"Introduction to 3D Game Programming with Direct X 10 provides an introduction to programming interactive computer graphics, with an emphasis on game development, using DirectX 10. The book is divided into three main parts. Part I explores basic mathematical tools, Part II shows how to implement fundamental tasks in Direct3D, and Part III demonstrates a variety of techniques and special effects."--BOOK JACKET.

Introduction to 3D Game Programming with DirectX 9.0c: A Shader Approach presents an introduction to programming interactive computer graphics, with an emphasis on game development, using real-time shaders with DirectX 9.0. The book is divided into three parts that explain basic mathematical and 3D concepts, show how to describe 3D worlds and implement fundamental 3D rendering techniques, and demonstrate the application of Direct3D to create a variety of special effects. With this book understand basic mathematical tools used in video game creation such as vectors, matrices, and transformations; discover how to describe and draw interactive 3D scenes using Direct3D and the D3DX library; learn how to implement lighting, texture mapping, alpha blending, and stenciling using shaders and the high-level shading language (HLSL); explore a variety of techniques for creating special effects, including vertex blending, character animation, terrain rendering, multi-texturing, particle systems, reflections, shadows, and normal mapping;f ind out how to work with meshes, load and render .X files, program terrain/camera collision detection, and implement 3D object picking; review key ideas, gain programming experience, and explore new topics with the end-of-chapter exercises.

This updated bestseller provides an introduction to programming interactive computer graphics, with an emphasis on game development using DirectX 11. The book is divided into three main parts: basic mathematical tools, fundamental tasks in Direct3D, and techniques and special effects. It includes new Direct3D 11 features such as hardware tessellation, the compute shader, dynamic shader linkage and covers advanced rendering techniques such as screen-space ambient occlusion, level-of-detail handling, cascading shadow maps, volume rendering, and character animation. Includes a companion CD-ROM with code and figures. eBook Customers: Companion files are available for downloading with order number/proof of purchase by writing to the publisher at info@merclearning.com.

Essential XNA Game Studio 2.0 Programming provides both hobbyists and experienced programmers with the information they need to take advantage of Microsoft’s powerful XNA Framework and XNA Game Studio to produce professional-level games for both the PC and the Xbox 360. Beginners learn the fundamentals of 2D game development, creating a complete top-down shooter. Intermediate and advanced users can jump right into 3D game development and create a version of the 3D game that takes advantage of hardware acceleration using High-Level Shader Language (HLSL). Learn how to build an input system to receive events from devices; use the Microsoft Cross-Platform Audio Creation Tool (XACT) to integrate sounds and music into your game; design difficulty systems to tailor your game to players with different skill levels; create a multiplayer game using the networking features of the XNA Framework; implement an achievement system to provide incentive for continued play of your game.

This updated bestseller provides an introduction to programming interactive computer graphics, with an emphasis on game development using DirectX 12. The book is divided into three main parts: basic mathematical tools, fundamental tasks in Direct3D, and techniques and special effects. It shows how to use new Direct12 features such as command lists, pipeline state objects, descriptor heaps and tables, and explicit resource management to reduce CPU overhead and increase scalability across multiple CPU cores. The book covers modern special effects and techniques such as hardware tessellation, writing compute shaders, ambient occlusion, reflections, normal and displacement mapping, shadow rendering, and character animation. Includes a companion DVD with code and figures. eBook Customers: Companion files are available for downloading with order number/proof of purchase by writing to the publisher at info@merclearning.com. FEATURES: • Provides an introduction to programming interactive computer graphics, with an emphasis on game development using DirectX 12 • Uses new Direct3D 12 features to reduce CPU overhead and take advantage of multiple CPU cores • Contains detailed explanations of popular real-time game effects • Includes a DVD with source code and all the images (including 4-color) from the book • Learn advance rendering techniques such as ambient occlusion, real-time reflections, normal and displacement mapping, shadow rendering, programming the geometry shader, and character animation • Covers a mathematics review and 3D rendering fundamentals such as lighting, texturing, blending and stenciling • Use the end-of-chapter exercises to test understanding and provide experience with DirectX 12

RPG Programming Using XNA Game Studio 3.0 provides detailed information on role-playing games (RPGs) and how to create them using Microsoft’s XNA Game Studio 3.0. The book examines the history of the genre and takes a piece-by-piece approach to producing a 2D tile-based game, demonstrating how to create the various components that make up an RPG and implement them using C# and XNA Game Studio 3.0. By the end of the book, readers will have built a complete toolset that can be used to create data for their own RPGs. Learn how to: * Creating the characters and monsters that populate RPG worlds * Add stats and skills to allow game entities to perform actions * Populate the game world with items and treasures. Construct a conversation editor to add another degree of interaction * Create a multiple-step quest system to give players goals to research during gameplay * Creating a tile engine for displaying the world Populating the game world with items and treasure * Implementing a sound and music system * Adding multiplayer support

“Both burgeoning game designers and devoted gamers should consider [Game Design: Theory & Practice] an essential read.” — Computer Gaming World “Ultimately, in both theory and practice, Rouse’s Game Design bible gets the job done. Let us pray.” - Next Generation magazine In the second edition to the acclaimed Game Design: Theory & Practice, designer Richard Rouse III balances a discussion of the essential concepts behind game design with an explanation of how you can implement them in your current project. Detailed analysis of successful games is interwoven with concrete examples from Rouse’s own experience. This second edition thoroughly updates the popular original with new chapters and fully revised text.

Maya’s Embedded Language is the heart and soul of Maya, the most powerful 3D application on the market today. MEL provides Maya with a versatility and adaptability unmatched in the CG industry. It is MEL that allows technical directors to customize Maya to fit each pipeline, to work around each limitation, and to write tools that expand Maya’s already impressive set of capabilities. Mastery of MEL is as essential to a TD as a scalpel is to a surgeon. This book shows you how MEL is being (ab)used in high-end visual effects production by picking apart scripts written in the production of recent feature films. The exhaustive and in-depth nature of this book makes it useful for a broad audience: from the MEL novice who wants to learn MEL to the advanced scripter interested in developing strategies for production problems. A good book covering difficult topics with gentle hand holding and good humour. -Gary Noden, 3D World Magazine

Essential 3ds Max 2008 offers a user-friendly introduction to the newest version of 3ds Max. From an overview of the user interface, tools, and modifers to modeling exercises that demonstrate the creation of an interior, a basic character, and a suit of armor, this book provides readers with a guide to getting the most out of Max. Learn how to model objects using a variety of low-poly and high-poly techniques; use texture maps to vary the look of objects; create and adjust lights in your scenes; unwrap models to generate UVW coordinates; generate normal maps for use in real-time simulations and game development; composite images with background plates.