Learning the basics of C++

My first step was learning the theoretical basics of C++. What do I have to do to get my first application running? How does the syntax look like? What do I already know and what is new?

Since I'm using a Mac and I am used to work in Eclipse (Java Development, Flex, Aptana), I searched for a possibility to use the Eclipse IDE for C++ as well. Luckily, it is already offered at the Eclipse start page, the Eclipse for C++ Developers Plugin. I quickly installed it and found out, that I do not even have to install a compiler, because my MacBook Pro brings everything I need.

So, how to get closer to the basic rules of C++? There are a lot of tutorials on the internet, and I don't want to say, that they aren't good, but I found a book at amazon.de called "C++ für Spieleprogrammierer" from Heiko Kalista. (Means "C++ for game developers"). So, I decided to do it in the old fashioned way and to learn from this book, as it seems to be made exactly for my purposes and the user reviews were all very cheerful.

I worked through the most parts of it in about 2 weeks, whereas this is not 2 weeks 24/7, but an hour or two after work, every second day. Something like that. I can agree to the user ratings, it makes the introduction very easy, especially, when you already bring some programming experience. Okay, if you don't speak german, it will be quite useless to you, but there will surely be other solutions ;). I worked through the syntax basics in about 3 days (It's all quite familiar from Java and Actionscript 3) and am now quite familiar with classes, pointers and addresses. I'm not totally comfortable with everything, but that's simply because the experience is missing. I think now is the time to think of the realization of a really small game, with a nice, logical API that serves a graphic engine to generate the front end.

Without this basic knowledge, I think it is senseless to think about starting to develop a game and/or think about an engine to develop it with. My next thought were some game concepts and the intensive search for the right game engine. To be continued...

Hello World

The first words, programmer speaks in a new language are the same words, that will introduce my blog: Hello World!

Since I was very young (I think I had a C64 at that time), I dreamt of creating my own computer games. Over the years, I've been able to gather a quite strong background in the design and development of computer software. I studies Character Modeling and Animation, alongside with Creative Media and Technologies and finished my studies with a Bsc. title.

My main focus was the development of web software so far, so my fortes are Actionscript (Version 3 preferred), Java, Javscript and Prototype, which I'm doing a lot at work at the moment.

But since almost every job in the game development business demands for proficiency in C++, I finally decided to learn everything I have to know about C++ and stack up my portfolio with some serious games.

I'm not completely new to the development of games. Besides some very old, forgotten Basic games and some small flash games, I've created a neat little 3D pet simulation game called fuXcats during my studies. For this game, I was forced by the University to use 3D Gamestudio A6. Basically, it was quite okay, because a lot of functionality came with the game engine, but I couldn't get the necessary C++ experience. If I succeed to export it to binary some day, I will post it here as well.

So much about my background. In the next posts, I will talk about what I already learned about C++ and what I'm planning to do next.

Cheers,

Felix