My book is almost done.
I've almost finished my book Generic 3D Engine Design. I know it's a big topic, so I just put the preface to my blog ( nothing there except the preface indeed ) to see if you would be possibly interested. Please leave your comments if you have time to.
Here is the link. MyBlog
I only skim read it, but i spot an error in the first line. I think you'll find that "The concept of 3D engines was populated by DOOM" should be "The concept of 3D engines was *popularized* by DOOM".
Still, the book looks interesting. I've got Dave Eberly's book which looks similar in concept but it might be interesting to get a different spin on things. Out in time for christmas?
Still, the book looks interesting. I've got Dave Eberly's book which looks similar in concept but it might be interesting to get a different spin on things. Out in time for christmas?
He didn't say Doom "started" 3D engines. He said it "popularized" them. Which is arguably true.
Quote:Original post by Anonymous Poster
Doom started 3d engines? common, do some research please.
that's certainly not the most useful or efficective way of providing constructive feedback
How exactly did an engine that wasn't even 3d itself popularize 3d engines? Shouldn't that be quake you are referring to?
Perhaps he means first-person games; Doom was not quite 3D, though it certainly had the appearance of being so.
Quote:Original post by esuvs
I only skim read it, but i spot an error in the first line.
Thank you so much. It's really a shame that I made the mistake on the first line.
Quote:
Still, the book looks interesting. I've got Dave Eberly's book which looks similar in concept but it might be interesting to get a different spin on things. Out in time for christmas?
I also like Dave's book but mine is in a different style that I hope would be something worth reading. It's almost finished so hopefully it would be before chrismas.
Quote:Original post by DrEvil
How exactly did an engine that wasn't even 3d itself popularize 3d engines? Shouldn't that be quake you are referring to?
Yes, perhaps it's Quake that got first commercially reused in other 3D games. But in my opinion, it's DOOM who at the first time made the term 3D engine popularized although it's not technically a real 3D. However, I do need a research. If it's Quake that is more appropriate to be mentioned here, I'd certainly change it.
Without more information to go on, it's hard to criticise anything other than your preface...
1. Your English does not appear to be that of a native speaker. This isn't a huge problem if you get a decent editor -- I've seen writing of far worse quality even from native English speakers -- but do make sure you get one before attempting to publish this in book form.
2. "Ultima Underworld" was released a few years before DOOM, yet had a more technically accomplished 3D engine. Carmack is good, but I certainly don't know anyone who considers him a 'god'.
3. 3D graphics have been around in games for decades. Atari's "Battlezone" (1980) used a 3D vector graphics engine. Even Sinclair / Timex's humble ZX81 had "3D Monster Maze" (1981). The latter is arguably a precursor to the Wolfenstein 3D & DOOM-like 3D maze games that have since evolved into today's modern FPS titles.
4. Six chapters seems awfully short for a book of this depth. Are the chapters broken into smaller sections? If so, try renaming the chapters as "Parts" and use the term "Chapter" for these smaller sections instead.
5. A large part of your preface appears to be discussing generic _game_ engine design rather than merely the design of a _3D_ graphics engine. I strongly advise making up your mind.
6. I'd also be wary of some of your phrasing. You appear to imply, for example, that an MCA can _only_ be done using C++. This is incorrect as most OOP languages can do this. C++ is unique only in its present ubiquity within the games industry, not because of its features.
*
I was going to add my occasional rant on the fact that no commercial game in existence can truly claim to be '3D': Quake 3 and Halo are no more '3D' than Leonardo Da Vinci's painting, "The Last Supper". What these engines do is render scenes describing a 3D _model_ onto a _2D surface_. Most of the heavy-duty maths is concerned with converting the 3D model data into a 2D representation. Today's graphics engines are merely advanced 2D renderers. 3D graphics is simply not possible while display devices remain resolutely two-dimensional.
Unfortunately, this misuse of the term '3D graphics' appears to have become accepted, so don't mind me. I'll just go away muttering to myself.
Regards,
1. Your English does not appear to be that of a native speaker. This isn't a huge problem if you get a decent editor -- I've seen writing of far worse quality even from native English speakers -- but do make sure you get one before attempting to publish this in book form.
2. "Ultima Underworld" was released a few years before DOOM, yet had a more technically accomplished 3D engine. Carmack is good, but I certainly don't know anyone who considers him a 'god'.
3. 3D graphics have been around in games for decades. Atari's "Battlezone" (1980) used a 3D vector graphics engine. Even Sinclair / Timex's humble ZX81 had "3D Monster Maze" (1981). The latter is arguably a precursor to the Wolfenstein 3D & DOOM-like 3D maze games that have since evolved into today's modern FPS titles.
4. Six chapters seems awfully short for a book of this depth. Are the chapters broken into smaller sections? If so, try renaming the chapters as "Parts" and use the term "Chapter" for these smaller sections instead.
5. A large part of your preface appears to be discussing generic _game_ engine design rather than merely the design of a _3D_ graphics engine. I strongly advise making up your mind.
6. I'd also be wary of some of your phrasing. You appear to imply, for example, that an MCA can _only_ be done using C++. This is incorrect as most OOP languages can do this. C++ is unique only in its present ubiquity within the games industry, not because of its features.
*
I was going to add my occasional rant on the fact that no commercial game in existence can truly claim to be '3D': Quake 3 and Halo are no more '3D' than Leonardo Da Vinci's painting, "The Last Supper". What these engines do is render scenes describing a 3D _model_ onto a _2D surface_. Most of the heavy-duty maths is concerned with converting the 3D model data into a 2D representation. Today's graphics engines are merely advanced 2D renderers. 3D graphics is simply not possible while display devices remain resolutely two-dimensional.
Unfortunately, this misuse of the term '3D graphics' appears to have become accepted, so don't mind me. I'll just go away muttering to myself.
Regards,
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