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What is the best languages to learn?


ckeel12201
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In school they started us off learning visual basics language vs C# or C++ and I eventually want to start learning how to program in both of those languages. I also want to know the many languages best with games. I have Unity downloaded but have yet to tinker with it due to school. Programming is one thing I do find extensively fun to do I never knew how satisfying it was to get something to work after hours of being put into it lol.  Anyway I am open to all suggestions and opinions I also would love to hear the first language you learned as well as how you branched out from there and how difficult it was to do so. 

 

 

Also if you want to see how messy my coding is I could post a few of my console projects we did here x3 

Edited by ckeel12201
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There's not exactly a list of best languages, it depends on your preference, what field you're working in, etc. But learning C# and C++ is a pretty safe bet, high in demand and powerful. Maybe add some web development to the mix, JS, PHP, and the likes, that can be pretty useful nowadays. Aside from that, try as many languages as possible and find the ones that suit you and your needs the best. For me, right now, that's C#.

I started with Visual Basic 6. It was relatively easy to start with, and gave fast results. For me that was the way to go, though there are people who say you should start with something low-level like C, to learn what's going on behind the scenes. However, I think it's important to hook the newbie first, before showering them with facts about compilers, linkers, memory management, pointers, etc... While you will have to learn those things at some point, I actually think it's easier after you saw them in action ("Ah, so that's how my strings work behind the scenes!").

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There's not exactly a list of best languages, it depends on your preference, what field you're working in, etc. But learning C# and C++ is a pretty safe bet, high in demand and powerful. Maybe add some web development to the mix, JS, PHP, and the likes, that can be pretty useful nowadays. Aside from that, try as many languages as possible and find the ones that suit you and your needs the best. For me, right now, that's C#.

I've started with Visual Basic 6. It was relatively easy to start with, and gave fast results. This is imo the way to go, although there are people who say you should start with something low-level like C, to learn what's going on behind the scenes, but I think it's important to hook the newbie first, before showering him with facts about compilers, linkers, memory management, pointers, etc... Although you will have to learn those things at some point, I actually think it's easier after you saw them in action ("ah, so that's how my strings work behind the scenes").

Well as I mentioned I am really interested in learning how games run and how interesting programming into games can be. I mean I am already hooked into programming because just the other day I was bored so I challenged myself to make a simple calculator xD it was fun but I hadn't known enough to get everything to call to the right module turned out to be simple my teacher had helped me. But yes visual basic is really easy to start with I tried to fiddle with C# and C++ and I am like "This is much more difficult to figure out" as I know nothing on it so far :3 have figured out simple things thus far which is naming variables but it is my goal to learn both eventually. I also want to know what would be most helpful for this community exec. If at all possible I wanted to try to learn and help at the same time with your new project when you decided to start it. 

Depends if you are just starting i hear python is really good to start with because its pretty easy 
http://learnpythonthehardway.org/book/

I am actually interested in learning this as well. so thank you for the link ^^ 

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The thing is, you can do game programming in pretty much all bigger languages, compiled or scripted, high or low level. You'll find libraries and frameworks in almost all of them. The only reason to go to a specific language would be if you have special requirements, like a game that runs in the browser, or when you need power, on a AAA level. It's basically impossible to write an Assassin's Creed in Python, or Lua. But AAA shouldn't be your goal in the beginning anyway, obviously. Really, just find your favorite language and hack away at the beginning^^

If at all possible I wanted to try to learn and help at the same time with your new project

In that case .NET in general will probably be a safe bet, because the chances that I'll choose C# for a new project are very high. You could actually write scripts in VB.NET in Aura, although nobody ever used or really tested that feature xD

Edited by exec
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I'd definately say that C++ and C# are your best bet for game development.

C++ is (arguably) faster if used correctly, and is the dominating language in AAA game development. With c++ it can be a bit easier to get into low-level stuff, however, c++ can be harder for beginners to start with.

C# is more dominating in the indie field, since its easier (and faster to write) than C++ code, however, It might come at a performance decrease and its pretty Windows-specific. With c# going opensource (this is happening right?) and Mono, It's more cross platform than it was a few years ago. I'd say c# is still relatively a new language.

It's pretty much down to preference and your goal in what language you want to choose (Do you want to be an optimization madman and have the fastest running raytracer? Try c++, Do you just want to make a fun game, Even if MIGHT be lower performance than it could be in c++ (or assembly, we all love assemly do we?), choose C#).

If you really don't know yet, I'd suggest starting with C# to understand how programming works, then moving to c++. Doing c++ or an web language like php first would work too, Again, it's all down to preference.

Edited by Miro
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In that case .NET in general will probably be a safe bet, because the chances that I'll choose C# for a new project are very high. You could actually write scripts in VB.NET in Aura, although nobody ever used or really tested that feature xD

If I was aware of this, I would have tried xD

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If you really don't know yet, I'd suggest starting with C# to understand how programming works, then moving to c++. Doing c++ or an web language like php first would work too, Again, it's all down to preference.

If he's currently working with VB in school it might make sense to continue that though, to learn the basics. He will learn about the .NET framework just as well. To switch to C# later on he basically just has to learn a new style, all the system classes are the same.

its pretty Windows-specific.

I don't know if I agree with that, I guess it's not as cross-platform as C++ or Java, but with libraries/engines like MonoGame and Unity I think C# is very viable for cross-platform game development.

Edited by exec
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If he's currently working with VB in school it might make sense to continue that though, to learn the basics. He will learn about the .NET framework just as well. To switch to C# later on he basically just has to learn a new style, all the system classes are the same.

I don't know if I agree with that, I guess it's not as cross-platform as C++ or Java, but with libraries/engines like MonoGame and Unity I think C# is very viable for cross-platform game development.

I was thinking maybe learning a second language along side VB would be a good idea but it sounds like it would be better to finish the class before learning a second language. 

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I was thinking maybe learning a second language along side VB would be a good idea but it sounds like it would be better to finish the class before learning a second language. 

Personally I think a beginner should learn one language first, to build a foundation. Learning multiple languages with different ways of handling problems at once might confuse more than it helps.

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Personally I think a beginner should learn one language first, to build a foundation. Learning multiple languages with different ways of handling problems at once might confuse more than it helps.

I will second that being someone who tried learning more than one language at a time. It doesn't work and I used to mix the language syntax up a lot. It also distracts you from really getting to master a single language. This is why I only focus on C#.

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Personally I think a beginner should learn one language first, to build a foundation. Learning multiple languages with different ways of handling problems at once might confuse more than it helps.

I will second that being someone who tried learning more than one language at a time. It doesn't work and I used to mix the language syntax up a lot. It also distracts you from really getting to master a single language. This is why I only focus on C#.

I think once this course is over I am going to start c# as I probably wont have another programming course coming during the time I work towards my degree. This is just intro to programming and I am only about 7 week in 4 more weeks and its over so I am doubtful that I will learn to master VB before then. I will probably just know all the basics of building stuff in VB  which will be handy I am sure :3 but I am interested in understanding and learning c# for possible job opportunities in the future. 

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  • 2 years later...

You're right, Java is a safe bet as well, though I would never recommend it because of my personal dislike for it^^" It is one of the top languages, and especially due to it being used in Android development it won't disappear any time soon and will keep being in high demand. Though I don't know about it being used for game development. For servers, yes, but I don't think I've ever seen an actual game developed in Java, even though there are surely many libraries for it and it definitely is possible.

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The only game I know of that was developed in Java (aside from tiny student projects) is Minecraft. Its definitely good to learn since its still widely used in the industry, but its not normally used for game development, most of the time games seem to be coded in C++ or C#. Although if you know either of those languages, learning Java would not be that hard honestly. 

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Wow, I totally forgot about Minecraft, not only the biggest Java game, but one of the biggest games in general xD" Though that's probably a great example why you wouldn't want to do game development in Java, that Minecraft client was problematic.

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  • 2 weeks later...

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