Choosing a C++ API

Background:
Hey, I'm sort of a beginner at programming, I have a been programming for a couple of years in Flash using AS3 and would like to move onto something a bit bigger. Before/during my AS3 Era I gave VB.net a little go, and I am then followed Nick Gravelyns tile engine tutorial in C# using XNA framework. I have heard that all the big games use c++ and am interested in trying to learn this.

Actual Question:
So this leads me to this: What is a good c++ API for a beginner (at c++), which can do 2D, but 3D as well (for later, when I get better), is widely used and has a big community? while using c#, XNA Game Studio was perfect, is there something equivalent in c++???

Thanks in advance.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hvince95

Background:
Hey, I'm sort of a beginner at programming, I have a been programming for a couple of years in Flash using AS3 and would like to move onto something a bit bigger. Before/during my AS3 Era I gave VB.net a little go, and I am then followed Nick Gravelyns tile engine tutorial in C# using XNA framework. I have heard that all the big games use c++ and am interested in trying to learn this.

Actual Question:
So this leads me to this: What is a good c++ API for a beginner (at c++), which can do 2D, but 3D as well (for later, when I get better), is widely used and has a big community? while using c#, XNA Game Studio was perfect, is there something equivalent in c++???

Thanks in advance.

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Honestly, I think you should learn the C++ language first before jumping into graphics libraries, at least learn it well enough to be competent.

The big mistakes I see are beginners of C++ trying to do "cool things" with C++ before they learn the language properly. What ends up happening is that they're bogged down in the complexities of pointers, functions, etc. and at the same time, trying to use libraries that assume you know the C++ language, at least at the intermediate level.

Regards,

Paul McKenzie

Agree with Paul McKenzie, if you want to learn C++, just start from simple console applications.
Regarding game programming in C++, you need DirectX or OpenGL. The main difference between them is that OpenGL is cross-platform, and DirectX is only for Windows.