This course teaches you the powerful, fast and popular C++ programming language from scratch, assuming only basic computer knowledge. If you want to develop apps that squeeze the most power from your computer -- high-end desktop games or complex artificial intelligence programs, for instance -- or if you want to use a language that let's you get close to your machine and access all of your computer's hardware, C++ is the language for you. While C++ is quite challenging, in this course we'll learn the basics step by step; towards the end of the course you'll learn how to create a beautiful "particle fire" program, including a smattering of the basic principles of game development.