Gaming in C++

Here's the deal, /prog/. Over the winter break, I have decided I want to practice and expand my skills, and as such, design a small applet type game using C++. Now, i am fluent in C++, and MFC, but MFC wouldn't exactly be ideal for this. I fully intend for the game to be 2D Sprite based.

What should I look into, what should I use, and how should I go about things? I've heard openGL would work well, is there anything else I ought to remain cognizant of?

>>31
Okay, so I'm confused: do you want to learn more about the language? Or do you want to learn about a graphics library? They're not necessarily completely disjoint goals, but I still think it'd be hard to have as wholesome an experience if you try to learn too many wildly different things at once.

>>34
I am going to backtrack a little and say it probibly is better to use a pre-existing engine.
While in many situations I'd completely agree with you, this isn't one of them. It doesn't sound like the OP wants to make a game; he wants to learn bullshit. And the best way to do that is to wade through half the traps and headaches so you can come to /prog/ three years later and troll threads with some sense of satisfaction.

THE CYCLE MUST CONTINUE.