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Essential Mathematics for Games and Interactive Applications: A Programmer's Guide
"Even though I've worked with these systems for years, I found new ways of looking at several topics that make them easier to remember and use. For someone new to 3D programming, it is extremely useful-it gives them a solid background in pretty much every area they need to understand." -Peter Lipson, Toys for Bob, Inc.
Based on the authors' popular tutorials at the Game Developers Conference, Essential Mathematics for Games and Interactive Applications presents the core mathematics necessary for sophisticated 3D graphics and interactive physical simulations. The book begins with linear algebra and matrix manipulation and expands on this foundation to cover such topics as texture filtering, interpolation, animation, and basic game physics. Essential Mathematics focuses on the issues of 3D game development important to programmers and includes optimization guidance throughout.
Based on the authors' popular tutorials at the Game Developers Conference, Essential Mathematics for Games and Interactive Applications presents the core mathematics necessary for sophisticated 3D graphics and interactive physical simulations. The book begins with linear algebra and matrix manipulation and expands on this foundation to cover such topics as texture filtering, interpolation, animation, and basic game physics. Essential Mathematics focuses on the issues of 3D game development important to programmers and includes optimization guidance throughout.
676 pages, Hardcover
First published March 25, 2004
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215 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 4, 2012
This book is for people who already know the material the book is trying to teach. Because if you don't have any familiarity with it, you will not be able to extract any from this text. It is a mediocre math book, employing a dry tone and unimaginative approach to explain non-trivial material.
I've had a much better experience reading free online explanations on the concepts presented in the book that were both easier to digest and gave a much more lasting, intuitive understanding. I bought this book after glancing through an interesting presentation one of the authors gave at GDC, hoping that the book would follow suit and make the effort to arrange and present the material in the same accessible form, but it seems to me that there was no effort made here to make the frog easier to swallow.
To illustrate, here's the book's explanation for Basis Vectors: "So suppose that for a given vector space V, we can find a set beta of n linearly independent vectors in V that span V". Google search "basis vectors explained", click the first result, and you'll get a far superior explanation. I acknowledge the effort to transmit formal definitions in formal notation, but I honestly did not buy the book for that. I just want to understand, and that's something the book completely fails to deliver.
Graphics programming is a field littered with bad books, and this is no exception.
I've had a much better experience reading free online explanations on the concepts presented in the book that were both easier to digest and gave a much more lasting, intuitive understanding. I bought this book after glancing through an interesting presentation one of the authors gave at GDC, hoping that the book would follow suit and make the effort to arrange and present the material in the same accessible form, but it seems to me that there was no effort made here to make the frog easier to swallow.
To illustrate, here's the book's explanation for Basis Vectors: "So suppose that for a given vector space V, we can find a set beta of n linearly independent vectors in V that span V". Google search "basis vectors explained", click the first result, and you'll get a far superior explanation. I acknowledge the effort to transmit formal definitions in formal notation, but I honestly did not buy the book for that. I just want to understand, and that's something the book completely fails to deliver.
Graphics programming is a field littered with bad books, and this is no exception.
July 16, 2017
+ Страхотно покрива необходимите основи от линейна алгербра и аналитична геометрия, както и използването им за рендъринг, колизии и анимации
+ Разглежда алтернативни решения на множество проблеми с цел оптимизация на броя прости и скъпи операции
- Не е подходяща за въвеждаща книга - изисква си определена основа в горните теми.
+ Разглежда алтернативни решения на множество проблеми с цел оптимизация на броя прости и скъпи операции
- Не е подходяща за въвеждаща книга - изисква си определена основа в горните теми.
July 1, 2015
This is the book you want to have as a reference on your desk, the authors explain very well the mathematical concepts behind 3D and even 2D games like Vectors, Linear Algebra (Matrices and Transformations), Orientation in 3D (covers quaternions), Geometry, Shaders, Lighting, Collision and a lot more, and also provide fully working C++ code examples and exercises.
This book gives you a general idea of the algorithms and math concepts used in graphics engines or games in general, I personally found myself thrilled to read the first chapter and understood the importance of the precision of floating point numbers, and in Chapter 2, the authors explain very well and make really clear what are the uses, advantages and disadvantages of some vector operations in certain cases. This is a must-have if you're serious about to create your own games, a graphics engine, or even if you just to know what kind of math lies behind the creation of games and graphics engines if you're curious about it. The code examples are really neat and easy to understand. You can compile the code examples in Linux, Mac, Windows (with MinGW or Visual Studio).
Of course you need to have some C++ and some basic math knowledge prior (such as algebra) to fully understand the math concepts, the overall content is easy to read and understand though.
C++ is the professional game developer's and general programmer's choice given its flexibility and performance.
Overall, this is a must-buy.
This book gives you a general idea of the algorithms and math concepts used in graphics engines or games in general, I personally found myself thrilled to read the first chapter and understood the importance of the precision of floating point numbers, and in Chapter 2, the authors explain very well and make really clear what are the uses, advantages and disadvantages of some vector operations in certain cases. This is a must-have if you're serious about to create your own games, a graphics engine, or even if you just to know what kind of math lies behind the creation of games and graphics engines if you're curious about it. The code examples are really neat and easy to understand. You can compile the code examples in Linux, Mac, Windows (with MinGW or Visual Studio).
Of course you need to have some C++ and some basic math knowledge prior (such as algebra) to fully understand the math concepts, the overall content is easy to read and understand though.
C++ is the professional game developer's and general programmer's choice given its flexibility and performance.
Overall, this is a must-buy.
January 22, 2022
This book is good for supplementing existing experience developing 3D apps with the underlying mathematical background and theory. You're not going to get much out of it as a noob. I came back to this book after a year of developing a 3D engine and it's much more useful now.
Having said that, some of the explanations in the first few chapters (vectors, matrices, transformations, quaternions) are still too long-winded. Is it really essential to know about linear combinations in N-dimensional space, when we are talking about three-dimensional applications?
Fortunately, the book improves after the 3D math is out the way, with less theory and more immediate practical applications. I found the chapters on floating point, interpolation, random numbers, collisions and rigid body physics to be particularly useful. Again, you'll get more out of the book if you have some practical experience with the subjects first.
Having said that, some of the explanations in the first few chapters (vectors, matrices, transformations, quaternions) are still too long-winded. Is it really essential to know about linear combinations in N-dimensional space, when we are talking about three-dimensional applications?
Fortunately, the book improves after the 3D math is out the way, with less theory and more immediate practical applications. I found the chapters on floating point, interpolation, random numbers, collisions and rigid body physics to be particularly useful. Again, you'll get more out of the book if you have some practical experience with the subjects first.
August 21, 2020
I am not good at math, so I really want to learn about math. But I made the mistake of choosing this book to start with. This book offers so many things that I wonder if it is necessary to know about them. And the author has no explanation as to what the purpose of such information will be used for in the future. I just want to find a book that goes straight to the point and explains as easily as possible, easy to remember. I don't need to know 4th, 5th, n-dimensions, ... or vector spaces ... I just need to know how to mathematically transform vectors and pixels. If anyone knows there is such a book please let me know.
December 8, 2016
This would make an excellent *reference* book. If you are neither "mathematically mature" nor already know the material it would probably be a bit dense to learn from.
I thought it would also have benefited from a trig summary, maybe as an appendix or something.
Background: I have a PhD in maths and work as a programmer for a gamedev company.
I thought it would also have benefited from a trig summary, maybe as an appendix or something.
Background: I have a PhD in maths and work as a programmer for a gamedev company.
December 28, 2015
Great introduction to Linear Algebra and other topics from a programming standpoint.
August 15, 2022
No me lo he leído todo, por que no todo el libro me interesaba, pero es un libro muy bueno para comprender matemáticas desde muy bajo nivel y comprender las razones del uso de que cada operación matemática. Si no se lee del tirón, cosa que no recomiendo por experiencia propia, es muy buen libro para tener como apoyo si en algún momento hace falta algo de matemáticas.
November 22, 2009
Vectors, colors, lighting, shaders, ...
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews