Quote:Original post by StartingPoint
I was reading some of the comments of those books and they seem pretty advanced for me.

Not really, no. "The C++ Standard Library" and "The C++ Programming Language" are references. "Accelerated C++" and "C++ Primer" are beginner C++ books though Accelerated C++ is rather steep. "C++ Common Knowledge" is an intermediate C++ book.

A "pretty advanced" book would be something like "C++ Template Metaprogramming".

Quote:I will just start out with the simple stuff first and build myself up to those when i understand the rest fully.

Beware of books with incomplete or inaccurate language coverage. I have also seen far too many books bog you down with pointers and memory management when all you wanted was a string. Sure, that's how they are done internally, but that's not the way to approach them initially.

To say nothing of their dismal standard library coverage.

Actually, IIRC, C++ for Game Programming (take a look at the contents/intro) had areas devoted to the SC++L, and even weighed pros and cons about using various options. I glanced through it at a bookshop, and I remember thinking "If I was starting out, this would be a pretty good book to get".

Actually, after looking at that contents, I would say definately check it out. It's rare to find a beginning book about games (and I distinctly remember the author pointing out where applications of techniques would work in a game) that even mentions the SCL. Also, I remember the style being very approchable.

Quote:Original post by StartingPoint
1- Beginning C++ Game Programming (Game Development Series) [Paperback]
By: Michael Dawson

2- Mathematics for 3D Game Programming and Computer Graphics, Second Edition (Game Development Series) - Eric Lengyel

3- Introduction to 3D Game Programming with DirectX 9.0 - Frank D. Luna

4- Sams Teach Yourself Game Programming with DirectX in 21 Days

K, Iam going to stick with that unless anyone thinks there is a serious mistake.

I personally own and have read all these books except #2. I don't regret buying any of them except "acclerated c++" which is no longer on your list so I don't think you are making any mistakes now except maybe read book 4 before 3 since it's a lot gentler and easier intro to directx. Only bad thing is you'll be in a chicken/egg dilemma though since book 4 uses dx 8 so you'll probably run into a lot of confusing errors if you use latest dx 9 sdk. book 4 complied fine with latest microsoft sdk when I read it though it is a bit terse since it is a small book. If you get stuck with 3 or 4 I recommend you get "Beginning DirectX 9" by Wendy Jones since it's the easiest book out right now that teaches dx 9 and works with latest DX SDK. It helped me update the code in book 4 to directx version 9 any ways.
p.s. The reason I don't recommend "accelerated c++" unlike alot of others is the number of typos in book spans over 10 pages when I tried reading it and distracted from learning c++ not to mention book uses some very advanced stuff like loop invariants for beginner's intro to c++. Dawson book does same job of teaching c++ the way it's meant to be used by staying away from arrays and preferring vectors and use of STL in a way more enjoyable book.

Quote:Original post by StartingPoint
1- Beginning C++ Game Programming (Game Development Series) [Paperback]
By: Michael Dawson

2- Mathematics for 3D Game Programming and Computer Graphics, Second Edition (Game Development Series) - Eric Lengyel

3- Introduction to 3D Game Programming with DirectX 9.0 - Frank D. Luna

4- Sams Teach Yourself Game Programming with DirectX in 21 Days

K, Iam going to stick with that unless anyone thinks there is a serious mistake.

#1 is good, but is simply a learning guide to C++. It could be replaced with the highly rated Accelerated C++. I'd drop #4 personally. #2 is on my to readlist, and I've commented that its highly math oriented - reading the reviews again, yeah I its deep into 3D math.. so you'd be expected to know HS math at least. I have it down I should read this first:

Essential Mathematics for Games and Interactive Applications : A Programmer's Guide (The Morgan Kaufmann Series in Interactive 3D Technology) (Hardcover)
by James M. Van Verth, Lars M. Bishop

C++ Primer (4th Edition)? Why didn't you get 5th edition?

Good choices btw, a c++ beginners book, a good beginners c++ reference, a good math beginners book, and Algorithms in C++ looks good.