I am really interested in making games, more specifically 3D online 1st person shooters.... but one problem I don't know how to program much. I have a decent background with graphics, 3D and 2D alike. I was wondering how I would get into the programming part of it. I am taking AP Computer Sci next year, to start. What languages are best too use for games like this? Any info about this would be nice. Although I know it's just a shot in the dark, it's a start.

Programming is hell, then again i am only 14 years old.

All real games are programmed in C with possibly dips into C++ and assembly language. I suppose in a turn based game or other game where time wasn't critical and the graphics weren't too complex that you could use a less efficient language like C++ or Java or Visual Basic, but why would you want to? ;)

My advice to you if you want to program is simple: Buy a compiler. I personally think that the Visual suite from MS is a joy to use, but if you have something against MS then Borland makes (or at least use to make) a pretty decent product. There are some free compilers like gcc available, and they compile pretty decently but they aren't what I'd consider a joy to use.

My second advice to you would be tackle a college level book on data structures as soon as possible. Having mastered the basic concepts of programming, go find a text on writing FPS code. There are several on the market, some with the complete code for a simple FPS shooter in them.

Finally, my third advice to you would be have fun, and if you are having fun, don't give up the dream. Once you give it up, its hard to get it back.

Thanks that helps a lot gives me a good place to start.

Celebrim> Most of the engine is made in C. The rest can be done ingame.

I think that writing mods for an existing game might be more up your alley than writing a whole new game from scratch. 3D online FPSs aren't exactly the simplest things out there from a programming standpoint.

I'd actually reccommend gcc over Visual Blah. I've used both. I've never used Borderland, though. gcc has Makefiles, which take about 10 seconds to learn and are infinitely powerful, plus it can be optimized far beyond Visual Blah (gcc -O3 -Wall -fomit-frame-pointer -funroll-loop=6 -march=athlon-tbird -pipe). Plus, it's free!

I second Roguelazer... Download GCC and mess around with it... You better be prepared for some reasonably complicated math if you want to do 3d properly... Personally i would use nothing but C, i have never come across the "need" to delve into C++ but i don't wish to start a flame war here, so if you want to go onto C++ then it won't do any harm...

I thought C++ was simpler than C, but the code wasn't as tight...

C is the basic language, C++ is the Object-Oriented version. The code can be just as tight if you do it right, can be just as optimized (with gcc, at least). Plus, you can have objects, and they're good for all KINDS of things.

If you want to make games the easy way, try this evil programming language called Dark Basic pro..

www.darkbasicpro.com

It costs around $100 but its worth it..

Its a shocking discovery that people actually make a lot of cash from selling games programmed in a easy programming language like dark basic pro..

well at least you don't have to deal with the pointers and linkers.
I'm not really a big fan into BASIC programming language.