DirectX 9 Graphics: The Definitive Guide to Direct 3D (Wordware Applications Library) by Alan Thorn

Product Description

DirectX 9 Graphics is the most comprehensive DirectX graphics reference currently available. Unlike other titles, this unique book takes the reader from beginner to advanced level, demystifying DirectX by starting with the basics of setting up a DirectX application and finishing with the exciting intricacies of real-time 3D animation. In one single volume, this book can help DirectX programmers of all levels make cutting-edge games that sell!
Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #1006740 in Books
Published on: 2005-05-25
Number of items: 1
Binding: Paperback
500 pages
Editorial Reviews

About the Author
Alan Thorn is an experienced and well-traveled freelance programmer and games developer living in London. He frequently fulfills the roles of programmer, graphic artist, writer, and special effects expert as he delivers creative solutions to some of the largest corporations in the entertainment and leisure industry. He is also the author of DirectX 9 User Interfaces: Design and Implementation.
Customer Reviews

It's an okay beginner's guide, but by no means the "definitive" guide.
This book is a decent introduction to Direct3D graphics, but it's by no means a definitive guide, nor is it a guide to Direct3D9 graphics. A discussion of the real meat and potatoes of Direct3D9, the facet that makes the API so exciting for developers, pixel and vertex shaders, is completely omitted. So it's essentially a Direct3D7 level text.

The discussion of 3D mathematics was abysmal, a lot of the actual math isn't really shown, but how to use the D3DX helper functions are. Worst of all, Thorn didn't show us how to multiply matrices -- LUDICROUS! If anyone wants to be a professional graphics programmer, implementing and developing new algorithms, they're going to need to get to grips with the, sometimes grueling, mathematics.

The discussion of 3D concepts is okay, but it's all extremely basic. I was able to get a very simple, fixed-function game engine running using this book as a reference for some of the API functions, but if you want to make more cutting edge graphics programs, you need pixel shaders to do that.

If you can get this book used and dirt cheap, then it'll be a decent intro to Direct3D, but I suggest you pick up either Wolfgang Engel's Beginning Direct3D Game Programming and/or Frank Luna's book -- both of which introduce pixel/vertex shaders.

After you read the forementioned, "Programming Vertex And Pixel Shaders" by Wolfgang Engel will be most useful, as well as the ShaderX series (also edited by Engel).

Misleading title
This book is not even close to being the definitive guide to Direct3D. At best it's an introduction, and covers even less material than other introductions (eg Frank Luna's book or Wolfgang Engel's book).

The first 20 pages are given over to installing DirectX SDK. Complete waste of time for anyone who can read the SDK install doc. The chapter on video playback is pure filler - that is not part of Direct3D and shouldn't be in the book. You would learn just as much D3D by following the free SDK tutorials or some of the excellent (free) Internet tutorials.

To make matters worse, he defines his own linked list class, instead of using the STL std::list. That's always a bad sign in my book.

All in all very poor. Stick with the SDK docs and Internet tutorials.




Overview and that's all
Well despite an appealing title, it remains an overview. The
author is only giving a small extract of the programming code
which would be hard for someone to pick up without being more
familiar with DirectX structure. Not very useful unless you
know some DirectX but then, does not give a lot more info ....
especially for $49 ! Don't waste your money.