New to C++

[Altrasurfer]

Hi all, im an average programmer in VB2010, and i would like to start making games so i need to learn C++ :) i have a few books to ask if they are any good:

1.) Sams Teach Yourself C++ in One Hour a Day (6th Edition)
http://www.amazon.com/Sams-Teach-Yourself-One-Hour/dp/0672329417/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1301017618&sr=1-4

2.) C++ Primer Plus (5th Edition)
http://www.amazon.com/Primer-Plus-5th-Stephen-Prata/dp/0672326973/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1301017641&sr=1-4

3.) C++: A Beginner's Guide, Second Edition
http://www.amazon.com/Beginners-Guide-Second-Herbert-Schildt/dp/0072232153/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1301018371&sr=1-1

Are any of these books good for beginners?

If you have a good book that you would like to recommend, please do :)

Thanks for taking the time to read :)

[Athar]

The first book is quite bad and the second one is one of the best there is.
I don't know the third one, but it's unlikely that it's better than the C++ Primer.

Edit: ouch, there's actually more than one C++ Primer and the one you posted is the wrong one.
This is the "real" C++ Primer:
http://www.amazon.com/Primer-4th-Stanley-B-Lippman/dp/0201721481/ref=pd_sim_b_7

[Altrasurfer]

Ok thanks for your reply, i was honestly going to get the first book. but now i will look into the 1 you recommended
Thanks again :)

Edit: i read few of the review on that book, some of the people said its extremely advance. is that true?

[Alrededor]

I second Athar's choice of the "real" C++ Primer.

i read few of the review on that book, some of the people said its extremely advance. is that true?

If you were completely new to programming then the book might be too advanced, but since you have a background in VB2010 you will already be familiar with the concept of variables, loops, functions etc. On the other hand, it is unreasonable to expect to be able to absorb everything in a 900 page book on a first read. Still with some programming background, I highly recommend it.

[sohguanh]

I believe to make games in C++, getting a firm grasp of C++ is only the beginning. Later you will dwell into graphics programming and game design which by itself can be another learning process altogether. To short-cut this process, you can look at "ready-made" game engine and add your own game elements using it.

[hanst99]

Unrelated question: If you already know VB, why not write games in VB? It's not like C++ was the only language you could write games in.

[Altrasurfer]

If you were completely new to programming then the book might be too advanced, but since you have a background in VB2010 you will already be familiar with the concept of variables, loops, functions etc. On the other hand, it is unreasonable to expect to be able to absorb everything in a 900 page book on a first read. Still with some programming background, I highly recommend it.

Ok, i will purchase the book :) thanks for helping me :)

I believe to make games in C++, getting a firm grasp of C++ is only the beginning. Later you will dwell into graphics programming and game design which by itself can be another learning process altogether. To short-cut this process, you can look at "ready-made" game engine and add your own game elements using it.

Those game engines are to much for me :( i found a really nice one but it was like $3000 a year and i just want to start making simple games.

Unrelated question: If you already know VB, why not write games in VB? It's not like C++ was the only language you could write games in.

The game program i found is called DarkGame Studio, they have a really nice priced pack for $50

http://www.thegamecreators.com/?m=view_bundle&id=17

It uses C++ like alot of the other game makers i found. Also if i know VB and C++ then i would have a higher chance of getting a job :)

[hanst99]

You know, to get into game programming you don't have to spend any money. There are many decent free graphics, sound and physics API's out there.

Allegro - Allegro low level gaming routines
http://www.allegro.cc/

SFML - Simple and Fast Multimedia Library
http://www.sfml-dev.org/

SDL - Simple DirectMedia Layer
http://www.libsdl.org/

DirectX - Not an acronym
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/directx/default

OpenGL - Open Graphics Library
http://www.opengl.org/

OpenAL - Open Audio Library
http://connect.creativelabs.com/openal/default.aspx

See here for physics engines: http://www.thefreecountry.com/sourcecode/physics.shtml

etc etc. I don't really see a need to get those paid premade solutions - sure, it's a bit easier to get started because some things are already premade for you. But you'll need to learn the stuff they did to make the premade solutions sooner or later anyways if you really want to make your own stuff.

[guestgulkan]

I don't get this 'I wanna be a games programmer' mentality - surely games programmers must be '10 for a penny' as they say

[hanst99]

I doubt it, many people try it but the number of people who actually make a career in game programming is lower.

[packetpirate]

As a general rule, any book that promises it can teach you a programming language in 24 hours or in 21 days should be burned.

[cat downstairs]

I think C++ primer is already enough,the most important thing is practice.

[hanst99]

I think a C++ programmer should have a reference book for the standard - there are things that may cause errors in a very subtle way you may not immediately notice.

[cat downstairs]

“hanst99 (995) Mar 25, 2011 at 11:37pm
I doubt it, many people try it but the number of people who actually make a career in game programming is lower.”


>.< Are you talking about me.......

[hanst99]

Huh?

[z05DSL3A]

Hanst, congratulations on your new psychic abilities.

[hanst99]

Hah, thanks. I always knew I was awesome though.

[Altrasurfer]

You know, to get into game programming you don't have to spend any money. There are many decent free graphics, sound and physics API's out there.

I know, but i would like to have higher quality then the free game engines :) or else i would go for the free versions of software.

I don't get this 'I wanna be a games programmer' mentality - surely games programmers must be '10 for a penny' as they say

The only reason why i want to program games is cause it will keep me occupied in the hard C++ language, VB is super easy and i can see what im making, C++ is hard and you can see unless you run the program. I know theres not many people who get a career in making games but learning C++ is a major thing for college and jobs :)

[hanst99]

No, the things you can buy aren't really any higher quality than the things you can't. In fact, chances are what you want to buy actually uses one of those free libraries above. The difference is that the engines you can buy usually offer some high level functionality that isn't integrated into the normal ones... you won't really be needing any of that at the start though, and later on you will probably have enough experience to write much of that yourself (or at least make a bad but sufficable fake of the effect).

The thing with game programming and learning C++ is, that you have to learn a lot of stuff completely unrelated to C++ to get into game programming...

[Altrasurfer]

The thing with game programming and learning C++ is, that you have to learn a lot of stuff completely unrelated to C++ to get into game programming...

True, but i still will like to learn most of everything :)