avishaiozeri]

Thank you all for your support . everything i hear here only makes me wanting to learn c++ even more. it's very powerful maybe if it'll be too hard in the future I'll Consider Trying java.Thanks again

[zoodog411]

ot

By the way you may want to get yourself a c++ book or go to http://www.youtube.com/user/antiRTFM. He has great tutorials and guides you step by step.

Hey, I just started Learning C++ a good while ago. Heres a book that really helped me learn and Im sure it will really help you. It puts things in fairly simple terms and will get you on your feet.


message me your email and I guess I could email it to you because attaching files on this forum wont work

[Maevik]

By the way you may want to get yourself a c++ book or go to http://www.youtube.com/user/antiRTFM. He has great tutorials and guides you step by step.

^this

I also got a lot out of antiRTFM's series. Very informative, if a little slow going.

[Avishaiozeri]

Thanks for the help. i've send you my email, and antirtfm, he is very helpful! He teaches slowly, sometimes too slow, but the information sticks. When i'v learned ASP, the book was much faster, and even though i did understand, sometimes i'v just forggot somethings after awhile...
and by the way, i've actually bought a C++ book, but its very boring, because it doesn't even talk about games! I know programming is not all about games, but even if in the examples the author would say how can stuff be used in game development, it'll be much more intresting...

[XianForce]

Thanks for the help. i've send you my email, and antirtfm, he is very helpful! He teaches slowly, sometimes too slow, but the information sticks. When i'v learned ASP, the book was much faster, and even though i did understand, sometimes i'v just forggot somethings after awhile...
and by the way, i've actually bought a C++ book, but its very boring, because it doesn't even talk about games! I know programming is not all about games, but even if in the examples the author would say how can stuff be used in game development, it'll be much more intresting...

You may want to try "C++ for Game Programmers" then. I haven't personally read it, but I have it... I would think that would have some insight into game development, though.

[Avishaiozeri]

Thanks for the help. i've send you my email, and antirtfm, he is very helpful! He teaches slowly, sometimes too slow, but the information sticks. When i'v learned ASP, the book was much faster, and even though i did understand, sometimes i'v just forggot somethings after awhile...
and by the way, i've actually bought a C++ book, but its very boring, because it doesn't even talk about games! I know programming is not all about games, but even if in the examples the author would say how can stuff be used in game development, it'll be much more intresting...

You may want to try "C++ for Game Programmers" then. I haven't personally read it, but I have it... I would think that would have some insight into game development, though.

Is name suggests so, lol. i'll check it out, thanks.

[Avishaiozeri]

Hey guys, let's say i'v finished learning c++, now, for opengl i have to buy a book? or is there anther way? And where do i learn things like how the infinit game loop is structured, in the c++ section? or opengl? because when i'm learning c++ it's just functions, classes and stuff. and when i'v tried an opengl book from the library it teaches how to print stuff to the screen. is'nt there a book that teaches c++ and opengl and the way games are being made and work? one book or a series of books, something?

[MrDeathNote]

Hey guys, let's say i'v finished learning c++, now, for opengl i have to buy a book? or is there anther way? And where do i learn things like how the infinit game loop is structured, in the c++ section? or opengl? because when i'm learning c++ it's just functions, classes and stuff. and when i'v tried an opengl book from the library it teaches how to print stuff to the screen. is'nt there a book that teaches c++ and opengl and the way games are being made and work? one book or a series of books, something?

You may want to learn how to use SDL first, since OpenGL only handles graphics you can use it in conjunctionwith SDL for input/sound. Plus SDL does graphics 2d graphics aswell, it's not as powerfull as OpenGL but it's easy to learn. Try http://www.lazyfoo.net/SDL_tutorials/index.php, amazing SDL tutorials plus you'll learn about the game loop etc. which is really useful. When your comfortable with that you can use OpenGL's rendering and SDL's input/sound. Whe you want to learn OpenGL try http://nehe.gamedev.net/, it's really good. But try SDL first, the last tutorial on lazyfoo's site is on OpenGL then use NeHe to learn more OpenGL.

[Avishaiozeri]

Hey guys, let's say i'v finished learning c++, now, for opengl i have to buy a book? or is there anther way? And where do i learn things like how the infinit game loop is structured, in the c++ section? or opengl? because when i'm learning c++ it's just functions, classes and stuff. and when i'v tried an opengl book from the library it teaches how to print stuff to the screen. is'nt there a book that teaches c++ and opengl and the way games are being made and work? one book or a series of books, something?

You may want to learn how to use SDL first, since OpenGL only handles graphics you can use it in conjunctionwith SDL for input/sound. Plus SDL does graphics 2d graphics aswell, it's not as powerfull as OpenGL but it's easy to learn. Try http://www.lazyfoo.net/SDL_tutorials/index.php, amazing SDL tutorials plus you'll learn about the game loop etc. which is really useful. When your comfortable with that you can use OpenGL's rendering and SDL's input/sound. Whe you want to learn OpenGL try http://nehe.gamedev.net/, it's really good. But try SDL first, the last tutorial on lazyfoo's site is on OpenGL then use NeHe to learn more OpenGL.

thanks! i'll try it tomorow... where i live is very late and i'm tired. good night...

[Avishaiozeri]

The links you'v sent are very helpful! thanks. But i have one problem. I'm using c++ now with the visual c++ express, and although its good, i'v sent one of my programs to my friend, and he couldn't run it! i'v read on the internet that for running programs that were developed in visual c++ you need to download some software, that i'v noticed that most of the games aoutomatclly install. It may say that companys use it, but its really annoying! does dev ++ has the same problem? because if it doesn't, i think i'll start using it. wich of these are better?

[hurstshifter]

The links you'v sent are very helpful! thanks. But i have one problem. I'm using c++ now with the visual c++ express, and although its good, i'v sent one of my programs to my friend, and he couldn't run it! i'v read on the internet that for running programs that were developed in visual c++ you need to download some software, that i'v noticed that most of the games aoutomatclly install. It may say that companys use it, but its really annoying! does dev ++ has the same problem? because if it doesn't, i think i'll start using it. wich of these are better?

I can't speak for express as I use Profession edition but I have no problems running my programs on other systems. You need to make sure you are including all the relevant .dll's, images, scripts, etc... that your game is using with the executable. If its still not working I would try downloading the latest C++ Redistributable from microsoft.com as this might be required to run applications built with the express edition.