To develop games with C++ and DirectX, you can start with the following introductory books and online resources:

• Beginning C++ through Game Programming, by Michael Dawson
  http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-C-Through-Game-Programming/dp/1435457420

• Beginning Game Programming, by Jonathan S. Harbour
  http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-Game-Programming-Jonathan-Harbour/dp/1435454278

• Beginning DirectX 11 Game Programming, Allen Sherrod & Wendy Jones
  http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-DirectX-11-Game-Programming/dp/1435458958

• Introduction to C++ and DirectX Game Development Jump Start
  http://www.microsoftvirtualacademy.com/training-courses/introduction-to-c-and-directx-game-development-jump-start

• DirectXMath: for all 3D calculations
  http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/hh437833(v=vs.85).aspx

• Input and Controls in DirectX:
  http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/xaml/hh452799.aspx

• Adding Sound:
  http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ee415762(v=vs.85).aspx

• DirectX11 Forum:
  http://xboxforums.create.msdn.com/forums/76.aspx

• Chuck Walbourn’s blog:
  http://blogs.msdn.com/b/chuckw/

• Troubleshooting weird issue when using XMMATRIX:
  http://stackoverflow.com/questions/12255297/alignment-16-not-respected-when-using-auto-keyword

 

Recommended by Dave Voyles of ArmlessOctopus.com, ” former XNA MVP Michael McLaughlin [Bob Taco Industries] wrote the free book…” C++ Succinctly. It is written with the idea that you would be transitioning from a C# background to C++”

 

 

• http://geekswithblogs.net/mikebmcl/archive/2012/09/07/c-succinctly-now-available.aspx

Recommended by Nick Gravelyn of Brushfire Games, “For anyone thinking about jumping in to native code and D3D11, here are a couple libraries I’ve been looking at to help simplify D3D11”

 

• DirectX Tool Kit (aka DirectXTK): http://directxtk.codeplex.com/
• DirectX Tex: http://directxtex.codeplex.com/

 

“… they were made by Shawn Hargreaves and Chuck Walbourn, a couple of super smart Microsoft developers. So the code is pretty high quality.”

 

Recommended by Frank Savage (former XNA Development Manager and current Principal Development Manager for Xbox One), “For those interested in going truly deep, there is this book…” 

Practical Rendering and Computation with Direct3D 11, by Jason Zink, Matt Pettineo, Jack Hoxley

 

• http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1568817207/

Suggested by Stuart Green, “For anyone wanting to learn 3D programming with C++ using DirectX11. I would highly recommend the tutorials at www.rastertek.com. It helped me get a much better understanding of OOP and encapsulation. There are also some tutorials covering OpenGL, virtual worlds and network programming.”

• http://www.rastertek.com/

 

Suggested by Onur Ağbulut, “I would like to suggest Professional C++ . It teaches readers C++ with real life usage examples of the language rather than giving basic examples of each topic such other books do.”

 Professional C++, by Marc Gregoire, Nicholas A. Solter, Scott J. Kleper

 

• http://www.amazon.com/Professional-C-Marc-Gregoire/dp/0470932449

 

Suggested by Dave Voyles, “I’ve got to say that Ivor Horton’s book has been by far the best to read. It’s broken down into small, simple tasks, and he goes into detail about the whens and whys of why something occurs.”

Ivor Horton’s Beginning Visual C++ 2012, by Ivor Horton

 

• http://www.amazon.com/Ivor-Hortons-Beginning-Visual-2012/dp/1118368088

 

• Use cutting-edge technologies like DirectX to make awesome games
• Discover tools that will make game development easier
• Bring your game to the latest touch-enabled PCs and tablets

Learning Windows 8 Game Development, by Michael Quandt

 

• http://www.packtpub.com/learning-windows-8-game-development/book

 

By the time more information is revealed publicly about Xbox One indie game development, you’ll be well prepared to develop games for the next-generation console from Microsoft!

If you want to take a break from technical books, there are a lot of lessons to be learned from the history of game development.

Recommended by Cathy Vice (aka IndieGamerChick): “I would also suggest some gaming history books. Ultimate History of Video Games, The Rise & Fall of Atari, and Game Over by David Sheff. Game creators need to learn from the successes and failures of those great and small that came before them.”

• Game Over: How Nintendo Conquered The World, by David Sheff
  http://www.amazon.com/Game-Over-Nintendo-Conquered-World/dp/0679736220

• Zap!: The Rise and Fall of Atari, by Scott Cohen
  http://www.amazon.com/Zap-The-Rise-Fall-Atari/dp/0070115435

• The Ultimate History of Video Games: From Pong to Pokemon, by Steven Kent
  http://www.amazon.com/The-Ultimate-History-Video-Games/dp/0761536434