First book HELP!!!
December 15, 2002 05:57 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
chacha
December 15, 2002 06:09 AM
Buy the second edition. After you read it buy the new Tricks of the 3d windows game programming gurus.
December 15, 2002 07:29 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..
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..
chacha
186
December 15, 2002 07:38 AM
The only reason it uses DirectX 6 is because it uses direct draw. So if you want you want to do 3d look elsewhere. Other than that you shouldn''t have any problems learning to use the other components such as DirectSound in DirectX 8 or 9 because the implementation is almost the same. The only difference I noticed between the two editions of the book was that they took one of the bonus chapters off the cd and printed it. Good luck finding a book.
"How can they meet us face to face till we have faces?"-C.S. Lewis
December 15, 2002 08:04 AM
The 2nd edition still uses ddraw but if you are just starting it will be fine for your 2d stuff and to learn the basics of game programming. Later on you can move on to learning dx9 with tricks of the 3d windows game programming gurus
122
December 15, 2002 02:19 PM
um...well personally I wouldn't recommend the 'Tricks of the Windows Game Programming Guru's' book. I bought it last year and it didn't really help much, and it is quite expensive. I would say just use the net to find some tutorials, there are quite a few out there. if you are seriously hurting to spend money on a book, i heard 'game programming gems' (or something like that) is good but i haven't read it myself.
if you wanna learn directx just use the microsoft tutorials on http://msdn.microsoft.com/archive/default.asp?url=/archive/en-us/ddraw7/directdraw7/ddtut_8yev.asp
[edited by - strider81 on December 15, 2002 3:41:13 PM]
if you wanna learn directx just use the microsoft tutorials on http://msdn.microsoft.com/archive/default.asp?url=/archive/en-us/ddraw7/directdraw7/ddtut_8yev.asp
[edited by - strider81 on December 15, 2002 3:41:13 PM]
122
December 15, 2002 02:47 PM
just a minor correction, TOTWGPG first edition uses directx 6, while the newer version is updated to version 7. one small step for man,
one giant leap for mankind.
-eldee
;another space monkey;
[ Forced Evolution Studios ]
one giant leap for mankind.
-eldee
;another space monkey;
[ Forced Evolution Studios ]
Do NOT let Dr. Mario touch your genitals. He is not a real doctor!
-eldee;another space monkey;[ Forced Evolution Studios ]
December 16, 2002 02:51 PM
You didn''t say anything about your previous experience about programming, so I''ll give some suggestions from the beginning, in case other peoples are reading this as well. My guess is that you are quite newbee into this mess really.....Like myself.
The first book in software programming, I would recommend Deitel & Deitel: How to program c++.
Excelent book, covers everything from beginnig, and take you over into object oriented quite fast. It teaches you alot about classes, inheritance, linked lists, polymorphi, etc etc... it gives you a great fundation before windows programming. This is also a good book if you are a slow learner who need stuff in with a spoon.
The first windows book could be this one: Programming Windows 5th Ed by Petzold.
It goes the win32 way, which alot of the directx examples on the net does. It teaches you windows stuff from the very beginning, and it is very easy for silly beginners. It covers alot. Most of it might not interest you in the beginning, but when you go along and program, you will use it more and more as an good resource. Because you do use alot of windows stuff and GDI programming along with directx. How to display fonts, load bitmaps, use resources, message que, and goes into very advanced stuff like multithreading, MDI etc etc...a good book to own. It took me several years to discover this one. Excelent and usefull.
The book you ask for....Forget it really. Buy it if you want, but the way I see it, you can easily do without the book. The book is a big tutorial really about creating a silly game which you remember from old commodore. It do thouch alot of subjects, but so does the other books, and all the other resources which I use. I have also wasted lots of money on stupid books about windows and directx, and in my opinion this is one of them. Use the net, gamedev here has tons of tutorials for you to use. Googling around often helps, if you wonder how you can use CreateFile() in win32, use google and you will find out of it.
As you go more into windows programming you will tend to use the help alot more. If you are smart you will use the directx help to, most subjects are explained there really. I have the directx7 help file, and it provides me with alot of help when I program with DirectDraw. Get yourself a friend you can ask tings about, ang get him on msn, aol im, or plain mail. You can use the forums around as well, wery helpfull, because they are the one spotting your silly mistakes when you are stuck and whant to give up.
What you want to start with is the windows book I recommended, while you wait for it to come in the mail, this is the tutorial to start out with:
Here:
http://www.gamedev.net/reference/articles/article1229.asp
Excelent directdraw and windows tutorial for beginners.
It uses directdraw 7, get the helpfile for that one, on kazaa maybe. Get Visual Studio 6 since alot of tutorials use that compiler, get MSDN, get some good coffe and snacks and ....be happy
After that one it is time to experiment with stuff...you need no game book, at least for a while.
My best recomendations on the net is:
www.gamedev.net
www.flipcode.com
www.gametutorials.com
The first book in software programming, I would recommend Deitel & Deitel: How to program c++.
Excelent book, covers everything from beginnig, and take you over into object oriented quite fast. It teaches you alot about classes, inheritance, linked lists, polymorphi, etc etc... it gives you a great fundation before windows programming. This is also a good book if you are a slow learner who need stuff in with a spoon.
The first windows book could be this one: Programming Windows 5th Ed by Petzold.
It goes the win32 way, which alot of the directx examples on the net does. It teaches you windows stuff from the very beginning, and it is very easy for silly beginners. It covers alot. Most of it might not interest you in the beginning, but when you go along and program, you will use it more and more as an good resource. Because you do use alot of windows stuff and GDI programming along with directx. How to display fonts, load bitmaps, use resources, message que, and goes into very advanced stuff like multithreading, MDI etc etc...a good book to own. It took me several years to discover this one. Excelent and usefull.
The book you ask for....Forget it really. Buy it if you want, but the way I see it, you can easily do without the book. The book is a big tutorial really about creating a silly game which you remember from old commodore. It do thouch alot of subjects, but so does the other books, and all the other resources which I use. I have also wasted lots of money on stupid books about windows and directx, and in my opinion this is one of them. Use the net, gamedev here has tons of tutorials for you to use. Googling around often helps, if you wonder how you can use CreateFile() in win32, use google and you will find out of it.
As you go more into windows programming you will tend to use the help alot more. If you are smart you will use the directx help to, most subjects are explained there really. I have the directx7 help file, and it provides me with alot of help when I program with DirectDraw. Get yourself a friend you can ask tings about, ang get him on msn, aol im, or plain mail. You can use the forums around as well, wery helpfull, because they are the one spotting your silly mistakes when you are stuck and whant to give up.
What you want to start with is the windows book I recommended, while you wait for it to come in the mail, this is the tutorial to start out with:
Here:
http://www.gamedev.net/reference/articles/article1229.asp
Excelent directdraw and windows tutorial for beginners.
It uses directdraw 7, get the helpfile for that one, on kazaa maybe. Get Visual Studio 6 since alot of tutorials use that compiler, get MSDN, get some good coffe and snacks and ....be happy
After that one it is time to experiment with stuff...you need no game book, at least for a while.
My best recomendations on the net is:
www.gamedev.net
www.flipcode.com
www.gametutorials.com
100
December 16, 2002 02:51 PM
You didn''t say anything about your previous experience about programming, so I''ll give some suggestions from the beginning, in case other peoples are reading this as well. My guess is that you are quite newbee into this mess really.....Like myself.
The first book in software programming, I would recommend Deitel & Deitel: How to program c++.
Excelent book, covers everything from beginnig, and take you over into object oriented quite fast. It teaches you alot about classes, inheritance, linked lists, polymorphi, etc etc... it gives you a great fundation before windows programming. This is also a good book if you are a slow learner who need stuff in with a spoon.
The first windows book could be this one: Programming Windows 5th Ed by Petzold.
It goes the win32 way, which alot of the directx examples on the net does. It teaches you windows stuff from the very beginning, and it is very easy for silly beginners. It covers alot. Most of it might not interest you in the beginning, but when you go along and program, you will use it more and more as an good resource. Because you do use alot of windows stuff and GDI programming along with directx. How to display fonts, load bitmaps, use resources, message que, and goes into very advanced stuff like multithreading, MDI etc etc...a good book to own. It took me several years to discover this one. Excelent and usefull.
The book you ask for....Forget it really. Buy it if you want, but the way I see it, you can easily do without the book. The book is a big tutorial really about creating a silly game which you remember from old commodore. It do thouch alot of subjects, but so does the other books, and all the other resources which I use. I have also wasted lots of money on stupid books about windows and directx, and in my opinion this is one of them. Use the net, gamedev here has tons of tutorials for you to use. Googling around often helps, if you wonder how you can use CreateFile() in win32, use google and you will find out of it.
As you go more into windows programming you will tend to use the help alot more. If you are smart you will use the directx help to, most subjects are explained there really. I have the directx7 help file, and it provides me with alot of help when I program with DirectDraw. Get yourself a friend you can ask tings about, ang get him on msn, aol im, or plain mail. You can use the forums around as well, wery helpfull, because they are the one spotting your silly mistakes when you are stuck and whant to give up.
What you want to start with is the windows book I recommended, while you wait for it to come in the mail, this is the tutorial to start out with:
Here:
http://www.gamedev.net/reference/articles/article1229.asp
Excelent directdraw and windows tutorial for beginners.
It uses directdraw 7, get the helpfile for that one, on kazaa maybe. Get Visual Studio 6 since alot of tutorials use that compiler, get MSDN, get some good coffe and snacks and ....be happy
After that one it is time to experiment with stuff...you need no game book, at least for a while.
My best recomendations on the net is:
www.gamedev.net
www.flipcode.com
www.gametutorials.com
The first book in software programming, I would recommend Deitel & Deitel: How to program c++.
Excelent book, covers everything from beginnig, and take you over into object oriented quite fast. It teaches you alot about classes, inheritance, linked lists, polymorphi, etc etc... it gives you a great fundation before windows programming. This is also a good book if you are a slow learner who need stuff in with a spoon.
The first windows book could be this one: Programming Windows 5th Ed by Petzold.
It goes the win32 way, which alot of the directx examples on the net does. It teaches you windows stuff from the very beginning, and it is very easy for silly beginners. It covers alot. Most of it might not interest you in the beginning, but when you go along and program, you will use it more and more as an good resource. Because you do use alot of windows stuff and GDI programming along with directx. How to display fonts, load bitmaps, use resources, message que, and goes into very advanced stuff like multithreading, MDI etc etc...a good book to own. It took me several years to discover this one. Excelent and usefull.
The book you ask for....Forget it really. Buy it if you want, but the way I see it, you can easily do without the book. The book is a big tutorial really about creating a silly game which you remember from old commodore. It do thouch alot of subjects, but so does the other books, and all the other resources which I use. I have also wasted lots of money on stupid books about windows and directx, and in my opinion this is one of them. Use the net, gamedev here has tons of tutorials for you to use. Googling around often helps, if you wonder how you can use CreateFile() in win32, use google and you will find out of it.
As you go more into windows programming you will tend to use the help alot more. If you are smart you will use the directx help to, most subjects are explained there really. I have the directx7 help file, and it provides me with alot of help when I program with DirectDraw. Get yourself a friend you can ask tings about, ang get him on msn, aol im, or plain mail. You can use the forums around as well, wery helpfull, because they are the one spotting your silly mistakes when you are stuck and whant to give up.
What you want to start with is the windows book I recommended, while you wait for it to come in the mail, this is the tutorial to start out with:
Here:
http://www.gamedev.net/reference/articles/article1229.asp
Excelent directdraw and windows tutorial for beginners.
It uses directdraw 7, get the helpfile for that one, on kazaa maybe. Get Visual Studio 6 since alot of tutorials use that compiler, get MSDN, get some good coffe and snacks and ....be happy
After that one it is time to experiment with stuff...you need no game book, at least for a while.
My best recomendations on the net is:
www.gamedev.net
www.flipcode.com
www.gametutorials.com
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