Game Programming Gems 4 (Game Programming Gems Series) (v. 4) [Hardcover]

Andrew Kirmse (Author)

Book Description

Series: Game Programming Gems Series | Publication Date: March 3, 2004

Uncover the secrets of the game industry's best programmers with the newest volume of the Game Programming Gems series With over 60 all new techniques, Game Programming Gems 4 continues to be the definitive resource for developers. Written by expert game developers who make today's amazing games, these articles not only provide quick solutions to cutting-edge problems, but they provide insights that you'll return to again and again. They'll spark your creativity and inspire your own discoveries. For the past few years, the game industry has been on an incredible journey of exploration and innovation. In conjunction with this journey, the scope of the Game Programming Gems series has broadened as well. With the variety of new platforms available, coverage has been expanded to include alternative languages and third party APIs. Most code is written in C++, but some interpreted languages (Java and Python) are also represented. The graphics articles make use of OpenGL, DirectX, and the various available shader languages. Volume 4 also includes an all new physics section that teaches innovative techniques for implementing real-time physics that will help you create emergent gameplay. To make searching between all four volumes of the series easy and efficient, we have added a cumulative index. This new volume is a definite must-have resource for every game programmer's library!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Andrew Kirmse was the co-inventor and director of Meridian 59 (1996), and the graphics programmer on StarWars: Starfighter (2001). He has degrees in physics, mathematics, and computer science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and currently works for LucasArts Entertainment Company. He has contributed to all three volumes of the Game Programming Gems series, and served as the section editor for Network and Multiplayer Programming in volume 3. Mark Deloura, the founding editor of the series, is the manager of developer relations for Sony Computer Entertainment America, with a focus on PlayStation and future entertainment products.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 744 pages
• Publisher: Charles River Media; 1 edition (March 3, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1584502959
• ISBN-13: 978-1584502951
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.6 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #313,616 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good addition to the series, May 20, 2004

By 

Dave Astle (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Game Programming Gems 4 (Game Programming Gems Series) (v. 4) (Hardcover)

The latest in this series of highly successful books delivers 60 new articles covering diverse game development topics. Once again, the articles are written by an impressive group of people that collectively represent a substantial amount of game industry experience. The writing style and editing is very good, as usual, with a professional but casual tone, making the articles easy to read.

Although all of the topics are relevant to game development, because they are typically very narrow in scope, your mileage will vary depending on what exactly you're working on. This is true for the entire series. It's likely that you won't be reading the book cover to cover, but rather a handful of chapters here and there as you need them. This fourth volume is particularly useful in that respect because it includes a comprehensive index of the first 4 volumes

Another noteworthy change is the addition of a physics section. Given how important physics has become in game development, this is a welcome addition. It's also interesting to see a couple of chapters that use Python and Java (though only one for each) for the sample code, rather than the C++ used for most of the chapters. DirectX is used for much of the sample code, with OpenGL being used in a few of the graphics chapters.

This volume does have a few shortcomings, which again are typical for the series. Due to the length of the articles (about 5 to 15 pages each), some of them were a bit too short to cover the topic with sufficient depth. This is pretty subjective, since many people may be satisfied with a more high-level explanation, but it seems to me that the series would be better served with a smaller number of slightly longer articles that go into greater depth.

I also think that the price of the book is rather high. True, it's hardbound, but similar books have been published (notably, GPU Gems, which is hardbound, the same length, and printed in full-color) with notably lower prices. Since the book covers such a broad range of topic areas - only a handful of which will be of interest to you - the value of this book is diminished somewhat.

Despite the price, this book is still an important part of any complete game programming library. If you have the previous volumes, you'll want to pick it up for the index if nothing else.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good book but overpriced, May 24, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Game Programming Gems 4 (Game Programming Gems Series) (v. 4) (Hardcover)

The original games gems was a really good book, but I found Game Gems 2 and 3 to be less cutting edge and common knowledge topics. Games Gems 4 is back to covering cutting edge ideas and topics.

Games Gems is kind of like a recipe book with all kinds of little coding ideas/tricks. I will say that some of them I have not seen anywhere else. I was most impressed with the articles about shadows. My biggest complaint other than price is that I would have like to see more of the articles have both OpenGL and DirectX source code. This book is geared toward intermediate to advanced level programmers. The retail price of $70.00 is really high for a book even if it is a hardcover.

4 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "must-have" compendium, July 9, 2004

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Game Programming Gems 4 (Game Programming Gems Series) (v. 4) (Hardcover)

Featuring contributions from expert, professional game developers, Game Programming Gems 4 is an in-depth and recommended reference and resource filled cover to cover with essays, each covering everything from general programming and debugging to mathematics, physics, aritifical intelligence issues, graphics, network and multiplayer concerns, audio, and so much more. Game Programming Gems 4 is not a standard instructional textbook; rather, it is a supplementary guide packed with the latest cutting-edge insights to creating quality games - most code is written in C++, but some Java and Python are also represented. A "must-have" compendium of insight, discoveries, tips, tricks, and techniques for every serious game programmer's library. An accompanying Windows CD-ROM contains source code, listings, and demos to complement the articles and essays.