Hello! I recently started going to school in a Game Development/Design program. I have VERY basic experience with several game engines, and have started to/will be learning C++ (its a course in the program). I really want to immerse myself in this, and learn as much as possible. My question is...what are some resources that i can look into that can really help me accelerate my experience and knowledge base? Also, what would be the best way to network with more experienced developers that are willing to help/share their knowledge? Are there specific communities that are geared toward this end? Any direction will help.

Thanks, everyone!

First off, welcome to the forums!

Secondly, if you're looking for experienced developers, here's the place. Most if not everyone here is here to share knowledge and build a solid knowledge base for all programmers to use.

One of the best things you can do is start reading and posting. Get yourself out there, and talk to a few experienced devs even on this site! That's where I started several years ago. Now I'm developing my own game engine based on the knowledge I've learned here.

Good luck in your endeavors!

Thank you, seth! That's definitely the reason I came in the first place. I plan on really getting involved, and hopefully picking up as much as possible from all the experienced programmers here.

Welcome!
My advice is to start with your first game, being a clone of a not to complex game, for example asteroids (or Pong if you want AI too).

Depending on the platform you can get a book to help you get started. If it's pc / C++ you could use Beginning game programming, by Jonathan S Harbour.

First lesson for free: finish games and get experience under your belt (don't fall into discussions trying to achieve to ambitious goals at once). Step by step

Welcome!

You are on the right track. My best suggestion is to develop a skill in a particular field if you are a programmer. This will help a lot for team projects. As well as individual.

Welcome!

You are on the right track. My best suggestion is to develop a skill in a particular field if you are a programmer. This will help a lot for team projects. As well as individual.

I would also suggest this, but later. For now, I suggest you focus on learning a little bit of everything. That way, you have a wide scope of things to choose from when you decide to focus on one field.

I would agree with sethhope, learn a bit of everything. Find what interests you the most. It will help to focus your skill set. :)

If you're learning a particular language as part of your course, don't wait for them to show you how to do it.

Learn in advance and skip ahead. This is the best piece of advice i can give you, and one that worked very well for me. If you're able and willing to put time in outside of class, you can be learning advanced subjects in your chosen programming language whilst the rest of your class is still learning what a loop and a variable are. The downside of course is all your classmates will mob you asking for help where the teacher is unable or too busy to provide it.

You mentioned C++, read up lots of C++ example programs, download them (simple open source projects are a good starting point) break them and fix them and mould them. You don't have to start with games, in fact if you do my recommendation is to start non-graphical, like hangman or guess the number or a text based RPG. This is because adding graphics adds tons of extra things you have to learn beyond your language which are best left until you are ready to touch them.

If you need advice you're certainly on the right forum...

Good luck!