Beginning Direct3D Graphics Programming [With CDROM]

I can't belive it. I've finally found a *good* book on Direct3D. I've read almost all of the other D3D books out there and 90% of them have...well...sucked. This one is a very nice exception to that rule. It discusses Direct3D. Not 150 pages on how to set up your window, how all of the math works, etc. It assumes you know most of that and dives right into the meat of Direct3D and how to make it do what you want it to do. I highly recommend this book if you already know the basics of 3D programming, understand the math of transformations, understand how Windows programming works, and you just want to apply all this to D3D. Good stuff...

About time someone wrote a book to cover the brand and spanking new DirectX 8 Graphics. DirectX 8 herald a new era of the API. It was a complete re-write. DirectDraw and Direct3D were combined into a easier and more powerful API called DirectX Graphics. This release also means that you'll be able to take your programming beyond the PC, to the Dreamcast and the X Box.I previously bought a book called "Introduction to Computer Game Programming with DirectX 8.0" by Ian Parberry. Unfortunately even though the material in the book was very good it didn't delve into the new DirectX API whatsoever, and in fact was just a cutdown version of the authors previous work "Learn Computer Game Programming with DirectX 7.0". So if you want a good beginners book look that one up, but if you want to keep up with the latest enhancements in the gaming world check this one out.

As here it is not shown, here it is:ContentsIntroductionPart I: DirectX Graphics: Don't Hurt Me Chapter 1: History of Direct3D/DirectX GraphicsChapter 2: Overview of DirectX Graphics/HAL/COM Direct3D HAL Pluggable Software Devices Reference Rasterizer Controlling Devices COMChapter 3: C/C++ and COM Programming Rules for Direct3D Code Style Debugging DirectX Return CodesChapter 4: Geometry/Shading/Texture Mapping Basics Orientation Faces Normals Normals and Gouraud Shading Texture-Mapping BasicsChapter 5: The Basics The DirectX Graphics Common Architecture Basic ExampleOneTimeSceneInit() InitDeviceObjects() RestoreDeviceObjects() FrameMove() Render() InvalidateDeviceObjects() DeleteDeviceObjects() FinalCleanup() Basic2 ExampleInitDeviceObjects() RestoreDeviceObjects() Render() InvalidateDeviceObjects() DeleteDeviceObjects() FinalCleanup() Basic3 ExampleRestoreDeviceObjects() Render() InvalidateDeviceObjects()Chapter 6: First Steps to Animation The Third Dimension Transformation Pipeline Transformation Math MatricesThe World Matrix The View MatrixCamera Rotation about a Camera Axis Camera Rotation with Quaternions The Projection Matrix LightingMaterial Lighting Models Vertex Color (Optional) Depth Buffering Down to the CodeOneTimeSceneInit() InitDeviceObjects() RestoreDeviceObjects() FrameMove() Render() InvalidateDeviceObjects() DeleteDeviceObjects()FinalCleanup() Next Steps to AnimationRestoreDeviceObjects() FrameMove() More Enhancements Quiz Additional ResourcesPart II: Knee-Deep in DirectX Graphics Programming Chapter 7: Texture Mapping Fundamentals Texture Coordinates Texture-Addressing ModesWrap Texture-Addressing Mode Mirror Texture-Addressing Mode Clamp Texture-Addressing Mode Border Color Texture-Addressing Mode MirrorOnce Texture-Addressing Mode Texture Wrapping Texture Filtering and Texture Anti-AliasingMipmaps Nearest-Point Sampling Linear Texture Filtering Anisotropic Filtering Full-Scene Anti-Aliasing Alpha BlendingChapter 8: Using Multiple Textures Color OperationsDark Mapping Animating the Dark Blending a Texture with Material Diffuse Color Dark Map Blended with Material Diffuse Color Glow Mapping Detail Mapping Alpha OperationsModulate Alpha Environment MappingSpherical Environment Mapping Cubic Environment MappingRestoreDeviceObjects() RenderSceneIntoCube() RenderScene() ConfirmDevice() Bump MappingApplyEnvironmentMap() InitBumpMap() Render()ConfirmDevice() Dot Product Texture BlendingInitDeviceObjects() Render() Multitexturing Support Texture Management Quiz Additional ResourcesAnisotropy Detail Mapping Cubic Environment Mapping Stencil Buffers Bump Mapping Dot Product Texture BlendingPart III: Hard-Core Direct X Graphics Programming Chapter 9: Working with FilesBuilding Worlds with X Files3-D File Formats X File Format Header Mesh MeshMaterialList Normals Textures Transformation Matrices Animation Using X Files The ExampleInitDeviceObjects() RestoreDeviceObjects() and InvalidateDeviceObjects() Render() Extending X Files Addition

This is the book to get if you want to learn D3D version 8. Yes version 8!He has a good style and flows from one topic to the next very well. He also does not throw too much info at you at once. But you will be surprised how much he covers, in a very short amount of time. This book would be a good reference for intermediate D3D programmers as well (Just not all of it.)As a bonus, the DX8 SDK is on the CD. (Now downloads of the monster needed.)