Well that book caught my eye, but after my last book which was a bitter dissapointment I am now a bit skeptical about buying new books, so I have to ask people who have read it what is it like> eg what does it start off with chapters contents etc. I have read the reviews on this site and on amazon but they arent very descriptive. BTW The book is wasnt happy with was Sams C++ in 21 Days, which I only bought as a reference

its good for learning c. most of the book is really about that. but some stuff isnt covered very well. it then goes into some directx stuff but nothing you''d really use to make your own game. at the end of the book you make a breakout clone.
a few examples dont compile and sometimes pictures are in the wrong spot in the book

Well I purchased the book and though I am still on the learning C++ section the hasn't meet my expectations this far. I bought the book as a 100% beginner and it was very hard for me to get started because I have visual C++.net andthe book uses Visual C++ so quite a few things are different. The code in the book is kinda outdated and I have to edit it every time to get it to work with my compiler.

So from what I have seen so far from it I would not recommend it. If you want to learn C++ i'd pick up a book that concentraits on just C++ and go on from there.

Hope that helps, but keep in mind I am a newbie myself so I may not be the best reviewer of books


ps. why didn't you like sam learn c++ in 21 days?


Programming is confussing!

[edited by - Digigamer15 on December 31, 2002 1:48:43 AM]

Scarpino:
I am just getting started in game programming, and I started with this book. I think it really helped me, and although there were some problems, they were easy enough to get by.

Digigamer15:
Dont blame the book on the fact that you have a different compiler. I dont think the book had any say on what compiler you should buy, so it is not the books problem that you have .NET and it uses a lesser version.

- Artanis

i found sams c++ in 21 days quite good.
however, i read sams c in 21 days before that.
i found the later sections in the c++ book were getting quite difficult but then again, c++''s oop is more complicated than the structure in c.

If you really want to get into game programming, I would start with a good reference on C++, or take a course on it. In addition, Programming Role Playing Games with DirectX by Jim Adams is the best (and most complete) game programming book you will find.

Artanis: I was merely pointing out that because of the difference in compilers I made a couple of mistakes that set me back a lot. If I had not been a complete beginner I would of known what I did wrong but since I was I did not realize I had made a mistake, I did not know how I made it, and I did not know how to fix it.


So yeah I guess i was harsh in my rating of it because of an error I made though anyone with no programming expirence using .net could easily make it too.




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Programming is confussing!