DirectX: lack of tutorials

[ameijer]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this questions, but my question is:

Why does the Internet lack tutorials for DirectX? I would really like to develop for DirectX, since the game industry tends to use more than OpenGL, but the problem is, once I start with it, I stumble into depressing problems making me hate programming. Then after a while, I get an urge to get back into learning it.

The thing is, there aren't that many tutorials for DirectX as there is for OpenGL. Why is that?

[baldurk]

I'd say that tutorials for OpenGL are hard to write. However, I think for DirectX there seem to be more references than tutorials. I believe there are some tutorials in the DX SDK.

[davepermen]

"tutorials are for newbies"..

well.. this said, i could get flamed. but the trick is, get over it. its more important to be able to read helpfiles and documentations than tutorials. there is simply stuff no one has did yet. but every library is documented. espencially the microsoft libs are great documented. they have examples, and even some tuts on msdn, but most you learn from the documentation itself. the "how to use the api" at least. and the rest.. well.. actually there are a lot of books about how to develop game stuff in dx. hadn't had one myself, but read some of friends..

[Amithran]

I don't think theres really a LACK of DirectX tutorials. DirectX is (after you learn it) really strait forward. And there are plenty of tutorials that can teach you how to do something a certain way, it's just that afterwards, you have to use your intuition to use it create things YOU want. It's all a matter of learning, and then applying.

Now, I'm not a big book buyer when it comes to how-to's, but I do have a fair ammount of them. I get them from freinds / family that got them for classes or self bennifet. And if you don't know any one into computers, there are always cheap books at used book stores. I have several OLD how-to books (including a whopper of a book: Using HTML 2.0 ), and why it is out dated, it's still very useful/fun to read. The books themselves act as SYNTAX references. Thats what programming really boils down too, after you learn the logic part (if/loops/etc).

I recomend trying to find a DirectX book ( I got The Zen of Direct3D Game Programming that I use for quick references every now and then ) to use learn from, or even learn to use the DX SDK Documentation. THe documentation is an incredibly powerful resource once you understand how to get what you need from it. HowTo boooks are (in an abstract example) pretty wrappers for documentation. This is very important, and I strongly suggest you take your time to familiarize yourself with the SDK help files.

Heres a couple of links for DirectX tutorials that I use/used for help: (NOTE Some are not DX specific, but programming methodology)
http://www.flipcode.com/
http://www.riaz.de/tutorials/d3d.html
http://www.andypike.com/tutorials/directx8/
http://www.gamasutra.com

[davepermen]

hm yeah actually you need to know how to program stuff.. then using an api (part of "how do i program stuff") is easy once you got access to the docu.. and.. the docu is great:D

[CyraX]

I think the DX SDK itself comes with pretty neat tutorials.
Before developing DX stuff you have to be used to Win32 implies you know enuf anyways.
Ok btw - http://nexe.gamedev.net
Its a good place to start (based on the popular nehe.gamedev.net)