I have been playing around with different 'flavors' of programming, like QBasic, Assembly, and C++. I like all of them, but I have really begon to like C++. The only problem I have, is that I dont have any problems to solve. I'm just programming cause its FUN ^^. I am having trouble thinking of things to do with the stuff I've learned " you know some practice problems". If anyone knows of places i could goto to find "challenges" or some ideas on things to make. It would be awesome, 7H4NK$ 4 R34D1NG. :cheesy:

1) easy one: ask user to input some text. write it back as an HTML website. you could add 'commands' to add images and set text formatting if you like. Easy if you use ANSI c++ string class/functions (in <string>). Reading the fstream tutorial in the c/c++ tutorials forum is recommended. You will learn a bit about strings and files -> IMHO the two most common used components in most programming (aside maths/numbers of course...)

2) harder: write a vector class to manipulate vectors in 2d / 3d. Its not really fun in any sense but you will learn a vital mathematic skill and you will learn to write a class (v. important), overload operators and the code will be useful in ANY graphical or game / simulation / physics application...

Number 2 btw is very very useful and I have used my own tvec (templated vector) class countless times on games ect... have fun and hope you learn something! if google has no joy pm me and i can help you with any vector stuff / HTML stuff you might have!

Well the one thing I ultimatly want to do with programming is make games :cheesy: , RPGs mostly. Math is another thing I enjoy besides computers, programming, and networking...warning warning tech freak... so the knowledge I'll pick up with these will be great, Thanks.

making games? you will need a LOT of math knowledge my son!

Depends on the game
Writing games isn't for the fainthearted though, and you need a lot of experience in a lot of different areas to go it alone (graphics, sound, AI, user interface design, etc. etc. etc.).
If you want to go that way, start small.
Don't go out to write a competitor to Doom3 or even Wolfenstein 3D. Start with tic-tac-toe, then maybe Pong. Pacman is next.
From there you may think of a sidescroller like Captain Keen.

A few years down the line you may then start thinking of beginning to design something 3D. That design should take several months before you write your first line of code and years before you have something worth showing the world.
That is, if you work on it fulltime and don't give up for a job that brings in money to pay the rent

Ack. It's Commander Keen. And yes, game programming is a very big task, especially if you plan to undertake the project by yourself. I know, as I've had many experiences with "Game Programming Gone Bad". As jwenting said, the design document/phase comes first. But, I disagree, jwenting, with your take on 3D game design. In this day and age, with all the engines, tutorials, source code, etc floating around the internet, it could be perfectly feasible for a first time game developer to do something in 3D, and be fine with it. Now, I say 'first time game developer' meaning that the said person already has development experience, just not in the specific genre of gamedev. We've gone much farther than the days of 2.5D algorithms that would make most "modern" programmers bleed from the ears (I love you John Carmack). Okay, I'm rambling now...

ah yes, Commander Keen it was. Those were the days

I personally don't think using some kind of generator to create a game out of existing components to be game development...
I agree you won't have to go around building the entire engine (though IMO that's the fun part, I couldn't care less about user interface programming myself which is why I specialise in batchprograms and other serverside stuff) but a 3D game is still a lot more work on things outside the actual game logic system to distract people.

Get involved with the speech engine built into Windows XP. It allows you to read text in several different voices.
BTW, it is real fun to have the German or French guy read English text. I am trying to write a simple slide viewer that reads a description to each slide.

Mixing graphics with speech could easily lead to an interesting game. Some games use short MP3 files for their voices.

You can download the speech engine for older Windows versions too. Google SAPI

Good luck ...

If your serious about coding an entire engine then it is a LOT of work! and i still stress that th maths is very important. it allowed me to design a lot of 3d code and then optimise it, even before the assembler was dusted off and loaded up! i agree with jwenting about starting small. it is a good idea to make many small programs, perhaps one controlling some sound, one about graphics ect... and then joining them up into something beautiful! A LOT of people get Direct3D tutorials, make a cube spin or even better, TWO cubes .... and say 'look at the game im making'.... dont fall into that trap! a game is very complex and has many parts. Do some small apps to test ideas then go for it! I was thinking about posting a tutorial but am finding it difficult to find the time to write it!

I totally understand the tasks I'm about to under go with gaming. I'll master them even if it takes 50 years, as long as I'm having fun doing it. I believe C++ is perfect for enemy AI. I'm not all that good at programming right now, so I will learn another way other than text-only games :rolleyes: . Thanks to all of you for your suggestions on which roads to take. Oh and making games like pac-man, tic-tac-toe "the most ultimate war game", and a chess game would be sweet, I have a great respect for the basic strategy games, and Thanks again.