Creating a game - how to not hardcore it(too much)?

[MatthewRock]

Hello,

I'm a beginner programmer and would like to prepare for creating a game. I have few ideas, but they don't matter.

What matter now is that I need some help with theory of creating a game. The games I will create in closest future will be simple so that I won't plan in upgrading/fixing them, and I don't have to worry about its composition that much(since it won't be changed at all) but sooner or later I will have to.

This said, my question is:

How to create a game structure so that I don't hardcode it too much and I can add new features/upgrade it in future? (Some small source code with explanation would be appreciated, I would also appreciate links to tutorials)
(PS. I mean that I know that I should make something like XML files with data in it, but I have completly no idea how they should look like, what they should contain and how game should read these)

Also, any advices regarding creating game or game engine would be appreciated as well.

And if it matters to anyone, I will be using SDL(and maybe OpenGL, after I get to that).

Thanks in advance :)

[pogrady]

You want to research scripting languages. However, if you are a beginning programmer it would be wise to learn how to program first.

[MatthewRock]

Umm, I already know basics of C++. I would like to create game in this language(and I mentioned I will use SDL for my first projects). Thanks for reply, but your answer covers none of my questions. I can create simple game like tic tac toe or duck shooter, but I would like to make something better then that, and learn new things.

[king214]

I can create simple game like tic tac toe or duck shooter, but I would like to make something better then that, and learn new things.

You can, or you have? If you haven't, drop what you're doing and put together a simple game of pong. You'll learn so much just by making such a simple game.

IF and only if, you have already made a simple game:

XML:
http://w3schools.com/xml/default.asp
http://code.google.com/p/pugixml/

You'll need this too:
http://www-cs-students.stanford.edu/~amitp/gameprog.html

Like I already said, you must start very simple. Just because you think you can do something, doesn't mean you can.

[MatthewRock]

I have, but never made pong, so I guess I will try that too before continuing.

Also, thanks for links - Amit's resources looks huge, they surely will be useful.

[king214]

No problem, glad I to help any way I can.

I was just using Pong as an example, glad to hear you have completed previous projects before though; It only gets easier ;)