3D game programming and C++

That's right folks, time for another 'newbie' thread. Sorry if that bothers anyone ;)

Basically the point of this thread is this: I know VB, and I also know VB is not at all good for the kind of stuff I want to be doing (being 3D RPG programming). I know C++ is more than capable of doing so, but I am a complete beginner. So I have a few questions. Keep in mind I don't know C.

1. Does anyone have any recommendations for tutorials for COMPLETE BEGINNERS about cpp programming in general for those that don't know C (not game programming, I know I have much to learn before going that far)
2. Does anyone have any recommendations for books for COMPLETE BEGINNERS about cpp programming in general for those that don't know C (again, not game programming)
3. Does anyone have any recommended cpp compilers?

Thanks everyone, much appreciated.

I did see the 'Tutorials' thread at the top ;) but some answers to those questions could be helpful, thank you.

Well, first, you're taking as if C is a prerequisit (sp?) for C++. It's not. Don't even bother with C. Forgot C exists. Just learn C++.

First thing I would do is build some console apps, get a grasp on the language, then start moving to some OOP concepts such as classes. Build a few applications. Come up with some problems and solve them.

You know all those dumb assignments programming teachers give? "Make a bank program to record deposits and withdrawals from a bank acount." Come up with some of them and make them.

Once you get good at that and have a good grasp on C++ syntax and ideas, then start asking about game programming and what not.

Start small and build. Take it one step at a time.

C++ compilers? Do a search. There have been discussions about them. You can find many, many opinions and compilers.

I'm currently reading http://www.cplusplus.com/doc/tutorial/index.html. It's pretty good.

And I recommend VC++ as compiler, if you have it.

Thanks.

Well, I wasn't really taking it as though C was a prerequisite, however some people for some reason find it imperitive that you know C before even uttering the words "C PLUS PLUS". So thanks. I'll check it out.

Anymore ideas/suggestions are more than welcome.

By the way kings, this tutorial is good so far! I just went through the first bit, and it's excellent. I'm glad to find a tutorial that talks to me as if I litterally don't know anything at all :D

That tutorial is wrong. It's using the wrong iostream library.

www.cprogramming.com

and don't expect any 3D RTS games soon :p

Quote:

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Originally posted by SteveCRM
www.cprogramming.com

and don't expect any 3D RTS games soon :p

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Okay that's wonderful, I said RPGs, not real time strategy games. Also read the whole thing, I said I'm not planning on making 3D games or any games for that matter any time soon.

Thanks for the tutorial though.

Also Thinking in C++ is free off the authors website. I honestly don't remember the url, but it's been posted in the forums a bunch. I found www.winprog.org FAQ/tutorial to be helpfull. Also Programming Microsoft Windows by Charles Petzold. But the book assumes knowledge of c/c++.

Petzold's book is not for learning C++, it's for learning using the windows API. That's the next step, but not necessary yet. And the book is completly in C, which shouldn't be a problem once you know C++ well.

As parksie said the tutorial at www.cplusplus.org is using the old deprecated libraries. This means you have to replace some includes:
The files
<iostream.h>
<fstream.h>
<string.h>
<vector.h>
<iomanip.h>
<list.h>
and quite a few others are to be replaced by
<iostream>
<fstream>
<string>
<vector>
<iomanip>
<list>
Basically you just take the old header name and remove the .h. There are some exceptions: the headers of the C library, which you replace using a different scheme:
<stdlib.h>
<stdio.h>
etc. become
<cstdlib>
<cstdio>
...
You remove the .h and insert a c at the beginning.

If you have any of these new headers you also have to add the line
using namespace std;
after all include directives. You can do a search on 'namespace' on this forum to find out more.

Most headers that don't belong to the core language (like windows.h) don't have an equivalent using the new convention.

Thanks everyone. If you have any more suggestions just keep posting them. Thanks again :D

These guys have some really good tuts
http://www.gametutorials.com/

Also
http://www.gamedev.net/
http://www.drunkenhyena.com/
Have good info