C++ books

[football52]

What are good books for learning c++ game development. Im looking for something that starts from the complete beginning with something like hello world and works on from there. Probably something that at the end of the chapter gives you a project to test what you just learned in the chapter. It can be a book series or anything. Im not able to take a C++ class for a few months and just eager to learn it.

Ive found a book but some of ghe reviews are good and bad so im not sure exactly what to expect.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1435457420/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1397516455&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40

[BHX]

I've seen that book (Beginning C++ Through Game Programming) recommended, as well as SFML Game Development and SDL Game Development. Unfortunately, every book will have good and bad reviews because every person learns differently. Some find one book a godsend while others find them lacking. It depends on how you learn and what method you like because some books do overkill the technical details and others skim them over.

[Lachlan Easton]

I've kept this bookmarked for quite sometime for situations like this http://stackoverflow.com/questions/388242/the-definitive-c-book-guide-and-list
_C++ primer_ comes with my recommendation (NOT C++ primerplus, that's a different book and apparently it has some problems)
_Programming: Principles and Practice Using C++_ is also a great starting book, the first edition isn't grossly out of date and the second edition is coming sometime around June (I think)

[BHX]

@Lachlan Easton
He is wanting to learn C++ Game Development all those books focus mostly on C++.

@football52
You may want to look at http://www.gamedev.net for advice in the area of books, tutorials, videos, etc. that cover game development as well.

[EDIT] ...typos..

[admkrk]

@football52
I would say that is a good starting point if, like you say, you want something that starts from the complete beginning and are interested in learning games since everything in it is oriented around making games. For general C++ learning it is lacking in many things that are covered in other beginner books. It wont cover reading and writing to file, structs (classes, yes), or several other things for example, but it will get you started and ready to move on to those things while getting you thinking in terms of game mechanics.

[football52]

Yes game programming books. And well im specifically looking fkr bokks that give you like a challenge or test program at the end of each chapter so you can test yourself from the stuff in the chapter before

[admkrk]

Most if not all books have exercises at the end of the chapters.

[BHX]

Yeah, usually all books have some exercises at the end of chapters. The down side is that a lot of books, like C++ Primer, have the exercises and no answers so you don't know if you answered right to see if you are understanding the material properly.

[admkrk]

I agree not having solutions tends to make the exercises pointless in most cases and the only book I know of that does (Programming Principles and Practices) makes it harder to understand because the solutions given go beyond anything covered previously in the book. The up side is that someone can show what they did and ask opinions at places like this to see how they did.

[CodeGazer]

Here is a short list of some of the Game Programming books I have read that I find pretty good.

2D Game Development

SFML Game Developmen - http://www.amazon.com/SFML-Game-Development-Jan-Haller/dp/1849696845

General Game Development (Nothing specific)

Game Engine Architecture - http://www.amazon.com/Engine-Architecture-Second-Jason-Gregory/dp/1466560010/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397532875&sr=1-1&keywords=game+engine+architecture

Game Coding Complete - http://www.amazon.com/Game-Coding-Complete-Fourth-Edition/dp/1133776574/ref=pd_sim_b_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1M0AT041K6BNY9YWEV0J

All The Game Programming Gems Series

Specifics

Real Time Collision Detection - http://www.amazon.com/Real-Time-Collision-Detection-Interactive-Technology/dp/1558607323/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397533079&sr=1-1&keywords=real+time+collision+detection

Artificial Intelligence for Games - http://www.amazon.com/Artificial-Intelligence-Games-Ian-Millington/dp/0123747317/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397533110&sr=1-1&keywords=artificial+intelligence+for+games

Programming Game AI by Example - http://www.amazon.com/Programming-Game-AI-By-Example/dp/1556220782/ref=pd_sim_b_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=02AVJCN2XXY5YPY6FMH6


Out of all them I would say maybe start off with SFML Game Development to get familiar with some basic concepts in 2D (Most of it will transfer easily to 3D) then maybe move onto Game Coding Complete and Game Engine Architecture (Amazing book).

After that you should have more then enough knowledge to decide what you want to specialize in (Or just be a Generalist) and continue your learning from there. Also if you are looking for some cool tips and tricks from professionals on different subjects of game programming check out the Game Programming Gems series.

Edit: Fixed a link

[football52]

now I'm just starting to learn c++ so should I jump into c++ game development like the SFML Game Development or just a general beginner c++ book?

All I've taught myself so far is loops, variables and arrays basically so far

[BHX]

I think you should go through the tutorials on this site: http://www.cplusplus.com/doc/tutorial/

Then after you go through that, go ahead and jump into the SFML book. Anything you don't understand as you read you can then just look up as you go.

[CodeGazer]

Like BHX said you definitely should start with a beginners C++ book or the tutorials here (Though that might not be enough) before even considering the SFML book. That book requires you to have a decent understanding of C++ for the most part and some parts can get into pretty advanced aspects.

[admkrk]

Just starting out, I'd advise against tutorials or books that use separate libraries like SFML and just learn the basics first, especially classes, polymorphism, inheritance, and pointers. You can easily mimic code using those things, but that doesn't mean you'll understand any of it. It won't necessarily make it easier to understand later when you need to either.

[EwCjE3v7]

C++ Primer 5th Edition

Amazon link
http://www.amazon.co.uk/C-Primer-Stanley-B-Lippman/dp/0321714113

This is the one I use. This book does not tell you how to compile code. It presumes that you have compiled and run code before. We can teach you that, pretty simple.

This book also challenges you, so it might ask you to do something that you havn`t done. But thats what Google is for.

[football52]

I was looking at that book too I heard its a very good book that really goes in depth on stuff

[EwCjE3v7]

Yes it does, it`s rewritten for C++11 and make sure you don`t but C++ Primer Plus 6th edition, that book was written over a period of more than 10 years(added more as c++ matured) and is written by someone else.

Primer 5th edition uses K&R style and has around 900 pages(pdf has I think 1400) . The PDF version is the same but has less written on a page(zoomed in).

[football52]

Yeah id want a hard copy.im either going to go with c++ primer or
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1435457420/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1397516455&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40

After I go through the basoc tutorials on this site

[EwCjE3v7]

Yea its pretty much your choice on what you want. Just look at the reviews on amazon and other sites