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[Sergi]

When I started with Unity, I spent a few hours just watching Youtube introductory videos, not even touching the program, just to get a feel for how it was structured. After that, I got started pretty quickly. I have years of programming experience, though; you have to learn to program as well, so it will take longer for you.

I watched these ones, they also get into the code in small steps. After that you can start to try stuff if you want, or follow other videos.

[Crimsontide]

As someone who uses C++ almost exclusively... Don't start with C++.

[J-Snake]

C++ is the best one can start with, providing the proper balance between high-level concepts and exact technical understanding in what your logic is doing. Everyone serious should understand exactly what his code is doing.

[Wilson Saunders]

If you want to learn to program learn C++, C#, or Java on a command line interface. Understanding how to manipulate things in 3d space and time is a separate discipline from programming, but you need both to work in Unity. Also some knowledge of 3d Modeling is important to use unity to its fullest.

Basically if you already have the skills to make games Unity is very easy to learn. If you don't have these skills, trying to pick them up all at the same time in order to use Unity is going to be frustrating.

[Geti]

Honestly if you think you want to work with Java, Java is an easy language to get started with. They taught Java first year in computer science at uni, where they presumed no programming knowledge at all (easiest paper I ever took). Just like C++, its got a shitload of baggage - both a blessing (want to set up a thread? easy peasy! sockets? no problem! Unicode? always!) and a curse (fuck you I dont want to catch IOException for file.close()!).

I work with C++ on a day to day basis, for the record. I wouldn't really recommend starting with it.

Unity is fine and all but you'll be learning C# and JavaScript if you use it, basically. It's a damn nice piece of software though.

Good luck

C and C++ are often cited as good places to begin for programming. This is because they are ECMA script languages. Any other ECMA script languages will use the same programming logic conventions that you find in C and C++, and their syntax will have many similarities. Java and C# are both ECMA script languages as well. Learning C or C++ will prepare you for learning any other ECMA script languages.

What?!
No!

ECMAScript is the idea behind JavaScript and ActionScript, and looks like

Code:

var foo:Number = 1;
function foo2(bar:uint):uint { return bar * 2; }

ECMAScript was influenced by C among other languages (mostly in its syntax for function calls and use of {} for block delimiting).

C, and C++ (and Java, and C#) look like

Code:

int foo = 1;
unsigned int foo2(unsigned int bar) { return bar * 2; }

Don't misinform some guy in a "hey I want to learn to program" thread! Argh!

[Keops]

Once again, thanks so much for the input everyone. I really appreciate it.

Guess I'm really interested in Java mainly because of Android, since it's what I'm targeting. But iOS is also very interesting for me, and later on I'd love to develop for Win / Mac / Linux.

But since I've gotta start somewhere I will begin with Unity / C# and see where that takes me. Most of the people with experience in C++ did recommend against starting with it so I'll pay heed to that advice.

At any rate, thanks for the very informative replies from everyone!

Keops

[Geti]

No worries, be sure to stop into the grumpy programmer thread whenever possible

[Keops]

Sure, will do, will do  
Cheers!

[gimymblert]

Guess I'm really interested in Java mainly because of Android, since it's what I'm targeting. But iOS is also very interesting for me, and later on I'd love to develop for Win / Mac / Linux.

Unity 

[Evan Balster]

Yeah, your Java programs will never run on iOS, ever.  Your C# programs could, though.  And your Unity stuff.  C# is essentially a Java takeoff with a lot of (what I view as) improvements, and it's possible to use it on several console and portable platforms that don't allow Java.

[Aik]

Guess I'm really interested in Java mainly because of Android, since it's what I'm targeting. But iOS is also very interesting for me, and later on I'd love to develop for Win / Mac / Linux.

Unity 

Or HaXe?
But the tutorial support for HaXe isn't really there, so you'd probably be better off starting with AS3 going that way, where the support is definitely there and awesome. The two languages are almost interchangeable syntax-wise. If I was learning programming from scratch again, I'd probably go with AS3 - it's hard to shoot yourself in the foot in AS3, and with Flixel or something getting an actual game up and going is trivial.
But I'm sure Unity is good too.

[Keops]

I was considering taking a deep look at something like Flixel too because some of my game designs are actually 2D, and as some of you pointed out, Unity seems to be designed for 3D games mainly.

Maybe I'll work on both. But yeah, considering the multiplat advantages, Unity / C# seems like a good choice.

Thanks for the tips guys.

[impulse9]

I always advise that beginners should start with C. It is the fundamental language and nearly every other language is in one way or another related to it. People usually argue that it is overwhelming for a beginner, but hey, everything is overwhelming to a beginner. At least knowing some C you will have a solid background for further learning (which never stops by the way, but don't let this discourage you).

[HernanZh]

I agree with impulse9, C is a good language to start with. It's a small language, so you'll learn it pretty quick.

[Keops]

@impulse9 and HernanZh: I think that working C and then jumping to C++/C#/Java is also a sensible path. What IDE and book/tutorial do you guys recommend to get me started, assuming little prior knowledge?

[nikki]

What IDE and book/tutorial ... to get me started

no IDE, just a good ol texteditor like gedit and this book

[kamac]

Well, if you want to go with Java but worry about mobile platforms, it won't run on iOS as said. On the other hand, C++ runs on both android and iOS (with objective-c template on iOS and java template on android  ).

Anyway, it's completely up to you. I think that it doesn't really matter what people start with, but how long do they work on learning it. You can always switch languages later on.

If you learn C++ and Java, you can use C# almost instantly too 

[Keops]

What IDE and book/tutorial ... to get me started

no IDE, just a good ol texteditor like gedit and this book

Nice! Learn C the hard way! Like a true gentleman!

[antoniodamala]

Hi guys, i've been struggling with the same problem as Keops,and i' for some time, which led me to try game maker. I've been using it for a week or something and it's quite nice and simple, but in the long run i intend to make some 3d, or procedural rooms, or physics based games, should i stop "wasting time" with game maker and move on to unity and such?

[Sergi]

I was considering taking a deep look at something like Flixel too because some of my game designs are actually 2D, and as some of you pointed out, Unity seems to be designed for 3D games mainly.

Maybe I'll work on both. But yeah, considering the multiplat advantages, Unity / C# seems like a good choice.

Well, Unity can be used for 2D games as well, there are some notable 2D mobile games made with Unity (Bad Piggies by Rovio, the Angry Birds devs, comes to mind). It's easy to find info on how to do that, it's not hard to do it. It's not ideal, but it works, and you get the benefits of exporting to everything.