AdamJack 2007-08-02 15:49:23

Can't say I know anything about C++. I did try it one Summer but I gave up quickly. Anyways, keep at it bud.

WaZZaK-ZZ 2007-08-02 16:00:43

Yeah C++ can be a bitch ... I've been learning it for about 2 years now (computer games courses ain't as fun as they sound man)

But if you go here ... <a href="http://nehe.gamedev.net/">http://nehe.gamedev.net/</a> ... this guy offers pretty amazing advice and tutorials on C++/OpenGL coding for making games (only flaw is he isn't very Object Orientated ... which is a bitch when using C++ if it ain't)

But still it's worth the read ... and i wish you all the best with your programming

jakobhummelen 2007-08-02 16:18:49

Respect for the one who is 14 and wants to become a great artist.. just remember to keep a social life ;-)

Bakenhus 2007-08-02 16:37:13

C++ isn't that bad if you can stay focused and have some direction. Looking back now, using only online tutorials would have been a bitch. Try to get a book by Frank Luna. if you search amazon for his name you should find some good books. He also teaches two online courses at GameInstitute.com. I stopped making games with C++ simply because of the inability to change a bitmaps alpha, and because you cannot rotate an image. To do that you need to learn openGL or DirectX. I've been using flash for 6months now and I'm glad I switched atm.

gnr90 2007-08-02 17:47:20

C++ is the only language i know how to code in, i made it to nationals and beat out half of my competitors... not too bad... if i were u id get a good program to write all ur c++ stuff in, i DONT like the microsoft script editor for writing c++... if i were u goto softpedia.com and get the DevC++. if uve done some web designing its like dreamweaver, it color codes all the tags. only small problem is the older versions had problems that brought up a error that wasnt really an error when ur debugging, but thats prolly fixed now...

xblade11223 2007-08-02 17:51:57

Good Luck
reminds me of when i tried to learn Java
it was so confusing and so many commands to remember
make one mistake and the program wont run
Sadly i gave up after taking the class for one year

Monny 2007-08-02 19:11:44

The main difference with C++ is that you have to create your own graphics engine, whereas Flash does that for you, unless of course you're going to be working with flat bitmaps.

C++ isn't that high above AS3. AS3 is very very similar to Sun Microsystem's Java language, which is similar to C++. You should stick with AS2 or 3 because you can definitely make some good games with it without all the nitty gritty shit you'll have to deal with when using C++.

glhf.

JohnMazz 2007-08-02 19:15:19

I took C a few years back, but that was after taking a year of java so it wasnt as bad. I got a D but that was my own fault for goofing around. It might seem like a big jump from AS (it is, dont get me wrong) but if your in that programers frame of mind, you'll probably be able to get a leg up in learning it. Good luck!

Dead-eagle 2007-08-02 21:30:59

this aint as for an insult, but you are kinda TOO GREAT for being 14. Im pretty scared...
Im 14, and I mean, im no one, nothing, nobody
when did U started proggming=??

-Peace

Secret 2007-08-02 22:09:02

Yeah, i want to learn C++ and C#, i alreay now how to program in Visual Basic, Delphi and AS2, but only advanced in VB. I'll probably strat learning C next year, University if i get in.

BaconMask 2007-08-03 01:14:55

I sat down about five years ago and really tried to learn it. I got as far as making my own classes and lost my patience. Look for a book by Deitel and Deitel, it was really well written and easy to understand.

dELtaluca 2007-08-12 15:41:11

nice to see your starting c++ good luck.

Once you learn the new shit i.e. handling memory, arrays, pointers, references etc and learn to use some of the standard library containers (STL) etc (and ofcourse, how they work and be able to proficiently program your own versions (when speed really is an issue and you don't need all the functionality they give)) youll wonder why you didn't start out with it straight away. AS bugs the fuck out of me its so crap and ambigious in comparison :P

cplusplus.com is where i learnt about the essentials (arrays, pointers, refernces etc) and has great resources for other stuff too.

DougyTheFreshmaker 2007-08-28 13:16:09

A couple of things here:
1) You don't "have to create your own engine in C++". There are plenty of libraries like SDL or APIs like OpenGL (and DirectX) to help with game development. As well, there are already plenty of full-blown open-source engines to mess around with (ex Ogre3d). Making an engine is always an option, of course. You already know all of that, though. Still, you need to make sure you spend some time writing and understanding programs for the console before you jump into using shit like DirectX. It's IMPARATIVE that you learn the basics of the language very well before you try to learn an API for it.

2) Visual Studio is arguably the best IDE for C++ right now. The compiler tends to create the "best" executables, and the environment is great. I'm not a fan of Microsoft, and love cross-platform everything, but this is the sad truth: VS is good. Someone suggested Dev-C++, which is out of date and unsupported. If you do want to go the open-source, cross-platform route (for warm fuzzy feelings), Code::Blocks is good--but you can still write portable software in VS.

3) C++ is *hard*, but not really at the level you're going to be at for a while. Industry professionals with many years under their belts still get tripped up on the language's "more advanced" quirks. For example, see <a href="http://www.gamedev.net/community/forums/mod/journal/journal.asp?jn=259115&reply_id=2461308">http://www.gamedev.net/community/foru ms/mod/journal/journal.asp?jn=259115&
reply_id=2461308</a> and then <a href="http://www.gamedev.net/community/forums/mod/journal/journal.asp?jn=259115&reply_id=2462684">http://www.gamedev.net/community/foru ms/mod/journal/journal.asp?jn=259115&
reply_id=2462684</a>
True, there are some new paradigms for you in C++, but learning these sorts of "new" things is something you'll be doing constantly for as long as you're programming. Things like memory management are hard, not because of how they work or what they represent, but because of how you WILL screw it up (over, and over, and over again).

4) I started studying C++ when I was a couple of years younger than you. "Being older" doesn't make anything easier to learn--if nothing else, the opposite is true. Not that you are, but if there ever comes a time when you feel like your age is somehow inhibiting your progress, it's not. The same may not be true of math, though... so unless you want to study Linear Algebra/Advance Calc in your spare time, you may want to wait on the advanced 3D stuff until later (but then again, this has nothing to do with C++). Or not...

5) I've spent the last couple of days picking up C# (the more languages you know, the easier they are to learn). It'd probably be a much easier transition for a ActionScript junkie, and would probably improve your AS3 skills as well (with its class-based design). It's easier, and doesn't let you royally fuck yourself like C++ does. I'd still suggest C++ if you've got the patience and balls for it, but C# is better if you just want to create something that works. The performance hit from using C# instead of C++ isn't TOO significant, but it's there. C#'s popularity is snowballing, so it wouldn't hurt to learn the language eventually anyway.

6) A good "second book" for C++ is "Effective C++" by Scott Myers. You should know the language reasonably well before reading, but not reading this book isn't really an option.

7) I just wanna re-emphasize the social life thing. C++ will still be C++ 20 years, but the girls won't be nearly as pretty then ;)

Arfa 2007-09-12 11:19:23

i fink that c+++ is a specil thin cos i make all my stufffs using it, u'll probz never get as gd as me but one day maybes..