Notice
This article is outdated!
Instead of following the steps in this article, just download and
install the newer Visual C++ Express editions which already include
the Windows SDK (previously known as the Platform SDK).
This article will explain how you can install the freely available Visual C++ 2005 Express Edition together with the Windows SDK required to create Windows applications and use most of the code available on the ‘net.
If you’re interested in doing Windows game development in C++, Visual C++ 2005 Express is a great choice because it combines a world class IDE with the optimizing version of the Microsoft C/C++ Compiler. If you’re concerned with standards compliance, rest assured that Microsoft’s compiler is among the best.
More Information
History Lesson: Microsoft and the C++ Standard
The idea that Microsoft compilers have poor standards compliance is rooted in Visual C++ 6.0, which was shipped before the C++ ’98 Standard had been completed but lived well into the C++ ’98 era. Visual C++ 2005 doesn’t have such problems at all and is actually one of the best – if not the best – compiler in terms of ISO/ANSI C++ standards compliance. With Herb Sutter, Microsoft has also won a famous member of the C++ standards committee for its own development team (see ISO/ANSI C++ Standards Committee Secretary Herb Sutter Joins Microsoft’s Developer Division).
The only obstacle for game programmers is that the Express Edition
of Visual C++ 2005 doesn’t include the Platform SDK,
Microsoft’s collection of headers and libraries for windows development,
including the all-time famous Windows.h. This article
will guide you through the entire process of installing
Visual C++ 2005 Express, setting up the Platform SDK and configuring
your build environment.