Black Art of 3D Game Programming???
Jason Speers
background. I just picked up a book to help me get aquainted with it,
Black Art of 3D Game Programming (can't remember the author's name
although he seems to be the frontrunner for game dev. books). I'm sure
everyone has heard about it. Anyway, I realize that the book is 5 years
old now and that the code examples are for a DOS based compiler, but
will the book still be worth my time?? I know "DOS is DEAD!" is pretty
much proclaimed everywhere now, but apparently the book covers alot of
low-level hardware-interfacing type things that would still be usefull
knowledge in any environment. As well as the basic game dev. strategies
(like how to build a game engine, AI, etc...).
Naturally after I purchased the book I found out he has a new book by
the same author just released for the Win32 environment. Would it be
worth it to get this one now too?? Does anyone know if it covers the
'same' basic material?
Are there any 'better' books out there?
Another short question: Where can I find a good 'free' dos based
compiler?
Thnx,
Jason
David
Carmack == frontrunner
La-moth == Who?
Well..... no, a 5 year old book wont help you as much as a newer one. Get a
new book!!!!
Jason Speers <jsp...@open.uoguelph.ca> wrote in article
<38175730...@open.uoguelph.ca>...
Jason Speers
book out that i'm not aware of of course.
Jason
David wrote:
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Jason Speers
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Peter Cowderoy/PSYCHO
Jason Speers wrote in message <38175730...@open.uoguelph.ca>...
> Anyway, I realize that the book is 5 years
>old now and that the code examples are for a DOS based compiler, but
>will the book still be worth my time??
I wouldn't know, not having read it, but the useful parts would be starting
from vectors and matrices and covering the algorithms involved. Portals,
your favourite space partition tree, that sort of thing. I'd be surprised if
it covers anything about curved surfaces :-)
> I know "DOS is DEAD!" is pretty
>much proclaimed everywhere now, but apparently the book covers alot of
>low-level hardware-interfacing type things that would still be usefull
>knowledge in any environment.
They quite possibly wouldn't. Take a look at the DirectX SDK and decide that
for yourself, but there's not a lot of really low-level stuff happening
these days unless you're a driver writer.
>Another short question: Where can I find a good 'free' dos based
>compiler?
>
Go grab a copy of DJGPP. I can't remember the various URLs, but it shouldn't
be hard to track down given a couple of minutes with a search engine.
--------------------------------------------------
psy...@nthfen.demon.co.uk
'In Ankh-Morpork even the shit have a street to itself...
Truly, this is a land of opportunity' - Detritus, Men at Arms
Tim
And it gets my full recommendation, for working with win32 and directdraw,
directsound,
directinput, and directmusic, and making kickass games.
It also covers such advanced topics, as Artificial Intelligence and neural
networks,
proper physics modelling, algorithms, data structures, memory managment,
multithreading,
2d transformations, vector rasterization, collision detection..the list goes
on forever.
It also, of course, tells you how to stick this all together to make some
great games, and
source code and working game demos are included too, along with tons of
documents
and resources on the CD, it will keep you busy for AGES.
The small downside is it doesn't include much on 3D, but if you really want
to learn game programming inside out, this is the place to start.
-Tim
"Jason Speers" <jsp...@open.uoguelph.ca> wrote in message
news:38175730...@open.uoguelph.ca...
> I'm new to game development but I have a fairly good programming
> background. I just picked up a book to help me get aquainted with it,
> Black Art of 3D Game Programming (can't remember the author's name
> although he seems to be the frontrunner for game dev. books). I'm sure
> everyone has heard about it. Anyway, I realize that the book is 5 years
> old now and that the code examples are for a DOS based compiler, but
> will the book still be worth my time?? I know "DOS is DEAD!" is pretty
> much proclaimed everywhere now, but apparently the book covers alot of
> low-level hardware-interfacing type things that would still be usefull
> knowledge in any environment. As well as the basic game dev. strategies
> (like how to build a game engine, AI, etc...).
> Naturally after I purchased the book I found out he has a new book by
> the same author just released for the Win32 environment. Would it be
> worth it to get this one now too?? Does anyone know if it covers the
> 'same' basic material?
> Are there any 'better' books out there?
>
> Another short question: Where can I find a good 'free' dos based
> compiler?
>
> Thnx,
> Jason
>
>
>
Wei-ju Wu
I own both books by Andre La Mothe and as I can tell both are fairly
different in its content.
"Tricks of the Windows Programming Gurus" covers Windows
Programming, but no 3D ! There are two CD's that come with
the book, Microsoft VC 6.0 (a cut-down version) and one
with many examples and two cyberbooks which cover
3D material. Unfortunately many files are broken on the
example CD (parts of the cyberbooks and the archives
for the genesis3d engine), at least in my copy.
If you want 3D material, the first book has more information
although it is only the basic 3D stuff.
If you don't want to program 3D, the second book is a really
good and comprehensive source of information for general
Windows game development.
<- m@ilways ----------------------------------------->
Gesellschaft fuer Supportservices mbH
Wei-ju Wu - Abteilung Softwareentwicklung
Tel. (030) 21 756 626
http://www.mailways.de
<---------------------------------------------------->
Jason Speers <jsp...@open.uoguelph.ca> schrieb in im Newsbeitrag:
Jason Speers
have to learn the very basic stuff anyways? Although I heard there will be a
volume 2 to his new book that will cover all the necessary 3D material.
Anyone know when it's supposed to be released?
Jason
Talkie Toaster
like it covers a lot of the same info.. may just wait for volume two of the
new book that covers 3d.. unless the new book volume 1 is better than the
dummies one.
TT
Wei-ju Wu <wei...@scim.de> wrote in message
news:7v8ovg$9cg$1...@fu-berlin.de...
Wei-ju Wu
they say the second volume will be released in the first or second quarter
of
2000.
<- m@ilways ----------------------------------------->
Gesellschaft fuer Supportservices mbH
Wei-ju Wu - Leiter Softwareentwicklung
Tel. (030) 21 756 626
http://www.mailways.de
<---------------------------------------------------->
Jason Speers <jsp...@open.uoguelph.ca> schrieb in im Newsbeitrag:
38184985...@open.uoguelph.ca...
s.laurijssen
Wei-ju Wu <wei...@scim.de> wrote in message
news:7vbghr$3b4$1...@fu-berlin.de...
ingen...@gmail.com
Mike Garcia
> does any one know what compiler to use can someone name a specific compiler cus i have open watcom and it says it does not recognize the function int86 bios service function thanks in advance
>
compilers, I think it was written pre windows 95, try searching for
them, you might also need dosbox or a VM etc
But I recommend porting the examples to SDL, it's a good and easy way to
learn the lessons and SDL, then do the same with..
https://archive.org/details/tricks-of-the-3d-game-programming-gurus-cd