Im new to c++ (not programming, just the language itself) so i dont have much experience with SDK's. I've only used ONE so far and it was NO WHERE near the magnitude of this framework (honestly the SDK i used was 4 files big lol).Could you help me out and do a bit of a step by step (i know how to link libraries and includes. im just not sure WHAT needs linking, as there are TONS of lib files; im actually not even sure if they link themself, like boost does).
I did come from the wiki btw, i spent a lot of time reading before posting for help (sadly there's a bit of a lacking when it comes to setting CEGUI up). If i missed it some how, feel free to link me. I'll read anything as long as it gets me close to achieving my goal.
Im going to go ahead and install directx i guess (i think thats gonna be a lot easier, as im sure there are far more tutorials/videos incase i get stuck

).
well, if you have the include and lib files (installed or compiled by yourself) then you just have to set the SDK in the VC.
open view->Property Manager, choose a Microsoft.cpp.win32.user and in the popup dialog, go:
c++->General->Additional Include Directories, add your CEGUI include path
linker->General->Additional Library Directories, add your CEGUI lib path
linker->Input, add input lib. required libs are(debug mode):CEGUIBase_d.lib, CEGUIOgreRenderer_d.lib (change this lib to CEGUIDirect lib you will use)
alternative lib:
CEGUILuaScriptModule_d.lib (if you want a lua script support)
also, you can setup a path environment for CEGUI like CEGUI_HOME and use it in your VC settings (just change the path you specify in include and lib directories to $CEGUI_HOME$/include or lib.
these steps are the common way to setup one SDK like CEGUI.
after you setup one SDK, follow a tutorial and try a demo to test if your settings for this SDK is OK.