Hey, I just graduated high school and I''m 18 years old. I''m sort of at a crossroads right now. I''ve noticed the market taking off with that new .NET stuff...and right now I''ve learned C++ and I''m working with a bit of java...I''m not quite sure how to get into game development. I mean, I know there are no easy guides..but most of the tutorials I find online are really too hard. I want to know what I should study next after understanding the more advanced concepts of C++..in order to start making simple games...does anyone have any suggestions?

To be realistic, .net really doesnt offer a whole lot to the game development community, C++ is at times too high level to do things in a video game/engine. If youre finding C++ too complex, learn C and Java, each is pretty simple and introduces you to concepts used in C++, and much of the syntax is the same. As far as getting in to game dev. goes, you have to look at what you want to do. Look in the books section of gamedev.net to get an idea of the things youd like to do.

C++ wasn''t that complex, it''s just I didn''t know where to go after I learned advanced concepts...I''ve read over other posts and I''ve seen that win32 programming was probably where I should jump to next. I saw a book "OpenGL Game Programming"..
Link for review is:
http://www.gamedev.net/columns/books/featuredbook.asp?productid=116

And I read that it''s good for teaching you Win32 game programming as well as OpenGL api which seems to be easier for beginners...do you suggest I get this?

If you''re already proficient in C++, then that Book would be excellent for ya. Personally, I''m learning DirectX, but either OpenGL or Direct3D are viable options. Just pick one and run with it!

I find DirectX easier, but I''m still a nOOb AND I''m still learning DirectDraw.

For starting in 3d graphics, OpenGL is definitly easier. Although you will still want acquaintence with DirectX since it offers much more than graphics.

Yeah, apparently the book deals with Direct Input and Direct Sound, and no graphics features of DirectX, and I hear OpenGL is easier to learn for newbs...I don''t know though.

Thank you all for the help, really appreciate it.

Goto College. Get a BA or MA in Computer Science.

Program game engines and game the entire time you are in college. Read and memorize every SDK and graphics API you can. You have 4-6 years to build a portfolio.

Most computer gaming companies require that you have a BA or MA in computer science and have 2 game titles with your name in the credits. College is essential.

http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/
^Free money for College!

-James

You said you just graduated from highschool. So my recommendation is move on and go to college. You can go with a Computer Sciences major, and if you are in the right area of the country you can go with a Game Design major. There are some schools in this country that will dedicate their efforts to teaching game designs. You can find some of them somewhere in the gamedev.net site.

Game programming (or programming at all) is not something you can master all by yourself. Sure you can learn it, but MASTER all its tricks is no easy deal.

Dont get me wrong here. You have to go ahead and grab some books and start working on the graphics area by yourself. But in a college major you will learn things about software engineering and project management that not even the best of books can teach without the assistance of an instructor. The assignments you will get in class will help you learn how to work with teams and how to be realistic with your software projects.

Also you have to realize that game development is not just programming. Programming is not even half of the software development process. It is not even the main part. It is one of the very last parts. So you have to learn concepts about design approaches and testing, etc.

So like I said, a college degree is your best choice now. Combine with some "do it yourself" action.

Hope it helped.

Luis

Yup, I''m going to be a Comp Sci major at Virginia Tech =)..think it''ll help me out as well as learning on my own.