Suggest a book on shaders (DX9)
Author
I''m a vetern to fixed function in DirectX. I''m looking to expand my knowledge and use pixel/vertex shaders in my program. I''d like to buy a book describing the shader asm, and how to do certain effects with the shader asm. I don''t need a book which just copy/paste SDK examples/text into a book, and I don''t need a book which explains how to create a window or what directx is. I''m looking for an intermediate to advanced book only on shaders and some sample effects (bump mapping, environmental mapping, reflections, shadows, etc)
Anybody suggest a book?
I was thinking of ShaderX but that is for 8.1.
http://www.gamedev.net/columns/books/bookdetails.asp?productid=205
I''d like to get a DX 9 with PS 2.0''s.
I''d still look at ShaderX or my book (see sig - yes, it has a chapter on window creation; a series requirement 
, but it can be ignored)
Either book will teach you the basic ideas behind shaders: limitations, performance, etc. For DX9 and beyond, I''d really push you toward HLSL. For that, nVidia''s cg book and/or the new DX9 book from microsoft might be decent choices. Also, if you are experienced in general, the developer sites of ATI and nVidia are very helpful.
Author, "Real Time Rendering Tricks and Techniques in DirectX", "Focus on Curves and Surfaces", A third book on advanced lighting and materials
, but it can be ignored)Either book will teach you the basic ideas behind shaders: limitations, performance, etc. For DX9 and beyond, I''d really push you toward HLSL. For that, nVidia''s cg book and/or the new DX9 book from microsoft might be decent choices. Also, if you are experienced in general, the developer sites of ATI and nVidia are very helpful.
Author, "Real Time Rendering Tricks and Techniques in DirectX", "Focus on Curves and Surfaces", A third book on advanced lighting and materials
Hi Kelly 
I bought your book a while ago,can i ask you if you will update the code for the book to DX9? I loved your book,but a lot of the techniques i can''t get to work with DX9.
The ''video as texture'' was something i tried to get working for ages,but couldn''t with DX9,actually i didn''t manage to get any of them updated to DX9
Would be great if you could do this with your book code.
Cheers.
I bought your book a while ago,can i ask you if you will update the code for the book to DX9? I loved your book,but a lot of the techniques i can''t get to work with DX9.
The ''video as texture'' was something i tried to get working for ages,but couldn''t with DX9,actually i didn''t manage to get any of them updated to DX9
Would be great if you could do this with your book code.
Cheers.
Hi Kelly
I bought your book a while ago,can i ask you if you will update the code for the book to DX9? I loved your book,but a lot of the techniques i can''t get to work with DX9.
The ''video as texture'' was something i tried to get working for ages,but couldn''t with DX9,actually i didn''t manage to get any of them updated to DX9
Would be great if you could do this with your book code.
Cheers.
I bought your book a while ago,can i ask you if you will update the code for the book to DX9? I loved your book,but a lot of the techniques i can''t get to work with DX9.
The ''video as texture'' was something i tried to get working for ages,but couldn''t with DX9,actually i didn''t manage to get any of them updated to DX9
Would be great if you could do this with your book code.
Cheers.
I would recommend "The Microsoft DirectX 9 Programmable Graphics Pipeline" by Kris Gray.
I would caution you and other readers though that you really need to understand the transformation and lighting equations used by D3D before jumping into shaders. From reading posts here I think a lot of noobs expect to conquer shader programming by buying one book or another and haven''t the slightest idea of what a halfway vector is, for example.
I would caution you and other readers though that you really need to understand the transformation and lighting equations used by D3D before jumping into shaders. From reading posts here I think a lot of noobs expect to conquer shader programming by buying one book or another and haven''t the slightest idea of what a halfway vector is, for example.
Author
Hi Don,
Thats one reason why noobs buy books. We don''t know that stuff is, and we want to learn. Halfway vectors are used in shaders but not fixed functions? Then its something I need to learn. I hope a book covers such a thing. I''d like a book to cover all things possible so I can learn all the stuff. Thats why I''m not looking for a copy/paste of the SDK. I don''t need a reference book. I need a book which explains whats going on. If there is another book I could buy along with a shader book which explains halfway vectors and such things, I''d like that too.
Thanks for the suggestions/comments guys.
Thats one reason why noobs buy books. We don''t know that stuff is, and we want to learn. Halfway vectors are used in shaders but not fixed functions? Then its something I need to learn. I hope a book covers such a thing. I''d like a book to cover all things possible so I can learn all the stuff. Thats why I''m not looking for a copy/paste of the SDK. I don''t need a reference book. I need a book which explains whats going on. If there is another book I could buy along with a shader book which explains halfway vectors and such things, I''d like that too.
Thanks for the suggestions/comments guys.
Joey - You *might* want to invest in Glasser''s "Principles..." book. Expensive, but very worthwhile. The book I''m working on right now focuses very heavily on the "why" of things, which is what it looks like you want. Unfortunately, it will be awhile before it''s out (probably early next year).
Johnny - I''m surprised that you can''t get the code to work with DX9, the shaders should work, and the rest of the code is *very* similar. Please feel free to contact me through the graphics_book hotmail address in the book. I can help you port the code to DX9.
Author, "Real Time Rendering Tricks and Techniques in DirectX", "Focus on Curves and Surfaces", A third book on advanced lighting and materials
Johnny - I''m surprised that you can''t get the code to work with DX9, the shaders should work, and the rest of the code is *very* similar. Please feel free to contact me through the graphics_book hotmail address in the book. I can help you port the code to DX9.
Author, "Real Time Rendering Tricks and Techniques in DirectX", "Focus on Curves and Surfaces", A third book on advanced lighting and materials
I''d suggest these books to you.
* DirectX 9 Programmable Graphics Pipeline*
* Kelly Demski''s Technique''s book is a great book as well*
and as i suggested to someone else,the microsoft book is great for having an understanding of what is happening.
Having the code is one thing,but being able to understand it well enough is another.Its worth buying the book.
I believe that Kris Gray has done an excellent job with his book.
Paul.
* DirectX 9 Programmable Graphics Pipeline*
* Kelly Demski''s Technique''s book is a great book as well*
and as i suggested to someone else,the microsoft book is great for having an understanding of what is happening.
Having the code is one thing,but being able to understand it well enough is another.Its worth buying the book.
I believe that Kris Gray has done an excellent job with his book.
Paul.
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