   where to start?
  hi im 14 and have been intrested in game development for a while but i dont know were to start. ive been using pointless programs like gamemaker for about 2 years and need to know where to start and i recently bought a book on blitz basic and c++ but they dont really tell me much about making games. any help on where to start would be greatly appreciated thnx   
  http://www.gamedev.net/reference/start_here/You should check this out.  It will definately help you along your way towards game development.   ;  Sadly, you will have to read through the general-purpose programming books before moving on to something that specifically covers games.  Without a good knowledge of the language you are using, you will be lost when you start learning about the various graphics/sound libraries avilable (also called APIs).  Blitz Basic, as you have mentioned, would be a good place to start learning, but I started with C++, and don't see why anyone couldn't do the same.When you have written multiple text-based programs with your language of choice (tex-based RPG, guess the number game, Tic-Tac-Toe, etc.), you should then move onto an API supported by your language.  C++ supports nearly every API you can find, but some of the more common choics are DirectX and OpenGL.  Rather than buying a book on the API you choose right away, you should first work through some of the tutorials included with your API's documentation; you'll be surprised how much you learn just by reading the docs.  If you work through the examples and still feel confused, you should then get a book; the reviews on amazon.com and on this site are very useful in deciding which book to buy.Quote:Original post by CoderGuyhttp://www.gamedev.net/reference/start_here/You should check this out. It will definately help you along your way towards game development.Just to let you know, this section is fairly outdated, especially when it comes to DirectX, although the general purpose articles are still valid and useful.  You should also check out the FAQ for the For Beginner's forum and the sticky threads at the top of this forum.Hope this helps!   ;  To add what programwizard said earlier, learn to program, and when you get to game programming, start out small.  Try doing Pong and Tetris.   ;  thanks alot guys 1 more question though, is c++ a suitable language to make games with and what compiler should i use for it i have dev c++ should i buy  the microsoft visual C++ compiler?   ;Quote:Original post by ste1756thanks alot guys 1 more question though, is c++ a suitable language to make games with and what compiler should i use for it i have dev c++ should i buy  the microsoft visual C++ compiler?It's very suitable; it is currently the most popular language in the games industry, and as mentioned earlier, you will have no problems finding libraries for it.  Some developers are starting to leave it for safer and cleaner alternatives, like C#, but you will still be able to get a C++ job for a while to come.Dev-C++ (which is actually just a fancy editor that sits on top of the MinGW compiler) is certainly capable of creating games, although most people perfer VC++; I do as well, simply for its excellent debugger.  Only Visual Studio Standard Editoion and up costs money; Visual C++ 2005 Express Edition, along with the other 5 Express Editions, can be downloaded for free on MSDN;  thanks again. im going to start reading my c++ book again. i dont want to be a menace but what other c++ books would you reccomend. ive also found a site  which is very helpful http://www.cprogramming.com/   ;Quote:Original post by ste1756thanks again. im going to start reading my c++ book again. i dont want to be a menace but what other c++ books would you reccomend. ive also found a site  which is very helpful http://www.cprogramming.com/What C++ book are you using currently? If you can get a hold of "Sams Teach Yourself C++ in 21 Days", you are welcome to join our free c++ workshop here on gamedev. Look at the very bottom of the forum list. We assign a chapter or so a week, and periodically will assign projects and such. Also, It has its own dedicated forum with tutors to help answer any questions you may have. It is a great resource for learning and I urge you to take a look.   ;  im currently using c++ for dummies and that workshop sounds great i will have a look for that book ASAP how much would the book cost in the UK   ;Quote:Original post by ste1756im currently using c++ for dummies and that workshop sounds great i will have a look for that book ASAP how much would the book cost in the UKList price is £25, but Amazon has it half off here