Looking forward to a programming future but confused where to start [closed]

Question

I am very new to this site and to programming. I started doing some basic programming with python a few weeks ago and recently, messing around with Java basics.

My main problem is that I am completely overwhelmed and haven't got the slightest clue where I should be starting.

I want to learn programming because I really enjoy doing it, the simple applications that I have managed to conjure up put a smile on my face.

My plan is to eventually (by eventually I'm talking about 6 years+) go into games programming.

I have been informed that C++ is the best way to go about this but haven't got the slightest clue what book/sight is optimal for someone who is still learning the very basics.

These are my questions:

• I have been to the Definitive C++ Book Guide but am still unsure which book is best to start of with.

• Should I stick with Python or Java instead of moving on to C++?

• Is there any advice you would give to a beginner programmer?

Thanks again for all your help.

Edit:

The book on Java I am currently using is Programming Video Games for the Evil Genius. Sadly it's riddled with errors and he doesn't go into explaining certain important commands.

Answer 1

Game programming is a lot about design and gameplay; the language is merely a tool. Of course, C++ is widely used, but even a C++ guru wouldn't be able to make a decent game if he didn't play games or understand how the actual mechanics work.

You can learn C++ any day, learning how to create a game that is actually fun to play is much more important, in my opinion.

I would suggest starting with something like PyGame. Yeah, the C++ guys will tell you that nobody uses PyGame in the real game business, but you don't want to sell your game on XBLA/PSN/WiiWare tomorrow, do you?

You'd rather learn how to make one, and therefore it's important that you focus more on the game itself rather than having to deal with pointers and garbage collection.

So my suggestions are:
- Start small, do a platformer or an adventure game, start to understand the systems behind a 2D world like in Mario or Zelda
- Don't be afraid to copy! Even making a Zelda/Metroid/Mario clone will help you a lot, since you'll see that even simple things are often not as simple as they appear
- After you've written a couple of 2D games, try to extract the reused parts into a generic engine that you can then use as the base of your projects
- Learn to be creative, learn how to draw basic stuff. Creating a game is more then coding. Of course you most likely won't end up as a graphics designer, but understanding what those do will help you later, when you have to work with them