Most pathetic question you will hear today

133

Author

February 06, 2013 09:05 PM

Hey there gamedev.net!

I have recently been messing around with the XNA framework, and trying to learn that. But for as much as i am understanding, there is one big concept i just cannot grasp. This concept is matrices...

Most tutorials/guides i have looked up seem to describe very very in detail about this concept, while i understand that it is pretty complex... i just cannot pick up what i should be from said guides.

I was wondering if anyone of you skilled programming vets could possibly help me with this concept, in a way that an idiot like me could understand :x

Thanks in advance and sorry for taking up your time with this silly question

jwezorek

2,664

February 06, 2013 09:17 PM

In order to understand what a matrix is and why matrices are important in graphics and game development, you need to understand what a vector is. Do you understand what a vector is in mathematics? -- (a vector in mathematics not in the C++ standard library in which a 'vector' is a confusing name for a dynamic array) If not I would start there.

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IggyZuk

1,160

February 06, 2013 09:29 PM

Can I just quickly mention that microsoft will no longer support XNA, so it's sort of dead - http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/186001/reflections_on_xna.php

As to your real question, there are many resources to learn about matrices, or linear algebra in general.

I personally really enjoyed these three:

1. https://www.khanacademy.org/math/linear-algebra

2. http://programmedlessons.org/VectorLessons/vectorIndex.html

3. http://www.cs.princeton.edu/~gewang/projects/darth/stuff/quat_faq.html

Start by doing what is necessary; then do what is possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.

3Ddreamer

3,826

February 06, 2013 09:32 PM

Hi,

You need some books on XNA programming and implementation. There are numerous ones out there. Even one or two which are 1 to 3 years old would help a lot. Some cover the drawing/ mesh area very well. AmazonDOTcom is a good place to get XNA books, but there are others.

Everything you need to learn and implement XNA is already out there, so no - it is NOT dead - but mature. Mono is one of several ways to implement XNA cross-platform, so the ability to do so will be available for years - one reason why Microsoft does not directly support it anymore.

Personal life and your private thoughts always effect your career. Research is the intellectual backbone of game development and the first order. Version Control is crucial for full management of applications and software. The better the workflow pipeline, then the greater the potential output for a quality game. Completing projects is the last but finest order.

by Clinton, 3Ddreamer

CosmicDashie

133

Author

February 06, 2013 09:36 PM

In order to understand what a matrix is and why matrices are important in graphics and game development, you need to understand what a vector is. Do you understand what a vector is in mathematics? -- (a vector in mathematics not in the C++ standard library in which a 'vector' is a confusing name for a dynamic array) If not I would start there.

Now if im understanding right (quite a few concepts im remembering here from physics and math) math vectors are these: v = (a, b, c) in which case yes i do have an understanding of them

Can I just quickly mention that microsoft will no longer support XNA, so it's sort of dead - http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/186001/reflections_on_xna.php

As to your real question, there are many resources to learn about matrices, or linear algebra in general.

I personally really enjoyed these three:

1. https://www.khanacademy.org/math/linear-algebra

2. http://programmedlessons.org/VectorLessons/vectorIndex.html

3. http://www.cs.princeton.edu/~gewang/projects/darth/stuff/quat_faq.html

I did hear about XNA being discontinued, but i understand there is an open source version out there too, aside from all that im messing with it just so i can get better with programming as a whole

TheChubu

9,484

February 06, 2013 09:37 PM

Google "systems of linear equations".

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IggyZuk

1,160

February 06, 2013 09:39 PM

Hi,

You need some books on XNA programming and implementation. There are numerous ones out there. Even one or two which are 1 to 3 years old would help a lot. Some cover the drawing/ mesh area very well. AmazonDOTcom is a good place to get XNA books, but there are others.

Everything you need to learn and implement XNA is already out there, so no - it is NOT dead - but mature. Mono is one of several ways to implement XNA cross-platform, so the ability to do so will be available for years - one reason why Microsoft does not directly support it anymore.

Mono is a good alternative.

But let me make it clear that matrices are irrelevant to the knowledge of XNA/Mono it self, it's Math - Linear Algebra. I strongly recommend learning it before you dive into any 3D game dev, but even for 2D it comes super helpful.

Start by doing what is necessary; then do what is possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.

3Ddreamer

3,826

February 06, 2013 09:42 PM

So true, IgnatusZuk, and I would add that some of the XNA books cover the math in an introductory way, too.

Personal life and your private thoughts always effect your career. Research is the intellectual backbone of game development and the first order. Version Control is crucial for full management of applications and software. The better the workflow pipeline, then the greater the potential output for a quality game. Completing projects is the last but finest order.

by Clinton, 3Ddreamer

3Ddreamer

3,826

February 06, 2013 09:45 PM

an open source version out there too

Actually there is more than one XNA implementation out there.

Personal life and your private thoughts always effect your career. Research is the intellectual backbone of game development and the first order. Version Control is crucial for full management of applications and software. The better the workflow pipeline, then the greater the potential output for a quality game. Completing projects is the last but finest order.

by Clinton, 3Ddreamer

Daaark

3,556

February 06, 2013 09:52 PM

This is a thread about matrices, not about API choice.

CosmicDashie, I suggest a copy of Mathematics for 3d Game Programming and Computer Graphics. It's a bit expensive, but it's worth every cent because it explains everything about a ton of different topics from vectors to matrices all the way to the more advanced stuff, and how it all fits together. And it will be a great reference to have on your shelf.

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