Inside Direct3D (Dv-Mps Inside) (Paperback)

by Peter J. Kovach (Author) "The Microsoft DirectX application programming interface (API) was developed to provide a set of interfaces that provide extremely efficient control of multi-media hardware on a..." (more)
Key Phrases: strided vertices, palettized textures, reference alpha value, Immediate Mode, Parameter Description, Microsoft Windows (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Aimed at the more experienced Windows C/C++ programmer, Inside Direct3D delivers a solid introduction to the world of game development on the Microsoft DirectX platform. With coverage of the features and APIs used to create realistic 3-D gaming graphics, this book can initiate any C++ developer into the world of DirectX.

This book is best at explaining the basic and advanced features in version 7 of DirectX, a gaming platform that includes numerous APIs such as Direct3D (for 3-D graphics), DirectDraw (for 2-D graphics), and DirectInput (for joystick input). This text explains how to implement such 3-D effects as texture mapping, lighting effects, fog, and stencil buffers (which can be used to create cinematic fade-in/fade out effects, for instance).

Each section here traces a relevant part of the DirectX API, starting with DirectDraw and then moving on to various aspects of Direct3D and other APIs. Standout chapters include a solid explanation of Direct3D's transformation and lighting pipeline (which combines the various 3- D elements and effects into a single rendered scene). There's also an introduction to using input devices (like joysticks) and an overview of multiplayer gaming, an explanation of what functionality is available, and a demonstration of the applicable APIs.

The other standout here is the author's useful gaming engine (called RoadRage), which lets you try out DirectX graphics features hands-on. While game development is a huge topic, this title can definitely get you started by concentrating on the DirectX APIs themselves, with some appealing visual demos that demonstrate the various graphics effects in action. For those with some previous DirectX knowledge, the bundled sample gaming engine is definitely worth the price of the book. --Richard Dragan

Topics covered: Overview of Microsoft DirectX 7, DirectX APIs ( DirectDraw, Direct3D, DirectPlay, DirectInput), COM for game programmers, using the Microsoft Direct3D Framework, basic message handling, programming with DirectDraw, enumerating and selecting Direct3D devices, windowed and full-screen modes, flipping and selecting surfaces, Direct3D Immediate Mode features and APIs, the Transformation and Lighting (T & L) pipeline, vertices, the strided vertex format, viewports, types of lighting, rendering 3-D scenes, primitive types (point lists, line lists, triangle stripes, and triangle fans), render states, keyboard and joystick input with DirectInput, force feedback, texturing, texture management, texture compression and the DXT format, bitmaps, texture filtering, texture blending and wrapping, fog effects, alpha blending, light mapping, cinematic effects with stencil buffers, 3-D models and animation (segmented and single-mesh characters), Direct3D optimization hints, multiplayer gaming, and RoadRage (sample custom gaming engine).

Product Description
As Windows becomes a widely accepted platform for popular games, its 3D class libraries continue to gain in popularity with developers. INSIDE DIRECT3D provides the lowdown on Direct3D from a respected writer with solid connections inside the Microsoft Direct3D development group. Last year he wrote "The Awesome Power of Direct3D," which included coverage of Direct3D Retain Mode. Here he writes exclusively about Direct3D Immediate Mode. This title is a long-awaited, well-paced walk through the Direct3D APIs, which includes a 3D first person arcade game with sound, network/modem/serial multi-player game play, ability to load Quake2 animated characters, support for all available input devices, etc." It also shows how to support force feedback devices. It includes the Direct3D 7.0 SDK. It's ideal for games programmers who need to learn about this technology, and also for non-game programmers who want to add real-time 3-D effects and navigation to a Windows application UI.

Product Details

• Paperback: 426 pages
• Publisher: Microsoft Pr (March 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0735606137
• ISBN-13: 978-0735606135
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,402,458 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Maybe not "INSIDE" Direct3D... but breaking the surface, yes, April 14, 2000

By	Donnie DeBoer (Allen, Texas) - See all my reviews

If you are very new to the Direct3D Immediate Mode API and don't feel like wading through the SDK documentation, by all means buy this book. On the same token, if you don't feel like wading through the SDK docs, don't even bother trying to learn Direct3D. "Inside Direct3D" is a summation of the material presented in the Direct3D documentation, nothing more, nothing less. If you're looking for advanced techniques, please don't waste your money.

Pros:

1) The examples actually work and are easy to install!

2) If you've ever read any of Kovach's other books, well... the code isn't AS bad as before.

3) It'll get you on your way if you understand 3D graphics concepts and C++.

Cons:

1) for only the cost of paper and ink (and some staples), you could print out the DirectX documentation and get the same effect.

2) two entire chapters are devoted to non-Direct3D material (DInput and DPlay). The time and effort spent rehashing material from "Inside DirectX" (1998) would have been much better spent expanding on the bare-bones coverage of some topics.

Summary: A good starting book for people who don't have the patience to experiment alot. Beyond the basics, though, don't expect alot. If you have any questions about this review, feel free: ([e-mail])

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good, April 13, 2000

By	larryq (California) - See all my reviews

First of all, let me say up front that this book is *far* better than the author's previous Direct3D work, entitled "The Awesome Power of DirectX/Direct3D". Anyone interested in why I would mention this should look at the customer reviews for that title. I just want to make sure no one who gave up on the earlier book is scared off from this one just because the author is the same. Whether the improvement is due to Kovach's having more time to complete this one or because of better editing from the Microsoft press folks I don't know, but suffice it to say that this one stands far above the earlier work.

What also makes this book a definite improvement is the fact that it's the first one in the market to deal with Direct3D Immediate Mode. The coverage of Immediate Mode is fairly detailed, although sometimes the author doesn't explain his code snippets in enough depth, leaving the reader to try and figure out what's going on. It's not done to an unforgivable extent, but it can be annoying at times.

If you're new to Windows programming in general, or unfamiliar with 3D concepts and basic linear algebra, you'll also need a companion book to really understand some of the discussions, because the goal of this work is to demonstrate how to use Direct3D's API to create interesting programs. It's not that the author ignores beginning users, but his goal is to focus on what Direct3D (and friends) can do for your programs, and 450 pages only gives you so much room to work with.

His coverage of Direct3D topics is pretty comprehensive, with texturing, stenciling, T&L issues and others all getting a fair shake. He also includes some interesting software which will allow users to load Quake2 and 3D studio models into your programs. Code for doing so is included on the companion CD.

In short, this is a good book for anyone even remotely familiar with Windows programming, DirectX and 3D theory and concepts. When you consider the other Direct3D books on the market, this one looks even better.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Missed Target, May 11, 2000

By	Mike Khim (New York) - See all my reviews

The book fails to provide necessary concepts enough to understand programming in 3D. The concept is there, but the explanation is often too short and brief. You'll need to dig up many other 3D computer graphics books just to understand various terminologies and concepts. Unfortunately, exact same thing happens when it comes to covering Direct3D. It lacks significant amount of explanation on various Direct3D Immediate Mode functions. Often times you will find yourself browsing through DirectX help files to find what individual functions do, only to find out Microsoft's own help files too lacks a good explanation on what that function/member of a structure do.

Come on guys! We're talking about programming 3D application using Direct3D Immediate Mode, by far the most complicated subject when it comes to Windows programming, and mere 300 pages is not going to cut it.

I also find that a lot of texts on Direct3D Immediate Mode in this book is a direct (or indirect on some) copy from DirectX SDK Documentation.

This book definitely missed a target. Save yourself. Dig through Microsoft's SDK Documentation and its sample codes until a real, definite Direct3D tutorial book for a beginner comes along.