while( strcmp(reply,flame) )
followThread();
🎉 Celebrating 25 Years of GameDev.net! 🎉
Not many can claim 25 years on the Internet! Join us in celebrating this milestone. Learn more about our history, and thank you for being a part of our community!
first graphics book?
Author
Greets all.
I''m a fairly experienced programmer, having developed several apps and simulations for Windows and Linux. So far, however, I''ve relied on using standard GUI elements, and no complicated graphics (other than using some useful libraries available for linux). Anyway, I was wondering if anyone could suggest a really solid book on DirectX programming. I''m looking for something very in-depth, preferably handling all aspects of Directx, such as DirectInput, DirectDraw and Direct3D. I''m not looking for something which glosses over fundamentals to be easy on the newbie programs, I want a definitive manual. Perhaps an easier guide to get into it, along with a thorough reference book will do the trick.
Any suggestions? Oh, and I''m looking towards creating an isometric engine in the near future, so anything especialy strong with DirectDraw and DirectInput in particular would be very much appreciated. Thanks.
"Tricks of the windows game programming gurus" By Andre Lamothe, "Inside DirectX" and "Inside Direct3D" in my opinion are the best books on directX. I''m only half way through "Inside Direct3D" but so far it seems good. TOTWGP is probably the best beginners book on directX in my opinion but it also includes lots of other topics related to game programming in general. "Inside DirectX" is also good but focuses entirely on directX.
Forget Direct3D. OpenGL is better for real fast graphics applications. Read the OpenGL Programming Guide!
And read Michael Abrash''s Graphics Programming Black Book, too.
Charlie McSow /Paradigm Game Design
www.rarebyte.de.st
And read Michael Abrash''s Graphics Programming Black Book, too.
Charlie McSow /Paradigm Game Design
www.rarebyte.de.st
Author
Thanks, those all sound like excellent recommendations. I''m wondering though, I did mention that I was mainly looking towards programming something isometric... I had the notion that OpenGL was strictly for 3D graphics? Is that a huge misconception on my part?
random-nomad
while( strcmp(reply,flame) ) followThread();random-nomad
If you''re heading towards 2d games, your best bet is with DirectDraw (a component of DirectX). However, you''re right. OpenGL is for 3d, so if you ever have the need for a 3d game, OpenGL is, IMHO, far superior to D3D. For now though, I''d stick with DirectX. That''s what I am doing at the moment- learning Win32 so I can move onto DirectX.
GO LEAFS GO!
GO LEAFS GO!
Sorry, random-nomad, i didn''t see the line with the isometric engine.
In this case, DirectDraw would be the better choice.
Charlie McSow /Paradigm Game Design
www.rarebyte.de.st
In this case, DirectDraw would be the better choice.
Charlie McSow /Paradigm Game Design
www.rarebyte.de.st
Author
Thanks for the suggestions though, I do plan to move on to 3D eventually, so I''ll keep those books in mind. 
random-nomad
while( strcmp(reply,flame) ) followThread();random-nomad
OpenGL is *just* for 3D? Hmmmm. I must disagree. Although there are some benefits to using a 2D only API such as DirectDraw, I would say that OpenGL draws in 2D just fine.
Graham Rhodes
Senior Scientist
Applied Research Associates, Inc.
Graham Rhodes
Senior Scientist
Applied Research Associates, Inc.
OpenGL''s general 2D performance is abysmal and it doesn''t support a lot of useful 2D features. However you can hack stuff together using texturing anyway.
If you''re going into game programming only, the above suggestions are fine. If you want to do more serious graphics work, I suggest "Computer Graphics - Principles and Practice" by Foley and Van Dam. It is the definitive Graphics Textbook, even if it seems a bit dated now. It has had algorithms in it for years that people are only now discovering for use in games. ( Bezier patches and the like )
#pragma DWIM // Do What I Mean!
~ Mad Keith ~
**I use Software Mode**
If you''re going into game programming only, the above suggestions are fine. If you want to do more serious graphics work, I suggest "Computer Graphics - Principles and Practice" by Foley and Van Dam. It is the definitive Graphics Textbook, even if it seems a bit dated now. It has had algorithms in it for years that people are only now discovering for use in games. ( Bezier patches and the like )
#pragma DWIM // Do What I Mean!
~ Mad Keith ~
**I use Software Mode**
The microsoft DirectX help files have always been and will always be the best source. It''s all there, you just have to read it.
This topic is closed to new replies.
Advertisement
Popular Topics
Advertisement
