X or else...
Author
I''ve been learning Direct3D with Programming Role-Playing GAmes with DirectX by Jim Adams, and I find him not explaining the X file very well, and I find it kinda hard to learn. Should I learn to load other fileformats or keep learning X files?
I''ve not read that book, but with D3DX in DirectX 8 you can load an X File mesh in one function call, and then render it in about 3 lines of code... I don''t think it gets any easier than that.
Also the file format is well documented in the DirectX documentation that comes with the DX8 SDK.
Also the file format is well documented in the DirectX documentation that comes with the DX8 SDK.
Pipo,
How do you like that book?
I went to Borders intending to purchase it, but it didn''t seem to go into too much detail on skinned meshes, which is what I am really interested in right now, so I didn''t buy it.
I''d be interested to hear your feelings on the book.
Shawn
How do you like that book?
I went to Borders intending to purchase it, but it didn''t seem to go into too much detail on skinned meshes, which is what I am really interested in right now, so I didn''t buy it.
I''d be interested to hear your feelings on the book.
Shawn
Author
I don't like the concept of using a premade Core(sorta lib) by himself, it doesn't teach you how to program the smallest bits.
But if you're planning to make an RPG that core is good, I don't know, I think it's not the best D3D book, but it is the best D3D/RPG making book!
[edit] You can always look through the source code, but with all those functions and classes, it gets confusing!
hope ya read it Jimmy!
[edited by - Pipo DeClown on November 1, 2002 5:17:57 PM]
But if you're planning to make an RPG that core is good, I don't know, I think it's not the best D3D book, but it is the best D3D/RPG making book!
[edit] You can always look through the source code, but with all those functions and classes, it gets confusing!
hope ya read it Jimmy!
[edited by - Pipo DeClown on November 1, 2002 5:17:57 PM]
quote:
I don''t like the concept of using a premade Core(sorta lib) by himself, it doesn''t teach you how to program the smallest bits.
It seems you might have missed the first 1/3 of the book! Everything in the core was covered in the first couple hundred pages, such as initializing D3D (DSound, DInput, etc), and drawing meshes and polygons, setting textures, loading & playing sound effects, playing music, using DLS patches, etc. I hold to all the reviews that says it shows the basics to DX in a quick and easy manner.
quote:
I went to Borders intending to purchase it, but it didn''t seem to go into too much detail on skinned meshes,
I find him not explaining the X file very well
No, the book was really based on making RPGs, not to teach the various stuff about DirectX (skinned meshes and the .X file format). I tried to pack as much basic information about DirectX in there to make a game. Unfortunately, that means I had to not include a lot of things I wish I could have added.
quote:
I''ve not read that book, but with D3DX in DirectX 8 you can load an X File mesh in one function call, and then render it in about 3 lines of code... I don''t think it gets any easier than that
Sure, if you only want a static, non-dynamic mesh (skinned meshes). Also, you can''t read custom or extra data on meshes if you don''t parse the .X file yourself.
Actually he helpes with meshes alot. If you read in the book he says he has source code on the cd that is very well commented that teaches to load a skin mesh
Actually he helpes with x files alot. If you read in the book he says he has source code on the cd that is very well commented that teaches to load a skin mesh
Author
I think the classes should be made by the user, not premade.
YOu could write some non-OOP stuff, then tell the user/reader to write a class out of it.
But well, it's more about hte RPG-ing.
In most source codes, you have to search a long time before you find what you're searching for...
And the one with the frustrum culling, I see that you go into the source code, telling the reader to view it. You should at least explain the functions, I think. Should I know how to handle Matrices like:
m_Plane[0].a = matrix._14 + matrix._13; (cFrustrum::Construct())
I dont know what you're doing, not even a little bit!
[edited by - Pipo DeClown on November 1, 2002 6:53:33 PM]
YOu could write some non-OOP stuff, then tell the user/reader to write a class out of it.
But well, it's more about hte RPG-ing.
In most source codes, you have to search a long time before you find what you're searching for...
And the one with the frustrum culling, I see that you go into the source code, telling the reader to view it. You should at least explain the functions, I think. Should I know how to handle Matrices like:
m_Plane[0].a = matrix._14 + matrix._13; (cFrustrum::Construct())
I dont know what you're doing, not even a little bit!
[edited by - Pipo DeClown on November 1, 2002 6:53:33 PM]
quote:
I think the classes should be made by the user, not premade.
YOu could write some non-OOP stuff, then tell the user/reader to write a class out of it.
Not really. Here''s the problem - I need to show code in the book to make things easier to understand. Instead of needlessly showing the same bit of code over and over and over again, I show a class interface that you''ve already read about and used. It doesn''t matter on the class''s underlying code - if you don''t like it, don''t use it. The fact is that with that one class interface I''ve proven what you need to do at that exact point in the text without wasting a bunch of space.
As with anything, you can''t please everybody. Some people like it, some thing it didn''t have enough, etc. All in all, I think the book does a very admiral job of teaching the one thing it states - to make an RPG game. It doesn''t try to teach a bunch of 3-D mathematical calculations and the specifics behind each (the plane equations for instance). I''ll leave that job to a book dedicated to the math - mine was a book on making games.
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