Hello,unclebob what you say about gamemaker is totally WRONG!I am currently working on an r-type similar game with gamemaker 6.0.If you just use the drag and drop icons you cant make a really good game.You need the gamemaker script/programming language (GML)for more complex games.And i dont know why you compare gamemaker with c++.C++ is a hard to learn professional language.Even some c++ experts do use gamemaker because its more easy to make a 2d game with it.Gamemaker is a great program and if you want to read all the good tutorials you need 7 lifes!I often get a game or program and think its trash.And 2 weeks later i try it again and its great.Maybe this has happened to you here.