Hi! First time poster here, but I have been lurking for the past month or so. I am very interested in getting into the game industry as a programmer and from what I have read, one of the best things to do is to create your own game. I have already created two of my own: One is a version of the game Mancala, and the other was a simple roleplaying game. Both were text based. I am now trying to learn Direct3D along with Windows programming so I can take my game programming a step further. And since I, like everyone else, loves to have good books in their library, I am going to grab a couple books to help me out on this. I am looking for one book on Windows programming and one book on DirectX/Direct3D. I have been reading lots of reviews online about books and have found four books which look good, and just wanted to get some input from others on this forum before I purchased any of them. As for my experience, I think I have a very good grasp on general Java/C++ programming. I have no experience with DirectX other than doing the 6 tutorials that come with the SDK. Programming Windows, Fifth Edition By Charles Petzold http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/157231995X/002-8163884-2589628?v=glance I have heard this is *the* book to own for windows programming. Sounds like a good deal to me. Game Architecture and Design: Learn the Best Practices for Game Design and Programming By Andrew Rollings and Dave Morris http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1576104257/ref=ase_gamedev/002-8163884-2589628?v=glance&s=books I may simply pick this book up because it has good reviews, looks interesting, and is only $6.00. Beginning DirectX 9 By Wendy Jones http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1592003494/002-8163884-2589628?v=glance I don't think I am going to pick this one up. I am leaning towards the book below instead, for helping with DirectX/Direct3D. Introduction to 3D Game Programming with DirectX 9.0 By Frank D. Luna http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1556229135/ref=pd_bxgy_img_2/002-8163884-2589628?v=glance&s=books I have read very good reviews about this. If anybody here owns this book, tell me what you thought. :P If anyone has any other book suggestions to consider, please let me know. I have done a search of your forums and haven't found anything new, but I certainly could have missed something. Also, I have checked out the 'book' section of this website but it is dated I believe. I am more than happy to hear anything any of you have to say. I will probably be seeing more of you all as I begin learning DirectX/Windows programming. Thanks in advance. -Scott

Beggining Game Programming by Jonathan S. Harbour

is a pretty good book for DX. The only critic I had was that the Sound Chapter wasn't compatible with the Summer update but its not fault of the author or publisher of course.

Its really a hidden gem, Small book but it covers alot and helps you create a wrapper for all your dx things which you can easily do with c++ Classes since in the book its mostly C style functions.

I haven't read the other books, but I'll give you a heads up on Introduction to 3D Game Programming with DirectX 9.0. It is indeed a very good book, but it's not an easy read. This isn't the fault of the authors, they're great, it's just that 3D with DirectX is tough stuff. If you do get the book, expect to spend many months pounding away at it chapter by chapter if you want to learn anything from it.

Thanks for all the replies!

Beggining Game Programming by Jonathan S. Harbour looks like a good book that I missed while searching. I may end up getting this instead of Introduction to 3D Game Programming. Anymore comments are welcome.

Good to see ya post. For Windows programming you were right.

Programming Windows, Fifth Edition By Charles Petzold
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/157231995X/002-8163884-2589628?v=glance

That book is very good and covers all you will need to know about windows programming. Although directx and game programming use very few windows programming concepts. A good book on directx would have all the info you need for windows programming. You will mostly just need to learn how to setup the basic window. This is a chapter included in most good books. Just check to see if your directx book has it.