Review of Beginning DirectX 10 Game Programming (Paperback)

This is a very light introduction to DirectX10, especially to direct3d 10. Beginners should feel very comfortable with this book. The text, most of the time, is clear and the examples are very simple. The math and math explanations involved are kept to a minimum.

The book delivers what it promises and should be taken as a base for further readings.


Product Description
Discover the exciting world of game programming and 3D graphics creation using DirectX 10!"Beginning DirectX® 10 Game Progmramming" is an introductory guide to creating fantastic graphics, amazing creatures, and realistic worlds for games.Written specifically for the beginner programmer, the book uses step-by-step instructions to teach the basics of DirectX 10, introducing skills that can be applied to creating games for both PC and game console platforms.You'll start by learning how to install the DirectX SDK and how to get your first application up and running.From there you'll be introduced to the 2D and 3D graphics components of DirectX allowing you to draw animated sprites and create 3D objects.Put your new skills to the test with a final, hands-on project that shows how to bring together everything you've learned.If you have a basic knowledge of C++ and 3D math concepts then you are ready to learn how to program amazing 3D game graphics with "Beginning DirectX 10!"

About the Author
Wendy Jones devoted herself to computers the first time her eyes befell an Apple IIe in elementary school. From that point on, she spent every free moment learning BASIC and graphics programming, sketching out her ideas on graph paper to type in later. Other computer languages followed, including Pascal, C, C#, and C++.As Wendy's career in computers took off, she branched out, teaching herself Windows programming and then jumping into the dot-com world for a bit. Although Internet companies provided a challenge, they didn't provide fulfillment, so Wendy started expanding her programming skills to games, devoting any extra energy to its pursuit.Wendy's true passion became apparent when she got the opportunity to work for Atari's Humongous Entertainment as a game programmer. During her time at Atari, she worked on both PC and console titles, thrilled with the challenge they provided.Wendy can now be found at Electronic Art's Tiburon studio in Orlando working with some wonderfully talented people on Next Generation consoles.If you have any comments or questions about this book, you can reach Wendy at her website at http://www.fasterkittycodecode.com.

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Review of Beginning DirectX 9 (Game Development Series) (Paperback)

I was initially impressed with this book, even after seeing a couple pages of utter garbage in the first part. All I wanted was a quick review before my serious books came, and having programmed DX before I could promptly correct and move on, but enough was enough!
I can best describe parts of this book as rough notes fed to a blender and then pasted into the chapters with a leaf-blower. That goes for the `code' samples as well.

For a complete beginner these errors may be significant enough to possibly detract and frustrate the learning experience. Not a good thing, especially considering that's the book's targeted audience. There is no excuse for this.

More advanced developers will cringe and cringe until they finally damage something or hurt someone as they throw this waste across their office. Also not a good thing.

An alternative book that covers the same ground quite a bit more soundly is Frank Luna's Introduction to 3D Game Programming with DX9, which I finally received & promptly read from one end to the other & moved on to other books now. It's a solid work bolted tight with some good code.

2 Stars, for a publishing a work containing some content I wouldn't even turn in as homework.

Product Description
As a beginning programmer, you've probably noticed how difficult it is to find introductory guides to game programming. If you're interested in learning DirectX and are looking for a book that helps you go beyond the 3D component of DirectX and gives you complete coverage of this amazing product, then look no further! "Beginning DirectX 9" gives you examples that build on previous chapters and culminates in the completion of a playable game.

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