Right, so here is how I stand: I know C# and Java very well, and have made a few (unfinished) games in Unity using C# and have written some plugins for minecraft bukkit. I want to expand into C++. I tried to learn C quite a while ago, as a starting language. But then of course it has no memory garbage collection so it wasn't really a good place to start. So I learnt C#. I now want to learn C++ but is it useful? I would like to experiment with making a physics engine, and eventually make games using it, or another engine.
This is what I would like to know:
1. How hard is C++ to pick up, bearing in mind you have to manually unpool memory?
2. Would it be better to learn C first, as the language is based on it?
3. Is it realistic that one person on their own would be able to program a game in C++ or even program a custom game engine?
4. Are there any existing C++ game dev kits? Or any well refined engines?
Sorry I didn't google all this, but I would like to know if anyone on the forums has any experience creating games in C++.
EDIT: I fully understand OOPs and their unique features.

Answer42 is making a C++ conversion of Containment breach. If he's online, you could ask him.

Capy wrote: 1. How hard is C++ to pick up, bearing in mind you have to manually unpool memory?
2. Would it be better to learn C first, as the language is based on it?
3. Is it realistic that one person on their own would be able to program a game in C++ or even program a custom game engine?
4. Are there any existing C++ game dev kits? Or any well refined engines?

1. As someone coming from java, It's pretty hard but nothing you can't handle.

2. You could learn C, but I don't "C" why (ha).

3. If George could write 7 books and have them go into a lucrative tv series, then you could write a game in c++. You don't even have to make the whole code. Just take it from somewhere.

4. www.sfml-dev.com

Final note: http://thenewboston.org/list.php?cat=16

Ketercheat wrote:

Capy wrote: 1. How hard is C++ to pick up, bearing in mind you have to manually unpool memory?
2. Would it be better to learn C first, as the language is based on it?
3. Is it realistic that one person on their own would be able to program a game in C++ or even program a custom game engine?
4. Are there any existing C++ game dev kits? Or any well refined engines?

1. As someone coming from java, It's pretty hard but nothing you can't handle.

2. You could learn C, but I don't "C" why (ha).

3. If George could write 7 books and have them go into a lucrative tv series, then you could write a game in c++. You don't even have to make the whole code. Just take it from somewhere.

4. http://www.sfml-dev.com

Final note: http://thenewboston.org/list.php?cat=16

Thanks, I will look at the links.