Afterword

This book has covered some broad ground, from mathematics and C++ programming to making games using libraries. There might have been topics that seemed complicated or difficult, and there might have been times when you wondered whether all of this hard work was really worth it. These are questions that most programmers I know have asked themselves at some stage during their learning or careers. It is true that game programming is a lot of work, and unfortunately, to most people outside of game development, it isn't one of the first disciplines that springs to mind when people think of hard work and dedication. In this sense, game development as a profession doesn't always receive the acclaim it deserves. None of this should deter you, however. Those who stick with game programming, those who remain to face the challenges it offers, will likely find great intellectual satisfaction and reward from the results of their hard work. Time, patience, and dedication all lead to success in the game industry.

The best direction to head now is to go back through this book: LOOP UNTIL CONFIDENT. Set inside yourself a confidence flag like a Boolean variable, and imagine the book as a process to be followed. Work through each chapter and make sure you understand it as thoroughly as possible because each one covers topics that will come up time and again in game development. The loop can only be completed once the material has stuck in your mind, and become almost like second nature. On that note, our main function has come to an end and it leaves me to simply end this title, hoping that it has been interesting and enlightening. On that note:

      return NULL;