What school are good for game programming?

Where Do I start with computer programming?

• I have spent the last week figuring out where to start with game programming. Its getting too overwhelming, I can't figure out what language I should learn first, and some people tell me to start with HTML or VBA, and I don't even get what vba 'is'. I am very confused, before you answer, please keep these things in mind: 1- I know NOTHING of programming, but I do know my way around XP pretty well, and I took a semester class for 3dsmax 8. I am a high side of average high school student, going into sophomore year in fall. 2- For now, I am thinking of a career in game programming, but I will very likely change my mind and go into some other type of programming. 3- I can't pay for any software over $50, at least until I make something that tells my parents I really do want to do programming, and I that I'm not just an idiot who thinks he's going to make a game(hopefully) 4- I would like to know what language I should learn first, or if I should start with something else, like html. Then what to learn after, and what to learn after that and beyond. I really need a detailed answer, not just a list or single paragraph(I know that's asking a lot sometimes). 5- This is a bit unrelated, but what the hell is VBA?? Is that a language, or just something Microsoft Access uses to make databases, because someone told me to start with learning that, and I don't see the logic in that. 6- Are "Beginning Programming All-In-One Desk Reference For Dummies" and "Beginning Programming For Dummies, 4th Edition" both good books to start with? 7- Please include anything else you think I should know!!!

• Answer:

  VBA is Visual Basic for Applications, and it's fine if you don't mind locking yourself in to Microsoft products. My advice would be to try Python first, then move on to C/C++ or Java once you've got a handle on the basics of programming. Python can be had for free from www.python.org, and there are quit a few good C/C++ compilers that can be had for cheap or even free. My personal setup (on Windows, at any rate) is the Code::Blocks IDE with the MinGW compiler.