Before you go and start flaming me, please read this I am an beginner-intermediate programmer in C++. By that I mean I know how to do structures, classes, input/output routines ETC. This is where I am kind of stuck. I take classes through my university, but they only teach algorithms (in other words theory), and not much in the way of actual code. I am interested in learning either OpenGL or Direct3D. I have looked at the SDK for DirectX, and it seems kind of intimidating. So I decided to go out on the web and look for tutorials. Every one I have found is hard to understand, even the intro ones on OpenGL. As I said before, I know how to program in C++, and am looking for the next step. Any help would be appreciated. -SkyFire Edited by - skyfire360 on 7/15/00 3:45:15 PM

First of all, don''t discount anything you learn at the university. I''ve got a 4 year computer science degree and its all terribly valuable. All that theory is important. You''ll see folks here asking questions about quicksort, linked lists, and bsp trees all day, and a university program is the way to get all of this stuff down pat.

After that, just follow the gamedev tutorials. Start off with a tetris clone, and work your way up. Don''t jump into D3D if you haven''t had some 3d math and a good understanding of matrices, vectors and such topics.

Direct X is a beast at first, but persistance pays off.

I''d have to disagree w/ ape. DirectX shouldn''t be your problem at first. Try OpenGL, and GLUT. It''s very easy to learn, but it has very very advanced posibilities. A good place to start is Jeff Molofee''s (aka NeHe) site: nehe.gamedev.net for easy tutorials and after those, try www.opengl.org .
Ape can be wrong even about the 4 university years. Of course, you must learn everything by yourself otherwise. Look at me, I''m 14, I didn''t even finish gymnasium, and I know those things. I guess you could say that computers (informatics) are(is) an obsession to me .

"Everything is relative." -- Even in the world of computers.

Personally, this is how I got started:

"C for Dummies Volume I"
"C for Dummies Volume II"
... then go ahead and try and make a simple text-based game, such as tic-tac-toe, that will just print a new display of the game board each time... simple.

"Learn C++ in 24 Hours"
"Windows Game Programming for Dummies"

... I just recently bought a C++ Bible, which is will definitely serve for good reference.

... then it''d probably be good to create Pong (or if you really want to, Tetris). Make sure to use bitmaps...

Although, I''m guessing after that, one should read "Tricks of the Windows Game Programming Gurus"

Then go forth and make games.

- Goblin
"In order to understand the full depth of mankind, you must first seperate the word into its component parts: 'mank' and 'ind'."

Is it just me, or do all 14 yearolds think so highly of themselves? Ionut Costica, do you know any Calc or Trig? Didn''t think so. Why don''t you get a college degree first, and then you''ll judge whether it''s useful or not. Hell, just show me one of the great games you must''ve made, and I''ll take this all back. And just because you''re an OpenGL fan doesn''t mean it''s better, in fact, DirectX isn''t just for graphics it also has Sound and Networking components.

Sorry, I''m just sick and tired of these kids who think they''re such hot shit.

I''m sick and tired of ananymous postings. is it just me or are you scared to show you face? 8/10 anonymous postings (flames) are people that belong to gamedev.

JoeMont001@aol.com www.polarisoft.n3.net

I don''t have a user name on Gamedev.. I don''t post here that much so I don''t feel like making one. And I usually don''t flame people. Though I do agree that being anonymous does make it easier to do that I won''t flame anonymously anymore, I''ll make a user name if I want to post another flame. There, happy?

(I can''t believe I''m posting this...) but Anon poster: Are you having a bad day or something? Just shut up. Please?

Martin