Contents  Preface  3D File Formats  The Framework  X File Class  Down to the Code  Source code  Printable version     The Series  The Basics  First Steps to  Animation  Multitexturing  Building Worlds  With X Files

Preface

To make a game, programmers and graphic designers need to work closely together. 3D characters, models and 3D worlds are build and animated in specialized 3D programs, such as 3D Studio MAX, Maya, Lightwave, trueSpace and so on. After building the graphics with such tools, they have to be imported into the game engine.

So if you'd like to be a game programmer, you need to understand how to load a 3D model or world file generated by external tools into your game engine.

As a sample application, I've modified the sample of the second tutorial First Steps to Animations. So you know most of the source and you can concentrate on the new X file code.

To compile the sample program, you have to link with an additional file: d3dxof.lib. It's used by the Framework D3DFile class. If you'd like to know more on compilation of these tutorials, try to take a look in the first Direct3D.net tutorial "The Basics.

I've found the Mr. Gamemaker article Loading X files" very useful. In addition, the book from Robert L. Dunlop Teach Yourself DirectX 7 in 24 Hours published by Sams has a great chapter on using X files in D3D IM. Paul Bourke has compiled a must have for every X file junkie; a DirectX X File Reference.

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