Isometric Game Programming is a very good book as well. Brief but still good Win32 API and DirectX introduction, and there is some Direct3D in it also. I still suggest you read the gurus book first though, and then buy this one for learning the techniques used in isometric game programming. As for Real-time Strategy Game Programming I wouldn''t recommend it at all, unless you really know your C++ inside out. Personally I don''t think it''s a good book at all, and by judging of the reviews on Amazon many more share that opionion with me. RTS Game Programming is a waste of money. By the way, I have a copy to sell, if you are interested.

lol the reviews on FatBrain about RTS Game Programming were very good, most of them gave the book 5 starts. Anyway I believe you guys more than I believe the ones at Fatbrain. I think I''ll buy The gurus book. The only problem is I do not have that much money

Jeroen "2COOL4-U" de Haas
- DefenceAlliance Project Leader/Coder
- TacticalOps Linux Beta Tester

btw isn''t the gurus book for C programmers?

Jeroen "2COOL4-U" de Haas
- DefenceAlliance Project Leader/Coder
- TacticalOps Linux Beta Tester

btw isn''t the gurus book for C programmers?

Jeroen "2COOL4-U" de Haas
- DefenceAlliance Project Leader/Coder
- TacticalOps Linux Beta Tester

Tricks is C, but it''s not a problem if you already know C++ (which is what I understand from your post). The areas he uses things like printf, C''s way of file streaming, and malloc can EASILY be converted to C++ syntax if you want to. This should NOT impare your ability to learn what the book teaches you. Infact, you can still use C++ methods using his pre-written code in C, the two languages are entwined like that.

If you can read this, All your base are belong to us!

OK but I prefer a book written for C++

Jeroen "2COOL4-U" de Haas
- DefenceAlliance Project Leader/Coder
- TacticalOps Linux Beta Tester

2COOL4-U, what graphics api do you plan on using? as thats gonna affect the book you choose?

quote: Original post by Bezzant
2COOL4-U, what graphics api do you plan on using? as thats gonna affect the book you choose?

It shouldn''t matter. You need to focus on learning concepts , so you can tranlsate from API to API. APIs come and go - and even change (DirectX being the most notorious example). What if something new comes out next week that blows OGL and DX out of the water? Concepts are portable; specific knowledge is not.

So learn the concepts from any of the books that focuses on teaching you concepts, then get another book as a specific reference on whatever API(s) you choose to use. As far as Win32 programming, one of these "beginner books" and MSDN are good enough to start, but when you want to get serious nothing beats the Programming Windows... series by Charles Petzold (Microsoft Press).

Personally, I''d recommend the Tricks book by Andre LaMothe. He''s a good author and explains the core concepts well. Don''t worry, you''re going to buy more books as time goes by.

I have been searching high and low for good introductory game programming books that is based in C++ but end up nothing...

Do you have any recommendations?
I welcome all comments.

I realize that some of you would prefer a book on C++. Problem is that there hasn''t been any decent C++ game programming books written. Those that have been written are very old ( example "Spells of fury" written for DirectX 2.0 ). So your selection is limited. Now in case you didn''t realize it, C is what C++ was built on. I''m sure you''ve used some of C''s functionality before even when programming in C++ because the two languages are interchangeable. If you haven''t used C code before YOU WILL. There is no way around it, the windows API itself is built around alot of C constructs. Now onto the books.

If you''ve never made a game before then you HAVE to buy "Tricks of the windows game programming gurus". Granted the code is in C however, the information contained with in the book is invaluable. Concepts that are covered include just about everything you need to know to make your first game. Physics, vector math, ai, direct x, and the list goes on. This is a MUST have book for any beginner. If you do not own this book you''ll be forcing un-nessassary frustration apon yourself. Perhaps you could even undertake the task of re-writing the C game engine in C++ as a project for yourself.

Onto bigger things. Once you''ve finished "Tricks", you''ll be able to move on to 3d. I''d reccomend a book but by the time you finish tricks and understand everything there will probably be better books out on the market. I will however reccomend other things to learn, like linear algebra (matrix math specificialy). Quaternions, and the like. Look for books on ADT''s (Advanced Data Types) such as stacks, queues, linked lists, hash tables etc. Read up on them. Learn how to quickly convert numbers into binary, and hex. Finaly know your binary operations!

That is all.