Graphics libraries and OOP

[Wickedgenius]

Hi,

I'm looking to go into computer game programming when I'm older and I'm looking to get started now so I've got a bit of a head start over those people who go straight into uni without knowing a thing (I'm 17).

I want to know what graphics libraries people would recommend and some good tutorials on how to use them because I can't learn a thing from documentation (it uses too much jargon, mostly you have to know how to use it before the documentation makes sense). Also how easy is it to take a graphics library and use it to get a 3D game made.

I would also like to know if anyone knows of any good tutorials for OOP (Object-Oriented Programming) because that is one of the few features of languages I simply haven't been able to get my head around.

By the way I can't afford to buy any book so the internet is the best resource for me, please do recommend books though and I'll see if my library has them.

Thanks in advance.

[DTR]

Well. From "I want to make games" standpoint, neither directX or openGL is that easy to begin with imho. For all practical purposes, you would have to build an "engine" if you wish to make a real game this way.

Especially with opengl, all you get is a rendering platform (although glut offers some slack with windowing and input). But pretty much everything else is left on your shoulders. From collision detection to model loading.

I started messing with 3d by using a free game engine just to get some abstraction there to allow me to explore stuff and later, find an interest to move on to lower levels.

There are simpler libraries like Allegro(Never used.) and of course the convenient canvas that comes with Java.

But from a beginners point of view, doing any graphics programming is quite difficult.
It is generally a good idea to be very comfortable in programming and its concepts before trying to actually get something real done.

For the record, I began with Java, and it worked out nicely. Been some Year and a 10 months now.

[yaustar]

What is your current programming experience?

[Wickedgenius]

Originally Posted by yaustar

What is your current programming experience?

A fair bit of C++ (mainly it's just OOP that I don't get), PHP (which I have found is similar in syntax) and a fair amount of BASIC.

[yaustar]

In that case, SDL, SFML, Allegro or HGE should suit your needs. I also recommend reading Thinking in C++ and the Software Engineering section from here

[Wickedgenius]

Thank you Yaustar. I'll take a look at those.

[brainydexter]

This might seem tangential or maybe pushing yourself too much, but you can also take a look at XNA (i know its in C#), but it takes care of a lot of basic stuff. That is one less thing to worry about when you are starting out. Also, you can start making small games in that, and with each game you will face situations where you would be able to connect more to the OOPs paradigm.

Languages are different, but from my experience, if you have the logic in your head, its just a matter of syntax.

[Adrir]

Java has a good online tutorial if you would like a better understanding of object-orientation. Once you "get it" though, you'll be laughing.

[Wickedgenius]

Thanks for all the resources, I've always got ideas but never found it easy to learn the things I need to implement them so this is great.

[dzeligman]

Once you feel like you understand C++ more, Ogre3D is one of the more popular free opensource 3D C++ engines.