Hi all. If I plan to be game programming sometime in the future, do you think that it would make any sense to learn about C#, or should I focus elsewhere? By the way, what does API stand for?

Hi

As you know C# is a new OOP (Object Orientated Programming) langauge from Microsoft, it is intended to breache the gap from c\c++ and Pure OOP in Java. It will take a few years to see if C# will take over the world like Microsoft wants it to ( knowing microsoft it WILL take over the world). I have no knowladge of C#, but take these words and keep them with you :

"Programmers stick to languages they know work, they do NOT like risking stuff on unproven things"

C++\C works very well and satisfies game programmers needs ( AI people have a few greviences with it but they hate anything that cannot recreate a complete brain). So this begs the question why will game programmers change the langauge they use when their current one works?... now doubt microsoft will find a reason but for now i would stay stick to C\C++, learn it so much that you can speak it (ie when waking up in the moring instead of saying Good Morning to your mum\dad say "Printf("Good Morning\n");" )


This is no mean task, dont believe the people who say "they learnt c++ in a week".. i have been learning it for about a year now and admit that there are still some confusing things.

I am not saying dump c#, but keep a distant eye on it as it may become useful in the future.


Anyway API stands for Application Programming Interface, and is a collection of libraries to make programming a ceartain thing easier\possible... such as DirectX is multimedia \ networking \ input device API ... and WinSock is an TCP\IP Internet programming API.


Hope This Helps (an pls Ignore all crap spelling )


Mike "Zidane" Hall

If you''re looking to be a serious, pro game developer, then C# is not for you (at least with the current .NET implementation).
If you want to know what to learn the next Business/Web language..then C# is for you.

Programmers go with unproven things all the time...optimizing is part of our nature. If you want to win big with the wave of the future you have to risk something...

Epolevne

I think it would make a great language for a beginner. Then after one or two years switch over to C++. If you know C# switching over to C++ will be easy, just buy Stroustrup''s book and a book on the standard library when you have mastered C#. I kind of advise against learning C++ as a newbie. Not because C++ isn''t for beginners, but because they''ll turn you into a C programmer. C++ and C are very different and the limitations of C might cripple your futher learning.

Thanks to all for the replies, I''ll keep an eye on C# but I''ll focus on C++.