Skills needed for Game Development (with SFML)

[codewizard]

Hey guys,

I'm gonna have to code a small game (a 2d rpg) in the next months and now I'm not sure of my skills in programming are sufficient.
Starting some months ago, I began to read 'C++ Primer, 5th Edition' by Stanley B. Lipman, a very complete book about C++, already with C++11 regarded. So far I have completed the sections about the basics and now I am at the chapters about the STL, of which I already know the ones about sequential containers and algorithms. Do I really need to know about associative containers, dynamic memory management or inheritance? (Of course I know the basics of them, but nothing more)

It is not my first programming language, although the first to be used to do a serious project.

So, should I continue with the book or should I be learning-by-doing (with the tutorials on smfl-dev)?

[Lethn]

I've already received a lecture on this and I happen to have picked the exact same book you have, read it all the way through, apparently learning C++ in full makes SFML a lot easier. I looked at some SFML source code and understood why because more of it made sense after I had read primer. You seem use a lot of statements, operators and loops in SFML.

If you're looking to make a game then this book may help you http://www.packtpub.com/sfml-game-development/book I can't vouch for the content because I haven't been able to get my hands on it yet but the same guy who made SFML helped put the book together and it's a recent release so it should have SFML 2.0 code. If I knew all about basic C++ stuff then this would probably be my next step and it's specifically written for the purpose of developing a game, good luck.

Even if you don't ever use all the C++ in primer I wouldn't be surprised if it would come in handy if you ever come across an unusual problem.

Edit: Oops I don't think I looked at the right thing, I'm not sure when the book was released now but if it's Laurent then he shouldn't have given us an out of date book.

[Nexus]

So far I have completed the sections about the basics and now I am at the chapters about the STL, of which I already know the ones about sequential containers and algorithms. Do I really need to know about associative containers, dynamic memory management or inheritance? (Of course I know the basics of them, but nothing more)

Yes, you do, see also here. Note that it would be possible to write games without this knowledge, but it takes longer and is less enjoinable, since you have to handcraft some techniques and use complicated, error-prone ways. The time to learn C++ and the standard library is really a good investment; it will save you loads of time in the future, both in development and debugging.

Edit: Oops I don't think I looked at the right thing, I'm not sure when the book was released now but if it's Laurent then he shouldn't have given us an out of date book.

The book was released last Tuesday, if that's recent enough

[Lethn]

Oh right! I thought that date was something else, didn't realise it was so close, in that case I'll definitely get it