I've used SFML and liked it. Clanlib is another option... http://www.clanlib.org

I've used SFML and liked it. Clanlib is another option... http://www.clanlib.org

Seconded on Clanlib, it's a great alternative if SFML isn't for you.

I'd recommend SFML. Although personally I'd recommend OpenGL but since you want to do a 2D, SFML or SDL2. I haven't used SDL2 only SDL many years ago, been experimenting with SFML occasionally and so far I like it more than SDL I used years ago. You should surely check it out some day if not now

Oh thanks, I'll check out Clanlib to see what the differences are. I thought out trying to use OpenGL or DirectX but I imagine the APIs for that are a good deal more complicated. I want to get into them eventually though.

Just to pop in my 2 cents, SDL (though I've never used it) seems quite solid and when i was in your position people mentioned that there are some amazing tutorials out there for it. I personally went with SFML, it has proven to be pretty easy to use and i really haven't had too many problems, there's a nice forum if you experience any difficulties and there also a nice tutorial on the SFML website. Both are quite viable options as long as you're fairly proficient at C++.

Good luck with your projects mate :D

Just to pop in my 2 cents, SDL (though I've never used it) seems quite solid and when i was in your position people mentioned that there are some amazing tutorials out there for it. I personally went with SFML, it has proven to be pretty easy to use and i really haven't had too many problems, there's a nice forum if you experience any difficulties and there also a nice tutorial on the SFML website. Both are quite viable options as long as you're fairly proficient at C++.

Good luck with your projects mate

Thanks madgod_zhar! I started working with SFML because it seems to be the most modern and up to date. I also really like that they have everything up on Github.

SFML is pretty nice cause they care about providing a good library API that is simple to use and staying compatible with old technology (C++98+OpenGL1.1 with shared contexts), being modern is not one of its strengths.

UE4 uses C++ for game code so I don't think that statement is exactly correct.

Whether or not you can finish your game rather than going in circles is more about how much the library and engine do for you rather than the language they're made in. A bigger library or engine means less for you to worry about

Watch out though because a big engine like UE4 or unity has many bells and whistles and it's easy to get side tracked playing with them rather than what matters to your game!

I'd recommend SFML. Although personally I'd recommend OpenGL but since you want to do a 2D, SFML or SDL2.

You can use OpenGL code alongside SFML, so once the ball gets rolling, it should be a fairly easy next step.

SFML is pretty nice cause they care about providing a good library API that is simple to use and staying compatible with old technology (C++98+OpenGL1.1 with shared contexts), being modern is not one of its strengths.

It seemed more modern than the other graphics libraries I was looking at and some of the tutorials mention C++11. I guess I can't tell how modern it really is very easily but it does seem like a really nice library.

UE4 uses C++ for game code so I don't think that statement is exactly correct.

Whether or not you can finish your game rather than going in circles is more about how much the library and engine do for you rather than the language they're made in. A bigger library or engine means less for you to worry about

Watch out though because a big engine like UE4 or unity has many bells and whistles and it's easy to get side tracked playing with them rather than what matters to your game!

I've made some small games in UE4 and Unity and they are pretty nice and easy to use engines but UE4 has a lot of macros that kind of obscure the language for me and overall it does much more than I need for some simple games like Pong and Breakout. Unity is really easy to use but I am not a fan of the languages it uses for scripting. I do want to get more familiar with both in the future though because I feel like they will be beneficial to use.

I'd recommend SFML. Although personally I'd recommend OpenGL but since you want to do a 2D, SFML or SDL2.

You can use OpenGL code alongside SFML, so once the ball gets rolling, it should be a fairly easy next step.

I noticed that in the tutorials but didn't think of it this way. That's kind of exciting because I do want to get more familiar with OpenGL and DirectX directly so it's nice to know I can use this as a gateway to at least OpenGL.