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Summary: The first handy Directx8 book
Review: As all of us know, there is a significant change in DirectX 8, which is combining DirectDraw and Direct3D together. As a starter, if you only have a DirectX7 book, you will find it difficult to learn DirectX8 with the guide of it. Then, try something right from beginning! Also, you'll find how to put DirectX into "real" use in this fantastic book. It's good to both beginners and advanced programmers.
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Summary: hmm... No Direct3D, No DirectX8, disappointment....
Review: basic directx book...no direct3d or directx8... ...Return it? Product quality is not up to my expectations. T_T
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Summary: Not really about DirectX 8
Review: DirectX 8 herald a new era of the API. It was a complete re-write. DirectDraw and Direct3D were combined into a easier and more powerful API called DirectX Graphics. This release also means that you'll be able to take your programming beyond the PC, to the Dreamcast and the X Box. Unfortunately this book doesn't take advantage of the new API at all. Basically it's just a rehash of the author's previous work Learn Computer Game Programming with DirectX 7.0. Apart from having a few less chapters this book touches on nothing in the significant upgrade. It would of been better if they called this book "Re-released book about DirectDraw 7 with just a few chapters missing". If you want a real book on DirectX 8 Graphics get "Beginning Direct3D Game Programming" by Wolfgang F. Engel.
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Summary: What a joke dont buy
Review: DirectX 8.0 wasnt anywhere to be found. Wonder if the author even knows anything about it besides where to d/l it from. Also once again here we go in 8bit color. Time to teach 16bit graphics dinosaur..One last thought to the author you can't just decide one day to be a game programmer teacher, go work in the industry and put your name on something successful............ PhD!=GameProgrammer ThisBook=FireStarter
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Summary: Chill out peps, this is a perfectly good book for beginners!
Review: First of all, this book is not an advanced book! This book isfor those who would like to start DirectX programming! True, I boughtthis book hopeing it would explain the new features of DirectX 8.0.The book did not go there by no means and it upset me at first too.Then, I started reading the book. This book explains the basics ofDirectDraw really really well... I have been doing 2D games for awhile and I was shocked at all the stuff I learned. This book teachesyou how to write you own code from the ground up! This does not teachyou how to use the author's game engine. There is none and I believeit is best to know how to program from the ground up anyway. For allyou new to DirectX programming, this book is for you. You should befamiliar with MSVC++5.0-6.0 and the lang C++. For you that knowDirectX and are comfortable with it...This book probably will not bewhat your looking for unless you would like to refresh some skills.The only reason the book says With DirectX 8.0 is because that was outwhen the book was being written. The books whole idea is based onbeginner programmers who would like to move into the gaming industry!I really enjoy the book and think you would too. .... I have heardrumors that the author might be releasing a 3D book on DirectX 8.0sometime as soon as this summer ....
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Summary: Excellent Game Programming Book
Review: I always wanted to make video games ever since I had my first nintendo. I have purchased many game programming books, so that I can be able to understand and create games. But none of this books where clear enough for me to figure out anything past chapter 2. Introduction to Computer Game Programming with DirectX 8.0 by Ian Parberry is the best book in regards to game programming I have seen. Ever since I picked up this book and started learning, I haven't been able to put it down. Thanks to this book I have been able to look into the older books and finally was able to understand what the authors where trying to say. I would seriously recommend this book to anybody that has the desire to become game programmers.
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Summary: Outdated Technology Poorly Explained
Review: I am actually quite surprised by the large number of positive reviews for this book. It is actually a poor choice for learning DirectX. First, it is worth pointing out that this is an introduction to an older version of DirectX that is no longer being developed by Microsoft. For those who don't know, DirectX is a package of inter-related programs that allow the game programmer to directly access a computer's video monitor, sound card, etc. DirectX has been developed constantly since it was first released back in the 90s. As of this writing (May, 2003), we are now up to DirectX 9, which is *very* different from the version described (poorly) in this book. That actually isn't a bad thing, as long as you know it up front. DirectX 7.0 (which is what this book is really about, not 8) used something called Direct Draw for graphics, which is a lot easier to learn than the newer 3D technology that DirectX 8 and 9 emphasized. Direct Draw is no longer being developed, but it is still around for backward compatibility, and is a good place to start for beginners. Unfortunately, the author does a poor job teaching it. First, as the author makes clear in the book, but may be less obvious to an online buyer not sitting in a bookstore flipping through the pages, you *absolutely* must know C++ and (preferably) have a copy of Microsoft's Visual C++. This is fairly standard stuff, but beginners need to know they should learn C++ first. Plus, you really should learn at least the bare essentials of Windows programming, which you can pick up from a few places - including one of the "Dummies" books, if nothing else. True beginners may want to start with simpler packages based on the Basic language that integrate DirectX behind the scenes. Check out Blitz Basic or Dark Basic, both of which are much easier to learn than C++ and DirectX, and may be all you need. If you want to become a professional, however, C++/DirectX is the way to go, but even then these other programmers can help you learn the basic concepts in an easy/newbie friendly environment. Once you know the basics of C++, BEFORE you buy this book, you should download the DirectX 7 (not 8 or 9) Software Development Kit from Microsoft's web site. Go straight to the help files and read them thoroughly (or at least the Direct Draw stuff), and load and run the sample programs. You should also read some very good tutorials at the GameDev web site, particularly the series of articles by Joseph Farrell called "Game Programming Genesis." All of this (the SDK and GameDev articles) are absolutely free. You should also be able to find a used, out-of-print version of Microsoft's own "Inside DirectX", which is much better than this one. Only then, if you are still confused should you even think about buying this book. The book itself, however, has many flaws in my opinion, including: - little or no discussion of basic Windows GDI programming. Simple stuff like drawing text, lines, boxes -- all come in handy in DirectX.
- discussion/use of only parts of Direct Draw, with little no discussion of the stuff he leaves out.
- little or no discussion of Direct Input, which provides fast access to the mouse and the keyboard.
- the game he makes uses 8 bit graphics and palettes, an older technology that is harder for newbies to learn.
- over-reliance on C++ classes and object-oriented programming. Yeah, I know some people love this stuff, but most programmers like creating their *own* classes, not trying to figure out or adapt someone else's. In most cases, the ideas he tries to get across could be done more simply.
- a whole chapter on "AI" that really only discusses the simple AI he decided to include in his game, and says little or nothing about AI more broadly (including pathfinding and all sorts of other game related stuff). There are whole book on this sort of thing, but a few pages that at least introduce them would be worthwhile in a beginners book. All in all, if you want a lengthy, somewhat confusing book about how to make a particular game, with little or no discussion of C++, Windows programming, or DirectX as a whole (beyond the parts he uses), this is a worthwhile buy -- but only after you check out the other stuff I mentioned first.
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Summary: this is not a book on direct-x 8
Review: I believe this book is only the new edition of an older book on directx. It absolutely doesn't explain a thing about directx 8. From what I've read the book seems based on directX 7. So if you are looking for a good book on directX 8 this is not the book for you.
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Summary: How to bitblt in directx 7 (don't buy)
Review: I bought this book hoping to learn a bit about DirectX and game programming, and I received a complete book about how to BitBlt. Searching for DirectX 8 stuff.... Not found. Important points: 1. The book wastes many chapters on how to use a bitmap in DirectX. This matter should occupy one chapter (two at most). 2. There is nothing else beside bitmaps, no graphic methods (2D drawing). 3. He teaches how to use the joystick with API calls, when there is direct input, a god gift for using user controls, and improved (simplified and enhanced) in DirectX 8. 4. Silly algorithms. 5. Although almost every one have a powerfull computer with a lot of memory (since it got so cheap) the auther takes many sentences to explain why to use low-resolution images and (for god sake) MONO 8bit 22khz wave files. This will make you game very very ugly. I'm not an advance programmer yet most of the information this book provides in intuitive and should not take a complete book. There are articles all over the Internet on most of this stuff, and bit hard work with the MSDN tutorials and examples (yes there are examples with the DirectX SDK, check them out!).
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Summary: A Big Disappointment.
Review: I eagerly purchased this book before it was out because I am trying to find a book that shows how to the use new DIRECT3D API in Direct X 8 that is replacing Direct Draw. Unfortunately, this book wasn't it. The book is light on computer game programming, but that's ok, since the title says it's an introductory book. However, the code examples are DirectX5 vintage despite the title of the book. I did not look at the CD since I am returning this book, but I doubt it would have what I am looking for either.
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