Mathematics and Physics for Programmers (Game Development Series) (Paperback)

by Danny Kodicek (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Many programmers frequently have limited backgrounds in the mathematics and physics needed for game development or other complex applications. Sooner or later, all programmers run into coding issues that will require an understanding of mathematics or physics concepts like collision detection, 3D vectors, transformations, game theory, or basic calculus. This book provides a simple but thorough grounding in the mathematics and physics topics that programmers need to write these algorithms and programs, using a non-language-specific approach. Applications and examples from game programming are included throughout, and exercise sets follow each chapter for additional practice of the techniques. The CD-ROM provides simulations of the mathematical and physical principles discussed in the book along with the source code.

Key Features: • Presents commonly encountered mathematical and physics concepts such as vector motion, collision detection, angular physics, game theory, artificial intelligence, Bezier curves, etc. • Illustrates concepts through a non-language-specific approach, using pseudo-code, that makes the book equally valuable for anyone from C++ programmers to Macromedia™ Flash ActionScript coders • Includes a companion CD-ROM with demo examples of the mathematical and physical principles discussed in the book along with the source code • Create physical simulations, tile-based, and maze games using the concepts discussed in the book • Uses pedagogical devices such as: a glossary of terms, exercise sets, chapter outlines, and chapter summaries to help master the material ON THE CD-ROM The CD-ROM includes a large number of sample files that demonstrate techniques from the chapters • DEMOS: Contains the support files for the MPFP demo program, in a protected format • DOCS: Contains the text files, in html format, of the code samples • FIGURES: Contains all of the figures from the book, organized in folders by chapter • SOURCE: Contains the original Macromedia Director movies used to create the demos System Requirements: PC; Windows 95, 98, ME, NT4, 2000, XP; 266 MHz processor with a current hardware accelerated 3D graphics card; 32 MB or more of available RAM; 256-color monitor capable of 800 x 600 resolution; DirectX 5.0 or greater (recommended); Web browser installed; (To edit the demo files: Macromedia Director 8.5.1 or later installed).

About the Author
Danny Kodicek is a graduate of Cambridge University. He works as a freelance programmer and multimedia developer specializing in Web sites and games. Some of his previous clients include the BBC and the Royal Air Force. He is also the director of Wellspring Interactive, Ltd., and co-creator of the award-winning TimeHunt Web site.

Product Details

• Paperback: 608 pages
• Publisher: Charles River Media; 1 edition (May 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1584503300
• ISBN-13: 978-1584503309
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #324,103 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

• This item is part of The Charles River Media Game Development Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars retraining some programmers?, July 19, 2005

By	W Boudville (Terra, Sol 3) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Kodicek tackles a persistent problem in computing. Many game programmers have either forgotten what physics and maths they learnt, or they never learnt much of it to being with. In programming, you can go a long ways without calculus. Essentially, you are dealing with discrete maths.

But as games have become more sophisticated, they attempt to emulate reality more accurately. In order to attract users who can key off their existing physical intuition. So the gaming industry needs programmers to be trained in the physics and maths. Of course, as the book shows, the physics barely ventures beyond first year undergraduate level dynamics, and the affiliated maths.

So to a physicist or mathematician, this book is not interesting. But for the rest of you, the pseudocode methods should be understandable. And you can translate them into whatever language you work in.

The CD is strictly optional. A good enough programmer can dispense with it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exactly what I needed, September 23, 2008

By	Ryan J. (Maryland) - See all my reviews

I took physics, linear algebra, and calculus when I was in college.

Unfortunately, upon getting my IT job developing business applications, I did not have much use for them and when I became interested in game development, I realized that I had forgotten a great deal of information that I learned while I was in school.

I did have my linear algebra and calculus text book, but I misplaced (or sold) my physics book. I first looked online for quick tutorials, but a lot of tutorials left a lot to be desired.

This book briefly reviews the necessary basics which quickly returned to me and later applies them 2d and 3d scenarios.

I especially like the language agnostic approach the author has taken with the pseudocode in the book. The introduction states that no knowledge is assumed from the reader as each following chapter builds on a previous one. While, so far that statement has held true, I do wonder if a reader with absolutely no knowledge linear algebra, trig, calculus, and physics will fully grasp what the author is saying. Nevertheless, I do not see that as a negative since the book would be prohibitively huge it were anymore detailed.

The glossary is a nice inclusion and so far has been thorough enough to find everything what I was looking for.

I am certainly glad that I lost my physics book. Otherwise, I would not have this fine book.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars superb coverage, February 22, 2006

By	b pat - See all my reviews

I have almost all the books on game math and physics.
and besides andre la mothe's book this book comes across as a really friendly approach to learning the math.I've had to look at dry math books to cover many things other's leave out which has been thankfully included in this book.
The psuedo code makes things sit in perspective as well.
thank you for doing such a good job.

i was hoping the book went a little more indepth with InverseKinematics as it mearly glossed over it.

b