   DirectX,SDL,Oh my...
  Hi everyone,  I seem to have run into a problem with game programming. I''ve been wanting to make a 2D mmorpg, but have had problems learning how to.I bought a "learn c++" book,but I kinda...erm... quit it after I got Jim Adams''s book on programming mmorpgs with directx.Unfortunately,however,I''m easily confused by programming,and ended up not understanding much of it at all.Then I found SDL.But I''m not too sure about using it,because I don''t think it does anything for networking, and I''m not too sure about the licensing and stuff.I''d really like to be able to program games though, Any advice on what I should do? 
  Sounds like you dont know how to program and you cant make a game if you dont know how to program, so what I would do is learn how to program, then I would learn an API.So stick with it and you will be making 2d MMOG''s all over the place! ;  - SDL is very nice!- you can also get the "Expansion Pack" SDL_net which does networking jazz- none of the previous two options will do anything for you if you don''t speak the language they are written in. I agree with the previous post. Get proficient with basic C++, then learn the GUI/Networking libraries. - SDL licensing is GPL, which means it''s bascailly free for all uses, personal and commercial both. Feel free to use it.;  Start smaller.  A 2d MMORPG is good goal, but if you try to do that  as your first project you are going feel overwhelmed and frustrated.  That project is more than a single new programmer, or even a team of new programers can hope to accomplish if they don't even know c++.Start smaller, learn c++, learn SDL, and then make a pong clone or tetris clone.  And then move on from there.BTW:  SDL is licensed under the LGPL which is more commercial friendly than the GPL. According to their website "...The most common way to comply with the license is to dynamically link with SDL, and then include the SDL source code and appropriate notices with your application..."http://www.libsdl.org/license.php   [edited by - yspotua on February 12, 2004 2:00:08 AM];  Please: for your own sake, learn to program first! ;  hlplus is right, learn to program first, create a text based rpg first, while a 2d mmorpg is a good goal too... you first need to know how to program, and that means console... and a text based rpg would probably keep you interestedbut personally i LOVE direct x, but then again im stupid lol, do what you want, BUT FOR NOW LEARN TO PROGRAM ;  Okay,Thanks for the info,I''ll start reading my c++ book *puts on halo* but one last question...The book I have,it''s called"Teach Yourself C++ in 21 Days" by Sams publishing...does anyone know if that''s what I need,or would some website be better?;  Oh yeah,one other thing,(sorry to keep posting) What section of the SDL website is the SDL expansion for networking in? I can''t find it... ;  Look in the ''libraries'' section. They''ve got a whole load of addons. ;  I got started on O''Reily''s "Practical C++ Programming" which i recommend for beginners although it''s a bit older. DO NOT get "C++ For Dummies"! 