Hi guy !

I have bought "Tricks of the Windows Game Programming Gurus" a couple years ago and it''s definively not the book you need. This one is based on DirectX 7 and principally on Windows programming, DirectDraw and a bit of IA and Physics(very basic).
Direct3D is explained with several documents on the CD.

Arno.

OK... I think I can help you with this one.

Since I work at a uni Ive actually gone through 3 of the books you mentioned and glanced through the 4th.

Tricks of the Game Programming Gurus is by LaMothe (methinks?) and teaches you how to write a software renderer. While it exposes a lot of the black boxness of modern Graphics APIs, its not at all a beginners book.

Beginning DirectX9 is actually quite bad. Probably the worst structured book Ive read - and doesnt teach you much.

Intro to 3d game programming is the one Id pick - I actually recommended this one to the class I help out with and so far the feedbacks been good. The only problem is that it doesnt organize code into classes, but if youre a good C++ programmer, you shouldnt have trouble doing that yourself.

ShaderX2 deals with the programmable pipeline and is definitely not what you need to begin with.

Hope that helps...

quote:Original post by psamty10
Beginning DirectX9 is actually quite bad. Probably the worst structured book Ive read - and doesnt teach you much.

Sorry, I have to take issue with this reply. This post was made on March 22nd while the book you're talking about "Beginning DirectX9" wasn't even released until the second week in April. Just being a bit picky because I don't want this book confused with another.

I hope you do get a chance to take a look at it. I'd love to hear feedback.

Thanks,
Wendy <- Beginning DirectX9 Author



[edited by - wendy on April 20, 2004 12:38:44 AM]

Try Tricks of the 3D Game Programming Gurus for it uses DX9 and teaches you how to build your very own 3D engine. So basically, it gives you everything you want (or maybe not want) to know about 3D graphics.

Bah, this is a necro too. Dammit you guys, I even responded to the OP!

If you''re looking for a book that deals strictly with the Direct3D and doesn''t get into anything else then definately take a look at either Beginning Direct3D or Tricks of the Windows Game Programing Gurus. Although I''ve always found the best resources for specifics to be on the web. Gametutorials.com has a lot of good information to start out with, including a bsp renderer.

Wendy