   Learning how to learn- recommended books?
  I've decided that, rather than screwing around and dancing around it, using things for ease of use (GameMaker, Flash, etc)... I'm going to learn how to program games in C/C++.I have access to Safari Books Online, so I have access to a large amount of programming books. (understatement)I understand the value of starting small and working big, so I would like your suggestion on books that would ease me into C/C++, with an emphasis on creating games- step by step examples are a must, I'm just weird in that I learn through example and by improving upon examples.It's not so much that I'm a noob (though I am) I've just been using a lot of... shortcuts, I suppose, to get around the whole programming thing. I want that to stop, but the problem is that either all the books I find are trying to teach C/C++ by throwing large walls of code at you and expecting you to understand what it means, or doesn't include any information on how to actually do anything besides make a nice piece of bloated nothing.Help please? :P(As an aside, I'm currently downloading visual C++ express 2010- is that recommended as well, or is there something better? I would rather not, of course, slap down a few hundred dollars if I don't have to :P)EDIT: Yes, I did read those pages, as well as several others- running into the problems I described.   
  Check out the For Beginner's forum FAQ and How do I Get Started page on the wiki.   ;  What do you consider not screwing around and dancing around 'it'? If your goal is to make games then abandoning GameMaker and Flash could just be another form of screwing around. Not saying you shouldn't learn C or C++ just that you shouldn't consider GameMaker and Flash as screwing around if you've actually been making things with them.   ;  I consider it dancing around 'it' (it being programming) because that's something I genuinely want to learn to do- and I've been rather neglecting and putting it off (Well, I'll learn it after this, When I have more time, When I'm not so busy).Yes, I make things with them. I'm not abandoning them- but I want to learn how to program. It is, after all, a rather important part of making a game.   ;  If you are making games then your best bet is to learn a programming language.  Programming is at the heart of making a game, so avoiding it is the worst thing you can do...As a beginners language, I recommend C. Without going into a lecture it provides a great foundation for a novice to move onto C++ and Java, which are the two most popular languages at this time.  Actually, once you know C, moving onto any other language is fairly straight forward.If you get the book "Teach yourself C in 21 Days", you also get a bonus chapter(set out over a week) looking at both C++ and Java, so that would be the ideal starting place.   ;  Oh, just an extra, you could use VC++ Express 2010, but some of the code in the book I recommended might need some alterations here and there as it's primarily a C++ package.But you can always post up in the Programming section if you get stuck, so don't give up at the first hurdles.   ;  In a contradiction to Anri's post, my personal preference to start with is Java. It's not the easiest language to start with, but I started with it and I found it a relatively good place to start. It has it's own graphics library and is cross platform for the most part so no worries ^.^   ;  Re: boogyman19946.Actually, I remember taking the Open university course M255: OOP with Java. For many other students it was their first time at programming, and most of the feedback for the course was high praise for introducing not only Java, but OOP as well.  If anyone wants to learn Java first, then I very much recommend that course.My current language of choice is Java, and if one can get their head round the concept of OOP, then I agree its another good choice.   ;  "I understand the value of starting small and working big, so I would like your suggestion on books that would ease me into C/C++, with an emphasis on creating games- step by step examples are a must, I'm just weird in that I learn through example and by improving upon examples."You are basically describing this book so you probably want to start with it.;  That's actually the exact book I'm going through right now, and I agree; it is exactly what I was looking for.Thanks for your help guys :)   