To even try to keep pace with the rapid evolution of game development, you need a strong foundation in core programming techniques-not a hefty volume on one narrow topic or one that devotes itself to API-specific implementations. Finally, there's a guide that delivers! As a professor at the Spanish university that offered that country's first master's degree in video game creation, author Daniel Sanchez-Crespo recognizes that there's a core programming curriculum every game designer should be well versed in-and he's outlined it in these pages! By focusing on time-tested coding techniques-and providing code samples that use C++, and the OpenGL and DirectX APIs-Daniel has produced a guide whose shelf life will extend long beyond the latest industry trend. Code design, data structures, design patterns, AI, scripting engines, 3D pipelines, texture mapping, and more: They're all covered here-in clear, coherent fashion and with a focus on the essentials that will have you referring back to this volume for years to come.
Daniel Sánchez-Crespo Dalmau is a professor at Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona, Spain where he co-organized and serves as the current director of Spain's first Master's Degree in Video Game Creation. He also founded Novarama, an independent game studio in Barcelona that focuses on creating innovative games for the PC/Xbox platform. As a columnist he has been a frequent contributor to Byte Magazine Spain, Game Developer Magazine, and the Gamasutra web site, publishing more than 40 articles. Send comments about the book to him at dsanchez@novarama.com.