Sorry to everyone who read this in Game Programming, but I just say this forum and realized it would be a better place to post for me =D Okay...First of all I use Dev-C++ (I''m a high school student and can''t afford much else). I just wanna know how to draw some simple 2D stuff onto the screen. I have no idea how to use the Borland command line compiler, so the tutorial I found on that is useless to me =\ Right now I''m writing (simple) text based games, and I just wanna incorporate some graphics or something into it. Even something like pong graphics would be good for me, because I have no idea how to even START. I''ve looked up most of the tutorials on this site, but most of them don''t cover this... =(

All right. How well do you know C++? Anyway, you need to know C++ decently well, and I really suggest you get the VC++6.0 Compiler. Introductory Edition is pretty cheap, 50 bucks or so. After you are sure you know C++, go to www.winprog.org and take the windows programming tutorials. They may seem confusing, but after that, you can go int OpenGL(or Direct X). If you want to do direct x, then you should get the book "Game Programming for Dummies" that will teach you the extreme basics of game programming and direct x. It is in C, though. There are probably some other books on direct x, but I would know, I like to use OpenGL. OpenGL is multiplatform and Direct X is only for windows. But the book "OpenGL Game Programming." It is the best book you can get. It teaches you to make 3d games, though, so you would need to take NeHe's tutorials, and some other people will probably have 2D tutorials by the time you are done. If you really want to make 2D games, I would have to say go with Direct X. The main part of it you would use is direct draw. It is for using bmp's and other img types specifically, and easy control... You should buy Game Programming for Dummies, and then buy the another books for intermediate to advanced direct x game programming. I wish you the best of luck!

"I''ve sparred with creatures from the nine hells themselves... I barely plan on breaking a sweat here, today."~Drizzt Do''Urden

Edited by - Drizzt DoUrden on August 20, 2001 1:34:26 AM

Also, Tricks of the Windows programming gurus is a good book to read. I cut my teeth on it, and it''s served me well since.

Get Tricks Of The Windows Game Programming Guru. It comes with a free cd that has Visual C++ 6.0 intro version. That means that you can use it forever, but a window pops up on the programs you create prompting you to hit ok. It also comes with the DirectX SDK in which you can start learning directdraw. Not only does it come with all the stuff you need to get started, it also teaches you all you need to get started assuming you don''t know anything but C++.

good book!

Okay thanks I''ll look into all of that. And Drizzt, is that quote form Baldur''s Gate? I remember him saying that when I cheated with DrizztDefends() hehe

Yes, yes. He.. err, I say that in the game, to tell you: "Ha, I am a level 17 dark elf ranger, and you are a pitiful human who cant defend himself in battle." I think the Guru book would be god, but I have never read it, and I dont know if its for newbies or not. I also dont program in Direct X, so I wouldnt know as well as the others. Good Luck.

"I''''ve sparred with creatures from the nine hells themselves... I barely plan on breaking a sweat here, today."~Drizzt Do''''Urden