   c++ graphics
  newbie here,please forgive me if this question belittles your knowledge, but i need to know the answer. if you read geoff howlands article on "How do i make games" (http://www.gamedev.net/reference/design/features/focus/), he refers to simple steps to make games. I am embarking on coding tetris, so i need to know how to utilize c++ to output graphics. i will make the game pieces and such using paint, but i still need to implement that into c++. keep in mind i am a beginner in c++, since i just started using it last year. i am familiar with everything up to inheretance. basically, i know the following : expressions & statements, functions, classes, loops, pointers, arrays, referencing, and some inheretance. my first question is, do i have enough know how to make this game. i think so, but who knows, maybe i do not.and second, what do i do to implement graphics and such. is there a particular ".h" file out there? realize, once again, i am a newbie, so  cut back me some slack. i am just asking peeps who know. thanks again,Mockspeed  
  What compiler are you using?If you are using  djgpp, I recommend using Allegro,which can be freely downloaded from www.delorie.com\djgppNOTE: just including allegro.h after you''ve downloaded allegro isn''t enough, you have to compile the library yoourself.If you are using another compiler, you should find another free graphics library.(I don''t know a lot of other graphics library names, for I am anewbie to, but I do know about Allegro)ThomazD  ;  I am using VC++, but do not know any MFC or the built in features of the compiler  ;  if you want to use OpenGL, go here: http://nehe.gamedev.net/opengl.asp, and start with "setting up the window" tutorial (1st one). it describes everything, and you should understand it. then, read tut 2, and so on, and it''ll teach you everything to make tetris. i''m a newbie too, but i did read up to tut 23, and 40 pages of OpenGL: A Specification (it''s at http://www.opengl.org/, but u should start with tuts at nehe), so i''m freely floating around this whole c++/opengl lake, understand everything (all simple stuff), but i still need extperience. i started a tetris, but didn''t finish it. i''m half-way there. if you want to help me finish it, i''ll help you with anything u need. i''ll send you what i have so far. now i just finished (yay! ) a cool, but simple game, where you run away from a cop (). please add me to your msn list (shurcool@hotmail.com), or email me at shurcool@hotmail.com. you can get both of my games (tetris, which is down temporally , and this cop game - ruNround) at http://www16.brinkster.com/shurcool/. now that you know what to do - do it. btw, i don''t do DirectX yet, so if you ecide to learn that first - i can''t help you.  i''m an OpenGL guy. if you have trouble deciding between gl and dx, choose any, you''re gonna have to learn both anyway. so it doesn''t matter which one to start with. thanks,shurcool.    shurcool.  