Hi guys, my first post.

Basically, I've been messing around with c++ for a little while, having a bit of fun. I even managed to write a program to do a maths assignment for me. But now, where do I go. I've pretty much mastered simple commands that are covered in tutorials, but what's the next step? How do I learn to make programs that are useful? Guess the number games are good ways to pass time, but how do I get a program to do more interesting things, or even create a small simple game?

Thanks guys.

So what game do you want to write?

I don't really know. I just wanna know what to do next. I can get a program to do simple sums and repeat information back to me, but how do I do interesting things, like rendering graphics or getting the program to manipulate files. Anything interesting.

How about hangman?
Where you try and guess the word a letter at a time.
Get a wrong letter and it draws a bit more of the man being hanged.


Next question.
What platform are you using? (Windows/Mac/Linux or somthing else)

I'm using Windows XP, but I also have DSL (damn small linux.) Using Visual C++ 2005.

Thinking about Windows.

Step 1: Create a Window.
Step 2: Add 26 buttons (letters A-Z)
Step 3: Add event loop so it draws part of the hangman and locks the button in the down position.

Let us know when you have figured that out.

Here is a place to start:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default....reatewindow.asp

Here is a sample windows app.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default....usingwindow.asp

write an os

Freshmeat has listings of all sorts of open source projects. You can try searching and finding something you're interested in.