🔒 Locked

Book HELP!

Started by julienX Dec 15, 2002 at 6:58 AM 12 replies 400+ views

Original Post

Dec 15, 2002 at 6:58 AM

I am getting quite annoyed at the fact that I have been searching for my first game programming book for weeks now. I know I may be quite annoying by now with all my posts on the topic, but I really need your help as I don''t want to use up heaps of cash on something that isn''t right for me. I have been considering ''Tricks of the Windows Game Programming Gurus'' for a while now, but am confused. I''ve noticed that there are two editions of the book, one released in 1999, and the other this year. Which version should I buy, if I''m a beginner to game programming and want to learn directX? Could you please tell me some differences in the two editions and what they teach. Are the 2 editions like a sort of series, where it''s recommended to learn the first, the the other. Or does the second edition have the same content as the first, but with updated information? Oh yeah, 1 more thing. What version of directX does each book teach? (correct me if i''m wrong but i think the 1st edition uses directX 6) Does the second edition use 8.0? Please, any advice would help me out a lot. Please help (i know that this post is more suited to the ''for beginners'' section, but oh well)

Scheermesje

Dec 15, 2002 at 7:00 AM

Pleace, don''t crosspost

julienX

Author

julienX

Dec 15, 2002 at 7:04 AM

Sorry about crossposting, but I really need information about these books soon, and only one person has wrote a reply to my post in the ''beginners'' section. Sorry

neonoblivion

Dec 15, 2002 at 7:05 AM

I haven''t noticed any significant differences between the 1st and 2nd ed.s so I would get the cheapest

also "Black Art of 3D Game Programming" is quite dated but still very usfull.

julienX

Author

julienX

Dec 15, 2002 at 7:30 AM

I am quite worried that if I buy ''Tricks of the Windows Game Programming Gurus 2nd edition'' I won''t have the knowledge of using directX 8.0 or 9.0 since the book teaches directX 6.0

If I were to buy the book and learn directX 6.0, would it be useful to use/learn 8.0?

Could anyone give me advice on this please..

athos_musketeer

Dec 15, 2002 at 8:26 AM

my advice its to forget directx and the book.. i learn a lot on this page... buy a good book of C/C++ programming a download "Programming games in linux" a very good book who teachs you SDL... a lot better than directx (just an opinion, guys)..

stimarco

112

stimarco

Dec 15, 2002 at 8:46 AM

"Editions" are like patches: they''re just a way of updating the text of a book. Sometimes, the text isn''t much changed and the new edition merely represents a change of publisher or the fixing of some typos.

As for which book: how long is a piece of string? You haven''t told us what you already know, so it''s hard to say when to start.

However...

If you''re new to programming and don''t know any programming languages, pick up a couple of general programming language books. (I tend to prefer Wrox Press, but my advice is to go to a real bricks-n-mortar bookshop and browse. Writing styles vary wildly along with the tastes of the reader.)

NOTE: You can start looking at games-specific issues once you''ve learned one language, but it is better to learn _more than one_ programming language. C alone is not enough. Neither is C++. If you''re very new to programming, go for C. Learn C++ next, then *keep going*. You should _never_ stop learning languages. Each language represents a different way of ''thinking'' about programming and all these ways have their pros and cons. C and C++ are like US English and UK English (in no particular order): there is the cultural side as well as the basic grammar and syntax side to consider but it is the cultural baggage, not the language itself, that causes the problems.

As for games-specific books, I believe you should look for both a "How To..." book and a good reference book. "Inside DirectX" is primarily a reference work, so you also go for one of the "...Gurus" books (or similar) to get you up to speed with the basics. If you prefer OpenGL -- it''s all a matter of taste -- then the Red Book and Blue Books should be all you need to get started.

Remember, there''s plenty of help on the internet too, though I personally find it better for short, focused articles, rather than long books.

HTH

--
Sean Timarco Baggaley

MOVSW

Dec 15, 2002 at 8:47 AM

In my opinion those game programming books are a waste of money. Know your programming language at an advanced level. Learn Win32 API (if youre programming for windows). Get a solid programming book for the graphics API that you''re going to program. (OGL Red Book, or M$''s DirectX programming book) Do you really think that professional game developers learn this by one special book? Wrong! If you want instant results and not serious about this, get DarK Basic or some other game programming package. The best way is the hardest way.

Fruny

203

Fruny

Dec 15, 2002 at 8:53 AM

Buying a ''game programming book'' assumes you already know how to program in general. Do you ?

- Programming Linux Games
- See also "Recommended C++ books" in .sig

julienX

Author

julienX

Dec 16, 2002 at 4:55 AM

To your question about whether I can program or not:

Yes I can, but only in c++. I've been learning c++ for about half a year now.

How come most of you all are against buying the book?
Is it because the book really isn't good at all, or because
it's too expensive?

I've heard many good things about the book on many sites, but
you guys seem to dislike it, I am even more confused now..

Julien

[edited by - julienX on December 16, 2002 6:08:11 AM]

MOVSW

Dec 16, 2002 at 12:30 PM

What is your programming experience? What have you programmed before? There's no single book for all levels of experience. You have to tell us more about what you know in order to give you a good advice.

[edited by - MOVSW on December 16, 2002 1:35:28 PM]

Topic Locked

This topic has been locked by a moderator. New replies are not allowed.