Interested in Coding.

As the title suggestion, I am interested in starting to learn code. The problem is I don't know where to start.

I am looking to focus on coding games, I know C++ is used alot in games but I also know it isn't a starting language. I just don't know which Language to start with.

My first project, of sorts, would be something basic like a Tamagachi, then moving towards text based games. Not sure whether different games use different languages.

Thank for any help, much appreciated.

so learn to code or learn to code games?
I see 2 paths:
1. learnt to code = Python, try some basic programs, move to games(majority of stuff is already done by someone else)
2. code games - choose specific language for this specific task

You have a few options as far as learning to code goes.

If you've never done it before, something like scratch to learn the fundamentals of programming and how execution works isn't out of the question - but if you'd rather get into the meat and potatoes of it as opposed to drag'n'drop style programming then I recommend using Codecademy or FreeCodeCamp to learn yourself something like JavaScript or python. Both are used a lot and for different purposes.

After you learn something like that you could graduate to Java or C#, the latter being one of the languages used in Unity which I'd imagine will be of interest to you if you want to learn to make games. You'll also find that the syntax will look familiar to you once you've gotten to grips with some other languages.

Your other option for starting out with the wide world of game development is something like Game Maker. It looks primitive at first but it's a powerful tool in the right hands, leading to the creation of games like Hotline Miami. It uses a hybrid style of programming where you can attach event listeners and behaviors to objects by dragging the features into it, or writing the code yourself using the in-built scripting language GML.

Whatever you choose to learn, remember that making mistakes is part of the fun! Think of coding like a big puzzle, there's always an answer and the more you practice the quicker you'll be at finding them.

When I first started C++, I've done a few simple games, terminal based. Like tic tac toe that can be played with another player.
Yes, C++ is harder to learn and understand than other languages so you'll need to master fundamentals first.

Do not jump straight to 3D or 2D games because you will get overwhelmed and potentially this will turn you off from doing this stuff.

Simple, learn to crawl before you walk.

As I said, set up a goal, like a simple app, tic tac toe is simple and it is a game, do it in terminal because you don't need to worry about graphics.
Learn basic things first, and master that.

When you think you're ready, do something more with that console app, upgrade it, add new stuff. Change how it works, how it is written.

In time, you will also learn there are some design patterns, which will help you write better code which can be re-used so you don't need to type same logic in two different places (factory, singleton and builder) are the ones you will use first.

When you finally master that, you can do something else. I think Unity is great place to start , but it is using C# rather than C++, it is a bit different but a lot of stuff is similar across all languages.

most languages are C-like.

in fact Cpp isn't so bad a start. especially if u got a good IDE.

is an old favorite from a previous post. if "it" isn't there, then "it"'s impossible.

why advertise python to a beginner is beyond me, probably bc discord-users favor them*cough*

a beginner would do alot better starting something like go, js or lua though.

Well, to be objective.... here is link.
https://www.tiobe.com/tiobe-index/

Also suggesting based on personal experience same as info from my colleagues/friends.

C++ is a good start for game programming, however it can definitely be a difficult first language. With the use of pointers, and pass-by-value OR pass-by-reference unlike JAVA which is just pass-by-reference, it can be difficult to keep track of pointers. You will want to make sure everything is accurately and efficiently dereferenced, unlike with languages like Java which do automatic garbage collection.

In my opinion, the best way to learn game programming would be first decide on an easier beginner language. C++ has a lot more to keep track of and is very powerful- without understanding secure programming techniques your application will be prone to security breaches. For this reason, I recommend starting by learning Java or C#. Java is less good for games because the container system is clunky and difficult, plus the language is prone to memory leaks. In my opinion anyway. A lot of games are developed in Java so it is up to your discretion, but I think you should learn the programming aspect by utilizing Java.

Another good first language would be C# which is used by most major game engines. Unreal Engine and Unity both use C# for certain types of functionality when it comes to customization. I.E. you may make a blueprint and then decide you want to customize its behavior and this is often done in C#.

For this reason, I recommend starting with either one of these languages. For C# development (which is my preferred language) you will want to use Microsoft Visual Studio as your IDE. For Java you can use something like BlueJ or Eclipse as they are both good IDEs.

I hope this response brings some clarity; there is a lot that goes into game development, but these are good languages to start with. Python is good too (Panda3D uses it)

I also wanted to add that a game is a huge endeavor, so you would benefit by first starting with small applications and learning the flow of programming instead of undertaking a project like a game. ESPECIALLY if it is 3D

C# is also pretty good for game development seeing as it's whats used with unity. And if you want to make 2D games then python is the way forward in my opinion (key word: opinion) because it also has plenty of other uses like web servers or even machine learning. It's also super easy to get started with