[dr john]

I think cew27 is right in saying 5 years, but that's a minimum time span I'd say.

[Aners92]

5Years, this means if I use 5 hours at day? I got my school I have to take care of, whcih will lead for a Game Designing school later) and i have to be next to the study'ing

[dr john]

Yes, that's about right. It's not a quick fix.
That's why many people dabble in programming but don't do it professionally. But once you've learned one language, almost any language, you can pick up another one in a much shorter time, but it still takes a while to get to a good level in it.
C is harder to learn but more powerful than most languages. VB seems easier to pick up, is less powerful than C, but does a lot of the work for you. Java's main stumbling block, like C++, is learning OO properly, and having to work at a lower level than, say VB.

And HTML is NOT programming, which is why people can pick up a fair bit and become proficient enough to make passible web sites in three months. But loosing the bad habits you acquire if you don't start using css early on can take ages and ages. CSS isn't programming either.

[Mike0001]

Start with Java or C#.

C and C++ are too loose in their syntax and allow you to do lots of dumb things. C++ was a hack to try to bring the aging C up to speed.

For Java you can hardly beat the online resources:

http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/

The language itself is deceptively simple but a full specification is quite a complicated business:

http://java.sun.com/docs/books/jls/

Once you are past the language learning stage, have a look at the class documentation:

http://java.sun.com/javase/6/docs/api/

Then, although a text editor will suffice, you may want to download a full IDE:

http://www.netbeans.org/

http://www.eclipse.org/

If you go for C# or C++ or VB you can get the free IDEs at

http://www.microsoft.com/express/product/

Whichever way you go, have fun!

[MJM]

How long you need to be pro depends on you.
I did pascal (in the Delphi UI) at school in Germany from eleventh to thirteenth grade and pretty much learnt what I learnt at Uni in the first semester (and a bit of what came in the second).
I wouldn't call myself pro, the thing being, I have no issues programming and I always find a way.

The best thing you can do is learn the basics of what leads to programming. UML diagrams and such. Think of an applet you could use. Think of what you need to design it. If you are using Java chances are someone has already created a library you can use.

For instance I wrote a RSS reader that would take in a NHL feed and extract the info I wanted and republish it. To do that I used the RSS reader library.

[Mike0001]

Originally Posted by MJM How long you need to be pro depends on you. I did pascal (in the Delphi UI) at school in Germany from eleventh to thirteenth grade

Wow! Do they still teach Pascal? Amazing!

I gave up on Wirth when he invented Oberon and said that all that he had done in Pascal was wrong. At that point, to switch to Java was easier than learning Oberon.

[MJM]

Originally Posted by Mike0001 Wow! Do they still teach Pascal? Amazing! I gave up on Wirth when he invented Oberon and said that all that he had done in Pascal was wrong. At that point, to switch to Java was easier than learning Oberon.

Sadly, Pascal is the standard language for comp-sci courses in Germany during Abitur. I wish they would switch to Java. A lot of schools have, but not all of them. The school's that switch to Java are way more advanced.
Even some Unis still work with Pascal across the world. I don't understand way, it's such a crap language with the begin and end.... some things were easily done and it made me understand scope, but meh, others are easier to use with better results.

[cheesepuff]

I'm 14 in school. I'm in a programing graphics class in high school. we're about to learn java, flash and micro media. but i also know how to do Source SDK. i say if you want to make games use SDK. is so cool when you learn it. they don't teach that in schools but it comes free if you own and games with the Source engine.

[Carbon]

Originally Posted by cheesepuff but i also know how to do Source SDK. i say if you want to make games use SDK. is so cool when you learn it. they don't teach that in schools but it comes free if you own and games with the Source engine.

They should probably tell you the difference between a software development kit and a programming language too - the Source SDK is written in C++ iirc.

[cheesepuff]

i dont necessarily call SDK programing, im just saying its awsome to make games with.