I am currently trying to figure out how to optimize the Collision detection in the freespace 2 engine. Also I have been reading a lot of math courses because I realized a BIG struggeling block for most of my programming was my rusted up useless maths.
Some people I know say that maths is not important but when you look at the specific parts of things and specially at problem solving maths is neccesary. At one point I was talking to Easilyconfused and he was giving me advise on how to solve a problem by giving me mathematical formulas. Sadly because I was a bit out of work iwth maths i was overwhelmed.
Why do you need Maths?
Collision Detection: how are you going to calculate efficiently when an model hits smething and if it hits something?
Physics: how is an item going to drop on the floor?
AI: what is a computer supposed to be doing?
3D rendering: you dont just put a model in the screen you know ;) it involves matrices.
