Best Way to Start Learning "DirectX" Programming

PhysicsMan94 · 30 Jun 2014 at 14:59

I have just finished my second year at university studying Physics and will start an "Intercalated Year in Computer Science" in September as part of my degree. A possible career choice for me is in the game development industry, specifically Physics programming for games, and most job requirements I have seen mention experience with and knowledge of DirectX (D3D mostly).

So I want to start learning some DX programming this Summer to give me some good, working knowledge of the API. I have fairly good knowledge of C++ and I am currently working through a book called "Beginning Visual C++ 2012" by Ivor Horton; I am onto the material on Classes and such.

Does anyone know of a good way to start down this path as reading about it quickly gets one into a maze of complexity? Is it best to start with simple D2D programming or would it be better to just go straight to D3D? Or would it better to simply continue learning more advanced C++ before delving into this?

Thanks for any information

Deceptor · 30 Jun 2014 at 15:15

Not that I have much experience in it but the bits I did dabble with came from various youtube/website tutorials, it was a while ago though so I can't recall any specifically (plus they were in C# not C++).

Depending on your approach to learning it can be pretty effective (there is also a lot of crap too), I did whip up a simple Space Invaders game a couple of years ago to get me familiar with it but since then I have done squat with DirectX sadly

Zhokel · 30 Jun 2014 at 15:17

This site may be of use http://www.rastertek.com/tutindex.html, just hit up the DX11 Tutorials category and there's plenty in there that might help you out, at the end of each tutorial there are some exercises to try out as well.

PhysicsMan94 · 1 Jul 2014 at 13:04

Thanks guys, that website seems pretty useful I'll take a more detailed look through it later, hopefully my level of knowledge of C++ is adequate for it.