Game Programming Books - Page 15

Focus On SDL (The Premier Press Game Development Series)

Ernest Pazera

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

An overview of SDL... 3 out of 5 stars.
6 of 7 people found this review helpful.

I am a sophmore in college studying computer engineering, and I bought this book in the hopes that it would help me with a programming project for school. The main thing that this book has going for it is the fact that it is actually writing about SDL... not many other books go into this subject and it is refreshing to see a book that doesn't limit itself to the Windows/DirectX world.

The book is written in easy to understand language and is very helpful in showing what SDL is capable of. It proceeds to show readers how to set up most of SDL's different subsystems.

The main problem with this book is that it does not go into detail about any of the topics it covers. If you're curious about how to use SDL's video/graphics capablity, for instance, you will learn how to initialize the system and draw some circles on the screen. The book has smaller pages than most, and the 54 pages long chapter on the video subsystem doesn't take long to get through. It leaves you wanting to know more.

In short, this book will skim over different topics in SDL and teach you enough to get started. You will need to look elsewhere for details. I recommend purchasing this book to get you on the right track, but just know that you will need to search the internet for tutorials and example applications before you can seriously write games. This book is only a beginning.

Since you are looking at a book on SDL, I assume you are trying either to learn how to program games/graphical applications for Linux, or are trying to make it so that the code you write can have multi-platform support. If this is the case, I would recommend looking at "Linux Game Programming" by Mark Collins (in the same series as this book) and "Programming Linux Games" by Loki Software/John Hall as well. Of these three books, I like "Programming Linux Games" best since it goes into greater detail and walks you through the creation of a basic, but complete game for Linux. Even though it has Linux in the title, most of the APIs it touches on (SDL, OpenGL, OpenAL, etc.) are cross-platform, so what you learn is not limited to Linux alone. For the project I was working on, I found myself jumping amoung the aforementioned books and online tutorials such as those at NeHe.

Editorial Review:

Focus On SDL is your key to writing programs faster and with greater ease. Execute the same applications as with DirectX, but with more versatility. SDL (Simple DirectMedia Layer) allows you to pack up your code and go! If you have a basic knowledge of C++, you’re ready to roll. Dive into advanced topics such as alpha blending and overlays, or intensify your game audio with the SDL_mixer add-on library. This book teaches you how to write the code and then distribute it to various platforms. From setting up your system to incorporating networking and user interface components, Focus On SDL gives you the tools you need in one comprehensive guide.

Usability Engineering (Interactive Technologies)

Jakob Nielsen

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Written by the author of the best-selling HyperText & HyperMedia, this book is an excellent guide to the methods of usability engineering. The book provides the tools needed to avoid usability surprises and improve product quality. Step-by-step information on which method to use at various stages during the development lifecycle are included, along with detailed information on how to run a usability test and the unique issues relating to international usability.

• Emphasizes cost-effective methods that developers can implement immediately
• Instructs readers about which methods to use when, throughout the development lifecycle, which ultimately helps in cost-benefit analysis.
• Shows readers how to avoid the four most frequently listed reasons for delay in software projects.
• Includes detailed information on how to run a usability test.
• Covers unique issues of international usability.
• Features an extensive bibliography allowing readers to find additional information.
• Written by an internationally renowned expert in the field and the author of the best-selling HyperText & HyperMedia.

Animation Writing and Development, : From Script Development to Pitch (Focal Press Visual Effects and Animation)

Jean Ann Wright

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

The art. The craft. The business. Animation Writing and Development takes students and animation professionals alike through the process of creating original characters, developing a television series, feature, or multimedia project, and writing professional premises, outlines and scripts. It covers the process of developing presentation bibles and pitching original projects as well as ideas for episodes of shows already on the air. Animation Writing and Development includes chapters on animation history, on child development (writing for kids), and on storyboarding. It gives advice on marketing and finding work in the industry. It provides exercises for students as well as checklists for professionals polishing their craft. This is a guide to becoming a good writer as well as a successful one.

* Filled with writing exercises that will challenge your writing limits
* Understand inspiration, idea gathering, and story development
* Tips on how to write for kids and why certain stories appeal to different ages
* The how and why of dialogue-what works, and what doesn't

Web Design Index by Content 3 (Web Design Index) (Pt. 03)

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Great book to Reference 4 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

This is my second Web Index Book from this publisher and they have been great books for inspiration in my freelance work. Filled with great websites and large images to really see the detail and craftsmanship of each website. One cool thing was when I ordered this book and chose 3-5 day shipping I actually got it within 2 days which was a nice surprise. If you only need to get inspired this book is for you.

Useful and insightful 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

As a professional within the area, this is a terrific book, since it provides an insight to what is currently being done, all over the globe. The author doesn't just focus in one particular country, the focus is worldwide and strongly reflects what is done in web design these days. Highly recommended.

Looking for Web Design Inspiration? 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I found this book in my local bookstore, cased in shrinkwrap, and debated whether to risk buying it without seeing the contents first. In the end, I took a chance and am glad that I did. As a beginning designer, I found several designs that gave me some ideas for my own site. Ironically, the biggest section in this book is devoted to graphic designers.

Web Design Index by Content 3 covers a wide spectrum of industries. However, I felt that the majority of the industry sections ran a little on the thin side. That said, the publisher of this book (Pepin Press) accepts submissions and recommendations at [...].

Pro Java 6 3D Game Development: Java 3D, JOGL, JInput and JOAL APIs (Expert's Voice in Java)

Andrew Davison

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Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Create strange lands filled with mysterious objects (cows frozen in blocks of ice, chirping penguins, golden globes with wavering eyes) and throw away your keyboard and mouse, to go exploring armed only with a gamepad, power glove, or just your bare hands…

Java gaming expert Andrew Davison will show you how to develop and program 3D games in Java technology on a PC, with an emphasis on the construction of 3D landscapes. It's assumed you have a reasonable knowledge of Java - the sort of thing picked up in a first Java course at school.

Topics are split into three sections: Java 3D API, non-standard input devices for game playing, and JOGL. Java 3D is a high-level 3D graphics API, and JOGL is a lower-level Java wrapper around the popular OpenGL graphics API.

Youll look at three non-standard input devices: the webcam, the game pad, and the P5 data glove.

Along the way, youll utilize several other games-related libraries including: JInput, JOAL, JMF, and Odejava.

Learn all the latest Java SE 6 features relevant to gaming, including: splash screens, JavaScript scripting as well as the desktop and system tray interfaces.

Unique coverage of Java game development using both the Java 3D API and Java for OpenGL, as well as invaluable experience from a recognized Java gaming guru, will provide you with a distinct advantage after reading this book.

Notes on Graphic Design and Visual Communication

Greg Berryman

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Graphic Design 101 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

Notes on Graphic Design and Visual Communication is the most essential graphic design book written. Despite being very thin in quantity of pages, this book holds an enormous amount of graphic knowledge. I am currently studying Industrial Design and was refered to this book by a professor to help me with my graphic design knowledge. It opened the world of graphics up to me in an easy to read, fun package. The only complaint I`ve heard of this book is the font used for text. This book has a hand written font which can sometimes be hard to read. I have had no problems with the font however.

Awesome reference! Still have my copy from 1987! 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

I got this book during my junior year in high school for an intro to graphic design class...and still refer to it every so often. I would recommend it for any graphic designer, especially students, as it has a wealth of knowledge-from basic design principles to the grid, typogrpahy, etc.- contained in it's small amount of pages.
A must have for any graphic designer!

Editorial Review:

A remarkable notebook of essential design information intended to provide a solid, basic "visual vocabulary."

The Art of Maya: An Introduction to 3D Computer Graphics

Alias Learning Tools

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Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

The Art of Maya 3rd edition is an introduction to 3D computer graphics unlike any other. Join the thousands of users who've garnered the knowledge they needed to enter the 3rd dimension with this full color visual exploration of the theory of Maya. Rich with diagrams and illustrations that demonstrate the critical concepts of 3D time and space, this book will help you understand the concepts critical to conveying your artistic vision through the medium of 3D. If you are an artist looking to incorporate 3D into your toolkit, this is the resource you need.

Understand:
* 3D Computer Graphics
* Time and Space
* Animation
* Setting Keys
* Non-linear Animation
* Rigid Body Dynamics
* Modeling
* NURBS
* Polygons
* Subdivision Surfaces
* Deformations
* Deforming Objects
* Lattices and Clusters
* Character Animation
* Materials and Textures
* Shading Networks
* Texture Maps
* Bumps and Displacements
* Digital Cinematography
* Shadows
* Lighting
* Cameras
* Rendering
* Effects
* Particle Effects
* Paint Effects
* Maya Fluid Effects
* Maya Cloth
* Maya Long Hair
* Interactive 3D
* Game Creation
* Building Levels

The Art of Maya includes Maya Personal Learning Edition to allow you to start practicing right away. The book closes with a series of Production Notes detailing how skilled Maya artists have worked with the software to create production quality films, games, visualizations and animations.
Get an inside look at the use of Maya by:
* The Canadian Broadcast Corporation
* Turner Studios
* Digital Domain for the making of I-Robot
* Weta Digital in the making of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
* The AOES Medialab
* BioDigital
* The Mill
* Oddworld Inhabitants in the making of Oddworld Stranger's Wrath

Adobe Illustrator for Fashion Design

Susan Lazear

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

This book will prepare you for the Fashion Industry! 5 out of 5 stars.
12 of 12 people found this review helpful.

Adobe Illustrator for Fashion Design is a necessary tool for anyone studying fashion design. I am currently working in the Fashion Industry for a major designer, and use all of the Illustrator techniques I've learned in this book on a daily basis. All of the concepts are well organized with easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions. I love this book!

Editorial Review:

More than just a how to manual, Adobe Illustrator for Fashion Design introduces readers to the Illustrator approach to design and ways to think about designing fashion apparel and textiles using the program. Early chapters provide a strong foundation in the commands and capabilities of the program while later sections offer application exercises that develop skills in fashion drawing, textile design and presentation techniques. Available with an accompanying DVD, this book emphasizes the creative process and explores the capabilities of this powerful program as related to drawings of clothing, fashion poses, and textile prints. Anyone looking to get into the fashion industry.  Prepares readers for the competitive job market by teaching them sought after technical skills.

Algorithms Sequential & Parallel: A Unified Approach (Electrical and Computer Engineering Series)

Russ Miller, Laurence Boxer

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Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

With multi-core processors replacing traditional processors and the movement to multiprocessor workstations and servers, parallel computing has moved from a specialty area to the core of computer science. In order to provide efficient and cost-effective solutions to problems, algorithms must be designed for multiprocessor systems. Algorithms Sequential and Parallel: A Unified Approach 2/E provides a state-of-the-art approach to an algorithms course. The book considers algorithms, paradigms, and the analysis of solutions to critical problems for sequential and parallel models of computation in a unified fashion. This gives practicing engineers and scientists, undergraduates, and beginning graduate students a background in algorithms for sequential and parallel algorithms within one text. Prerequisites include fundamentals of data structures, discrete mathematics, and calculus. FEATURES: • Discusses practical applications of algorithms (e.g., efficient methods to solve critical problems in computational geometry, image processing, graph theory, and scientific computing) • Provides information updated from the previous edition, including discussions of coarse-grained parallel computing • Mathematical tools are developed in the early chapters • Includes exercises at the end of each chapter that vary in difficulty, from confidence-building problems to research-oriented problems

Photoshop CS2 Visual Encyclopedia

Stephen Romaniello

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Thorough - awesom 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This book is awesome - I just bought it (April 2008). I bought Scott Kelby's Photoshop CS2 Book for Digital Photographers a while back and swear by it - but wow - Photoshop CS2 Visual Encyclopedia is even better. It has so much more content - it is chucked full of tips and techniques in a very well organized manner. While I'm working in CS3, obviously the content and tips and techniques are still very useful and valid. I'm a professional photographer and would highly recommend this book to anyone using CS2 or CS3.

Editorial Review:

If you prefer to see what things look like and how to perform a task, instead of just being told, this is your ideal A to Z reference. Part I shows every Photoshop CS2 tool and how to use it. Part II provides step-by-step instructions for more than 130 key tasks and techniques. Both are arranged alphabetically and illustrated in full color. It's the ultimate Visual resource - you'll see!
* Each tool and technique illustrated in color
* Alphabetical listings for easy reference
* Step-by-step instructions for performing dozens of tasks
* A comprehensive guide for visual learners

A Visual guide to
* Identifying and using each Photoshop CS2 tool
* Fine-tuning color, brightness, contrast, and exposure
* Automating various image adjustments
* Converting bitmaps to halftones or RBGs to CMYKs
* Applying more than 15 different filters
* Working with type in illustration