3D Math Primer for Graphics and Game Development (Wordware Game Math Library) |  | Authors: Fletcher Dunn, Ian Parberry
Publisher: Jones & Bartlett Publishers
List Price: $49.95
Buy New: $26.16
as of 11/21/2009 09:50 CST details
You Save: $23.79 (48%)
New (23) Used (12) from $23.85
Seller: a1books
Rating:  46 reviews
Sales Rank: 23244
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1
Pages: 429
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.7
Dimensions (in): 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.9
ISBN: 1556229119
Dewey Decimal Number: 006.6
EAN: 9781556229114
ASIN: 1556229119
Publication Date: June 21, 2002
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
3D Math Primer for Graphics and Game Development covers fundamental 3D math concepts that are especially useful for computer game developers and programmers. The authors discuss the mathematical theory in detail and then provide the geometric interpretation necessary to make 3D math intuitive. Working C++ classes illustrate how to put the techniques into practice, and exercises at the end of each chapter help reinforce the concepts. This book explains basic concepts such as vectors, coordinate spaces, matrices, transformations, Euler angles, homogenous coordinates, geometric primitives, intersection tests, and triangle meshes; discusses orientation in 3D, including thorough coverage of quaternions and a comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of different representation techniques; describes working C++ classes for mathematical and geometric entities and several different matrix classes, each tailored to specific geometric tasks; includes complete derivations for all the primitive transformation matrices.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 46
 Good explanations, helped a lot later on November 19, 2009
mik fig
This book was pretty good. I finished it while in Algebra 2 in the first semester of my junior year in high school. I had tried reading it 2-3 times before but I always got stuck on a couple subjects, particularly quaternions and the rotation about an arbitrary axis. But like I said, I finally finished it later.
This book actually fostered my great interest in upper level mathematics as I later taught myself calculus I/II out of Calculus Demystified : A Self Teaching Guide (Demystified) and I was able to understand Introduction to 3D Game Programming with Direct X 9.0c: A Shader Approach (Wordware Game and Graphics Library) after reading this book.
 Best book I've ever read about Math October 18, 2009
Luca Zanconi
This is the first and only book I've bought to get me through the math behind 3D Programming and I've never needed anything else.
I wanted something that explained me the basics of Vectors, Matrices, Quaternions etc. in a plain logical way so I could better understand some 3D code pieces that I knew what they do but I didn't know how they did it.
In that sense, this book is just perfect!
It's concise, straight to the point, logically organized in chapters from the really basics of Vectors to the most advanced concepts of occlusion culling techniques and the author keeps the same method to teach new concepts in every chapter so it is really easy to navigate through it.
The best part is that after I've read a new chapter I tried to translate the concepts I've just learned into OpenGL code and I was very surprised about that I didn't need to paste any code cause I was able to figure it out by my self.
The only problems I've got with this book is that in my edition there are a few errors here and there, but I've found on the book website the corrections in pdf format.
Definitely a must buy!
A Must Read for Game Programmers August 16, 2009
Rocco Balsamo (San Francisco, CA, United States)
I've been a professional game developer for nearly six years, and this is far and away one of the best intro books I own. I still refer to it on a regular basis, and read and reread sections where I've gotten a little rusty.
For really understanding many concepts and mathematics topics behind 3D graphics for games, this is the book you want. Forget those DirectX or OpenGL books; they may help you rapidly create a demo or game, but they will only scratch the surface of important topics that you'll need to be an effective game programmer with ANY platform or API.
The book is great, because it's written at an advanced enough level that it covers valuable and complex material, but not written so densely or with such intensive mathematical proofs that it becomes impossible to read.
The one disappointment is the book's website. It contains solutions to exercises for the first few chapters, and promises that additional answers are coming soon. I guess soon is a relative term, but it's been about five years since I bought the book and there's still no answers.
Once you've mastered the material in this book you'll have a great foundation for other classics like Lengyl's Mathematics for 3D Game Programming. That book is also great, but a little too dense for a beginning to intermediate level game developer.
Great intro December 25, 2008
Thomas S. Thorp (Janesville, WI USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I was getting started on a 3d visualization project and learning opengl.
This book helped give a solid math understanding to transformations. Sample code worked great also.
Excellent book December 6, 2008
D. Norton
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I found this book to be the perfect introduction to 3D math and game programming. I've been programming for a living in C/C++ for 10+ years but never done anything 3D and very little GUI. This book is great for someone that has at least a year or two of programming in C++ (possibly Java, C# or other OO language with similar syntax). I read this book from cover-to-cover and worked almost every problem in it - treating it sort of like a self paced course in school. The authors did a fantastic job of keeping things simple and it laymen's terms as much as possible. There's plenty of 3D vocabulary to learn but unlike more advanced texts that might assume you're already familiar with the terminology (or expect you to figure it out elsewhere), this text explains the new terms as it goes.
The thing I liked most about this book is the consistent structure throughout. Every concept is introduced, explained in mathematical terms, explained in visual real-world terms and finally demonstrated in C++.
By the end of the book, the reader (student) will have working 3D code (nothing fancy, mind you) and a good understanding of basic 3D concepts.
Be sure to visit the book's website and download the errata for some important corrections before you start reading. They're minor but important...like most details in math and programming. :)
Showing reviews 1-5 of 46
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