Ok, so I concluded that I should hop off of the exclusive C programming train and get into some work in C#. I've done some moderate project work in C#, I'm comfortable working in it, and I own (and have read most of) Petzold's Programming Windows with C#. What I'm looking for now are books on Managed DirectX in C#, with special desire for ones that might deal with integrating it into the forms environment (shouldnt be that hard though - should it? - maybe its not difficult enough to bother with putting in a book, i dont know, i havent looked into the matter too extensively). I've never worked with DirectX, and I have some very light experience with OpenGL, so I'd definately classify myself as a beginner in that regard. I'm on somewhat of a budget, being a college student and all that, so I can't go buy every book that might be useful, so I'm looking for some advice from you guys. I was thinking of maybe grabbing one of the following: Beginning 3d Game Programming - Tom Miller Managed DirectX 9 Kickstart - Tom Miller Beginning .NET Game Programming in C# - Weller et al. or Beginning C# Game Programming - Ron Penton What do you guys suggest? Feel free to make suggestions not on the list there too. Thanks.

Quote:Original post by xanin
Ok, so I concluded that I should hop off of the exclusive C programming train and get into some work in C#. I've done some moderate project work in C#, I'm comfortable working in it, and I own (and have read most of) Petzold's Programming Windows with C#.

What I'm looking for now are books on Managed DirectX in C#, with special desire for ones that might deal with integrating it into the forms environment (shouldnt be that hard though - should it? - maybe its not difficult enough to bother with putting in a book, i dont know, i havent looked into the matter too extensively).

I've never worked with DirectX, and I have some very light experience with OpenGL, so I'd definately classify myself as a beginner in that regard.

I'm on somewhat of a budget, being a college student and all that, so I can't go buy every book that might be useful, so I'm looking for some advice from you guys.

I was thinking of maybe grabbing one of the following:

Beginning 3d Game Programming - Tom Miller
Managed DirectX 9 Kickstart - Tom Miller
Beginning .NET Game Programming in C# - Weller et al.
or Beginning C# Game Programming - Ron Penton

What do you guys suggest? Feel free to make suggestions not on the list there too. Thanks.

I have all the books you mention above and have actually read most of them and if you had to choose I'd pick "managed directx 9 kickstart" since it's the best for a beginner to managed dx and best all around.
Beginning 3d game programming has some cool 3dgames including a networked 3d tank game and actually goes over using HLSL but is way too complex for someone new to directx
Beginning .net game programming in c# is actually pretty good if you ignore the first couple of chapters which go over using GDI with C# and are full of so many typos as to make those chapters worthless and a waste of time.
Beginning c# game programming which probably get you writing managed dx games with c# the fastest if you ignore the first half of the book which is supposed to teach a newbie c# which is fails to do in my opinion! and as long as you use an older version of the directx sdk to compile the final space 2d scroller game it's pretty cool actually but some major changes were made in latest managed dx sprite class to make game worthless with latest directx sdk unless you don't mind recoding the entire game from scratch!
Actually another good book that teaches game programming with c# and forms and no directx is "C# for the absolute beginner" which is actually really good and shows you how to make a simple lunar lander game on a form and a soccer game,etc.

I second the Managed DirectX 9 Kickstart. While I haven't read the others, I have read that one and it did for me exactly what the name says. After reading through the book, you should pretty much be to the point where the DX SDK can answer 95% of your questions. Good luck!

I found the documentation and tutorials that come free with the DX SDK ("DirectX for Managed Languages", I believe it's called) to be fairly adequate. They aren't perfect, the tutorials and the source code are not 100% in sync, but the source code does work, so at the very least you can analyze that.

ah, here we go

Introducing DirectX 9.0 for Managed Code (overview)

Getting Started With Direct3D (tutorials).

Additionally, The ZBuffer also sports links to a heap of Managed DirectX tutorials/articles.

Thanks for all the replies guys.

Thanks for the heads up on the MSDN stuff and the ZBuffer, unfortunately I'm on a dialup connection at home for the summer, and on only one phone line, so I can't be on it whenever I want, which somewhat limits my usage of online resources.

I think I'll pick up Miller's Managed DirectX 9 Kickstart, and I've acquired a bit more cash, so I'm thinking of picking up a second as well, so I'm thinking of maybe Penton's Beginning C# Game Programming - anyone think of anything better?

Quote:Original post by xanin
Thanks for all the replies guys.

Thanks for the heads up on the MSDN stuff and the ZBuffer, unfortunately I'm on a dialup connection at home for the summer, and on only one phone line, so I can't be on it whenever I want, which somewhat limits my usage of online resources.

I think I'll pick up Miller's Managed DirectX 9 Kickstart, and I've acquired a bit more cash, so I'm thinking of picking up a second as well, so I'm thinking of maybe Penton's Beginning C# Game Programming - anyone think of anything better?

well, if you downloaded and installed the DX9 SDK, then it should have installed "Introducing DirectX 9.0 for Managed Languages" locally, which includes the tutorials.

Quote:Original post by capn_midnight

Quote:Original post by xanin
Thanks for all the replies guys.

Thanks for the heads up on the MSDN stuff and the ZBuffer, unfortunately I'm on a dialup connection at home for the summer, and on only one phone line, so I can't be on it whenever I want, which somewhat limits my usage of online resources.

I think I'll pick up Miller's Managed DirectX 9 Kickstart, and I've acquired a bit more cash, so I'm thinking of picking up a second as well, so I'm thinking of maybe Penton's Beginning C# Game Programming - anyone think of anything better?

well, if you downloaded and installed the DX9 SDK, then it should have installed "Introducing DirectX 9.0 for Managed Languages" locally, which includes the tutorials.

Oooohhh, well thats a good bit to know, thanks.