Hi there, My name is Shuaib, and I I have just turned 17 (DOB: 25/10/1984). I have spent the last 2 years of my life learning VB - stuff like ADO, DAO, Database Apps, General VB Programming, Windows API etc. I have now made the move to C++ programming (YES, I just learnt how to make the HELLO World! App. The reason I am moving to C++ is because of the amount of research I have done. I have found that 90% of commercial software is made using C++, and almost all 3D games are made using C/C++ aswell. Yesterday I just went out to buy the following: SAMS Teach Yourself C++ in 21 Days - Jesse Liberty WROX Beginning C++ - The Complete Language - ANSI/ISO Compliant - Ivor Horton I have started reading the SAMS book and I am started to pic up some knowledge on C++. GREAT!!! I''d like to know when will I know I have enough C++ knowledge to go and pick up a book on OpenGL or DirectX. Another question is, just say I get 3D Studio Max 4 and i create say a little 3D Box. What is the process of gettin that little 3d box and sticking it on the screen in a C++ program and making a visible in all directions??? Thanks, Shuaib (shuaib84@hotmail.com) 17, LONDON, UK

Well, actually, you can use DirectX quite easily in VB. But considering you want C++, I''d give it a bit of time. Get a good foundation in C++ then move on to the 2 big graphics APIs. But for both, a good general knowledge of 3d concepts would help; if you want 2d, I would suggest DirectX. OpenGL is a decent bit easier to start with so you would just need to be comfortable with reading C++ code. If you want to go with DirectX... give it a bit more time. Things can get a little hairy there.

Oh yeah! I forgot. About loading and viewing a 3DS file, that''s something I would definitely wait on. You''d probably want to convert the 3DS file to an X file, which I believe are easier to work with in DX (and maybe OGL?). I''m sure someone will tell you where to find one. Then, I''m not sure on the code, but I can tell you that you probably don''t want to jump in by coding a 3D model viewer as your first 3D project...

Maybe start by making the shapes through code so you can get comfortable with your API of choice.