3D Programming All in one

About This Book
If you want to, you will be able to take this book and a computer, go into a room without Internet access, and emerge with a completed, ready-to-play first-person shooter gamewithin weeks. You will then be able to spend as much time as you want to dream up your game play concepts, and you will have the ability to add them to your game.

You might think this is a bold claim, but you can see for yourself. Go ahead and turn to the Table of Contents, or take a quick flip-through skim of the chapters. It’s all there. If you follow through and do the exercises and work, you will arrive at the other end of the journey with experience, not just book learnin’.



Believe in Yourself
Computer games are a $9 billion per year industry. A growing part of this industry is peo­ple like you—part of a growing segment of the gamer population that doesn’t just want to play the games but believes that you can make them better than the game companies can. Your problem may be that you lack the right combination of training, experience, and tools needed to turn your dreams into reality. This book is for you.

Every year more and more colleges offer game development programs, and every few months a new online indie game developer site launches on the Web. There is no lack of training available for those with the money to pay, and there is no lack of books for those of you who want to create your own engines or other specialized parts of a game.

The key element missing is a resource that takes the inspired and aspiring game developer by the hand and walks him through all the steps and tools required to make a fully fea­tured game. This book is that resource. With the exception of game music composition (which itself could be a complete book series), you, the Gentle Reader, will learn how to create every part ofthe game yourself by using a well-defined toolkit of programs, knowl­edge, skills, and ideas. Sound, music, art, and code libraries are included on the compan­ion CD for you to use if you lack a certain artistic or creative flair.

What You Bring to the Party
I assume that you have more than a passing familiarity with computer games, especially the first-person shooter genre. Throw in some computer savvy, add a reasonably capable computer system, sprinkle with desire, and you should be good to go!

Skills
You are probably fully able to deal with all aspects of Microsoft Windows-based comput­ing. You don’t need to be a programmer, but you do need to be aware that some pro­gramming will be required in creating a computer game. The first few chapters will introduce you to all the programming concepts that you will encounter in the course of using the book. You will not be expected to learn advanced 3D math in detail, but you will learn enough 3D math to accomplish your goals.I’m going to show you how to create your own artwork, but you don’t need to be an artist. The companion CD features a large collection of art you can use in your game.

System
All of the development tools, including the engine, are also included on the companion CD. All of these tools are priced such that even though the shareware version may be included on the CD, the actual registered versions are less than $100.

You will need a Windows-based computer to use this book. (The table below outlines the minimum system requirements.) It is possible for Macintosh and Linux users to use this book to create a game, because the game engine used—Torque—is also available for those platforms. However, not all of the required development tools are available on Mac and Linux, so the book’s focus will be on Windows on Intel.

Go Get ’em!
The most important asset you have as an independent, and the key to any success, is your enthusiasm. Remember to use this book, and other books and training you acquire, as resources that will help you do what you want to do; they are not vouchers that you can trade in for a nice big pot of success. You have to do the work in the learning, and you have to do the work in the creating. And I know you can! Go get ’em!
Download