Linux Game Programming 91
| Linux Game Programming | |
| author | Mark "Nurgle" Collins et al. |
| pages | 331 |
| publisher | Prima Tech |
| rating | 3 |
| reviewer | Craig Maloney |
| ISBN | 0-7615-3255-2 |
| summary | A hastily compiled book with some useful tidbits, but no main course. |
Overview
There are precious few books which mention programming games under Linux. There even fewer that cover programming games under Linux exclusively. Linux Game Programming is the first published book exclusively dedicated to programming games under Linux. Unfortunately this book was rushed to the publishers just to obtain the dubious distinction of being the first. Worse, this book has many errors and a CD which is next to worthless.
What's good?
It's very hard to find anything that's really outstanding in this book. The chapters offer what amounts to little more than a starting point for learning, with just enough to get the reader interested in the topic before moving on to the next topic. The sections on Artifical Intelligence and Porting stick out in my mind as some of the books strong sections, but even those could use some more elaboration.What's Bad?
In trying to cover as many aspects of Linux game development, the book ends up giving little more than a synopsis of the material. Also, some of the choices are curious. Why have a chapter on SDL which only deals with using SDL for the input methods? There seems to be a lack of focus for the overall book for what it wishes to accomplish. Also, dedicating whole chapters printing out open source licenses (GPL, LGPL, Artistic, BSD, and Mozilla) is nothing more than fluff for a book like this (although the author does include a chapter discussing the benefits and drawbacks to chosing an open-source license verses a closed source approach.) The code is not complete, and doesn't show how to use it in a full program. Worse, there are no complete working game programs, either in the book or on the CD.The CD is incomplete and a waste. It includes the examples from the book. Unfortunately, the examples are all in MSDOS format, so the reader will have to convert them in order to get them to run (if they'll even run at all. I had a hard time getting some to even compile). Also included on the CD is the SDL 1.1.8 kit in source and RPM format (the development RPM is missing, though, so you'll need to pick that up as well in order to actually DEVELOP SDL games). There are also source tar files for Mesa3D, OpenAL, and SVGALib. Also included is the Indrema SDK, which might be of interest for some people. There are also some strange additions on the CD. The first weird addition is the Linux Source for kernels 2.2.18, 2.4.0, and 2.4.1. Why include these on a CD for Linux game development? The second odd addition is a directory for PrettyPoly. The software is packaged as a tarball of the author's CVS root directory. How this made it onto the CD in this format is almost as inexplicable as having MSDOS formatted files destined for a Linux machine.
Conclusion
This book could have been so much more. If the authors had taken the time to describe designing and developing several Linux games from the ground up, this book would have been better for it. As it is, it's barely good as a reference for what it does cover. I am very disappointed in this book. It could have been so much more, but falls way short of its potential.There's one gripe I want to air about this series as well. Why does Andre LaMothe get his picture on the back cover of every one of these books as the 'Series Editor'? Also on the spine, his name is at the top. I'll admit that I like LaMothe's writing, but giving him top billing on the Prima Tech Game Developers series seems pretentious to me.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Introduction to Game Development
- Linux Development Tools
- The Structure of a Game
- 2D Graphics Under Linux
- Input with SDL
- 3D Graphics for Linux Games
- Using OpenGL in Games
- Sound Under Linux
- Networking
- Artificial Intelligence
- OpenSource: Friend or Foe?
- OpenSource License Agreements
- Porting
- References
- Glossary
- What's on the CD-ROM
You can purchase this book at Fatbrain.
Creation (Score:1)
Nope. (Score:1)
Why consider Linux? (Score:1)
Why so negative??? (Score:1)
What about amateur game programming? - what about NOT to try to make some fancy top-selling commercial game - but to make games for FUN! In windows, game programming is so "professional" now, that amateur game programming has dropped off quite a bit from the old 3.1 and DOS days. It takes so much effort and usually $$$ to get "professional" tools and talent. I remember ordering shareware games for DOS 5.0/6.0 years ago - most weren't flashy - but they were FUN - Commander Keen, Moraff's World, Corncob 3D (Am I the ONLY one to remember THIS one???). I WANT to program games for Linux - not for $$$ or fame, because I have LOTS of game ideas and Linux has the amateur programming community now that DOS is long and dead. That is why I think that resources for Limux game programming are important (more SDL, more Allegro, more ClanLib!). But, it seems no one thinks amateur game programming is important on Linux - everyone bitches about Half-Life, or Tribes 2, or the lack of sales of Linux Quake 3, etc. as if professional game programming was the ONLY game programming important to Linux.
I for want applaud attempts to write resources/books for Linux game programming (even if they turn out as poorly written and organized as this one). I think that it will be the amateur game programming COMMUNITY (which is only a shadow of it's former self in the world of MS) that will be more important to Linux as an entertainment platform, than commercial ports - which I don't feel will every sell well for a while for a variety of reasons.
Sincerely,
Kevin W. Christie
crispiewm@hotmail.com
negative review (Score:3)
Funny to see the link to purchase the book is still included.
Yeah Well... (Score:4)
Case in point : the simple choice between two SDKs, Direct3D and OpenGL, has delayed advances in 3D technologies on the Windows platform for a very long time, because developers feared the difficulties of supporting them both in their games, but at the same time feared that building everything with D3D would obsolete their whole codebase if OGL won after all -- or vice versa. Imagine the doubts in game developers minds when they read about the dozen SDKs in this book.
In short, choice is bad for things like this. Competition is a great thing when you're trying to improve things for the customers, but when those customers are actually developers, you want to remove all their doubts by offering one very-well-supported environment rather than ten weak ones (Also see : desktops; component models; IDEs; etc.)
Linux needs to make cold choices and finish them up. Only then will it be possible to write meaningful books about game development / desktop development / component development / etc..
Re:I wish there was an SDL-focused game dev book (Score:2)
Me Too (Score:1)
My dream was to create my own Linux RTS game and then write a book that takes it from conception to implementation, covering all levels of analysis, design, implmentation, testing, etc. I think that would be useful.
However, I'm not making much progress on it until I settle some other things in my life (getting a house etc.). So don't hold your breath!
--
Marc A. Lepage (aka SEGV)
Andre's stuff is hit/miss... (Score:2)
Unfortunately, most of the "game programming" books are of this variety- there's notable exceptions, like Game Programming Gems, however.
Everyone should realize that most of the books are published for the lowest common denominator; they're trying to strip-mine the populace for money. That it doesn't work for many of the
I would agree... (Score:2)
It was the Waite Group... (Score:2)
Open Source it may be, but Free, it is not... (Score:2)
Brilliant observation... (Score:2)
How often do you NEED such a thing under Windows?
Windows API's are often complex (moresoand you end up needing more calls to the API to do things than you do under Linux/Unix. Don't bother countering with me not knowing what I'm talking about- I've been doing Windows and Unix coding for 12+ years now. I've written everything from business applications to device drivers under Windows and Linux is very much easier to code for.
Re:People need to stop jumping on the bandwagon. (Score:2)
I bought the book precisely because I wanted a quick introduction to the various Linux APIs. It served that purpose quite well.
The main problem with the book.. (Score:1)
Half of the paper is occupied which fancy borders which eat at least a quarter of each page. This book would've been better off to be twice as thick without the borders and plenty more information. It's virtually useless as a step by step teach yourself manual. It's pretty useless for those of us that have experience in writing games because the data it includes is fairly simple (meaning, if you're more than a beginner, you already know it) and incomplete.
Planetes
"One World, One Web, One Program" - Microsoft Promotional Ad
Re:It's settling... (Score:1)
Re:Why consider Linux? (Score:1)
And don't forget that NeXTSTEP tools blow the shit out of M$ tools, period. Anybody who disagrees hasn't even *heard* of the Interface Builder or Objective C.
Oh, and I think you should *definitely* stick with Windows. We don't need your kind of mercenary attitude here. This is a *community*, not a *market*.
Re:It's settling... (Score:1)
Yes but there's also all kinds of cool stuff in ALSA like the sequencer network. At any rate, hopefully we can finally get it into the kernel during this development cycle. Now, if only we could port it to *BSD and Solaris we'd be cookin!
Loki... (Score:1)
The most it goes into 3d is explaining how to interface to OpenGL though SDL, but (rightfully) explains that OpenGL is worthly of its own book.
I can't remember the exact title, Programming Linux Games? something like that.
Re:How About Loki's Book? (Score:1)
Re:How About Loki's Book? (Score:4)
What about reviewing book by Loki Software? (Score:1)
<a href="http://www.nostarch.com/plg.htm">http://w ww.nostarch.com/plg.htm</a>
Re:Sounds like the SDL website would be more helpf (Score:1)
The one good thing that did come of my purchase of this book was that I found gamedev.net (link in the above post) which really does kick ass.
Gamedev.net motivated me to write a game, a 2D arcade game similar to Atari's Lunar Lander, called Moon Lander [daveblood.com]
So, the book is not completely useless, it is only mostly useless.
-geekd
Re:Why consider Linux? (Score:2)
There is an increasing number of Linux users out there who are willing to pay for games. Loki seems to be making money out of porting games, and whilst I grant you the market ain't as big as the Windows games market, there is a market. Unix is a growing games market, whereas Windows is a very crowded market where only the best 1 or 2 percent succeed.
A professional windows programmer such as myself will never touch Linux
Why not? Quake and Doom were developed in a Unix environment first, and many games companies use Unix (incl. Linux) workstations for graphics development. If you are going to be a serious games programmer you had better get rid of your misconceptions fast. You should use whatever platform offers the best tools and in some cases those tools are Unix only
The simple fact is that a lot of games programming still requires low level programming in places, and a nice friendly GUI environment isn't always the solution.
And forget the GPL -- that will kill any hope of money
The GPL doesn't kill any hope of money since you don't have to make GPL games on a Linux system. You can make a game using your own libraries and/or libraries which are LGPL'ed) and still keep your source code private if you insist.
Personally I think it would be a good thing if games developers to open source their code after a couple of years so that games which became abandonware could be supported by others.
no chance of making a buck
There's a hell of a lot of contract software engineers who have no trouble taking home $150000+ per year working on Unix systems.
Don't loose sight of what people use computers for -- doing things, not messing with etc directories.
Which is why software which requires stability is run on Unix systems (old joke - I'll grant NT is getting better; I work on both).
[OK the previous message is from a baby troll who hasn't grown up beyond AC posts, but I couldn't resist]
The Licenses in the Book (Score:1)
I must concur (Score:4)
Re:allegro (Score:1)
But now I have to say that Loki's SDL [libsdl.org] is better.
Sounds like the SDL website would be more helpful. (Score:5)
If you want to learn OpenGL, your next stop should be NeHe's tutorials on Gamedev.Net.
http://nehe.gamedev.net/ [gamedev.net]
GameDev itself is helpful...
http://www.gamedev.net/ [gamedev.net]
As is Flipcode...
http://www.flipcode.com/ [flipcode.com]
If you're interested in writing a good game, you should learn from those that came before you. Check them out using emulators from Zophar's Domain...
http://www.zophar.net/ [zophar.net]
Also, no game developer worth his salt can ignore the virtual treasure trove of information archived at GamaSutra...
http://www.gamasutra.com/ [gamasutra.com]
And finally, you'll want some cool free video game tunes to listen to while you code. The two best sites for video game remixes are Bart Klepka's remixes and Remix at Overclocked.org:
http://bart.overclocked.org/ [overclocked.org]
http://remix.overclocked.org/ [overclocked.org]
Go to it. I hope to play your games soon.
Re:this is the problem with linux users (Score:2)
what The Right Thing is--no offense, but it's
true. they dont care about the linux cause.
I am putting forth the suggestion that until
linux has significantly gained popularity, it
will not flourish in the desktop arena (and yes,
I know that this is a chicken and egg problem).
there IS a need for a screwdriver and the hammer
to co-exist, and linux is certainly NOT monetarily
free when you count the number of hours a non-geek
would spend trying to figure out how to duplicate
the functions performed by just a core windows
system these days -- word, excel, outlook, power-
point, acrobat reader, IE...ad nauseum...
it just isn't going to happen soon! most people
come to the bring af an aneurysm just trying to
figure out how to access basic functionality
in MS office.
but yes, by my reasoning, very few people should
give up windows. *NIX simply was never designed
for non-geeks, and piling GUI tools on top of the
command line isnt doing anyone favors.
the command line is still there, and when the GUI
tools dont work (which is quite often), people
are truly stuck because they never bargained for
learning UNIX command line.
why pull someone who is perfectly happy with
their dell machine and preloaded win2k towards
linux? for 80+% of the people, it causes more
pain than gain. they just want to play games
and geek out with their yuppy friends on AOL.
leave UNIX to the geeks.
this is the problem with linux users (Score:5)
common problems:
someone wants to play the latest games on the
latest hardware, and doesnt mind using Wine or
VMware to do it, or even binary-only games...
the logical conclusion is that if you are one
of these people, the time has not yet come for
you to give up windows! dual-boot or get another
machine if you want to run linux that badly.
one day, linux will probably be able to do all
of these things, but in the meantime, dont pick
up a hammer when you need a screwdriver!
my $0.02
A dissenting opinion... (Score:2)
A short overview and a brief technical introduction to virtually every technology I have used so far is in this book. When you are struggling with your first 3d game client, this book offers valuable perspective that can save you from wasting a lot of time just trying to figure out what to use. If you are attempting, as I was, to write your first 3d, networked game client, consider this: is a week (or two or three) of your time worth 50 bux? (I think that's what I paid) If so, take a look at the book.
If you are an experienced programmer in most of the technologies covered in this book and already have a good perspective on each of them and what they are useful for, don't buy it.
If you fall in between the extremes above and think that the book isn't for you, wait for something else or dig up the info for yourself -- as I mostly did.
(The client I'm working on is not yet released in source form but will be when I get it cleaned up a bit. It is here [librenix.com] and is used to play the web game Starshiptraders [starshiptraders.com] which has historically been playable only with a browser or telnet.)
Re:Entry Route (Score:2)
I can't remember who published it off the top of my head but if you really can't find it on a search then the above email address is valid...
Re:It's settling... (Score:2)
Q: Does SDL support 3D acceleration?
A: Yes, as of version 1.1.0, SDL has full support for the OpenGL API.
Given that it also has support for joysticks, sound, video playback, CD playback, and a host of other things - there isn't much reason to use anything else. Plus, there are a ton of libraries and such that use SDL as the underlying base, allowing you that much more freedom and flexibility...
Worldcom [worldcom.com] - Generation Duh!
Re:It's settling... (Score:2)
Worldcom [worldcom.com] - Generation Duh!
Re:It's settling... (Score:2)
Worldcom [worldcom.com] - Generation Duh!
Re:Sounds like the SDL website would be more helpf (Score:3)
I saw the NeHe tutorials - those have to be the BEST 3D tutorials I have EVER laid eyes on - covers everything - I dare say you could damn near create a damn good 3D game using that site.
There are a ton of places to find code for gaming - you outlined the best of them - hats off to you!
Worldcom [worldcom.com] - Generation Duh!
Re:Why consider Linux? (Score:1)
- The Nirvana Editor [www.nedit.org]
- Don't foget EMACS [emacs.org]
- One acronym -
CVS [cvshome.org]
- Bugzilla [mozilla.org]
- It's been mentioned already, but OpenGL [opengl.org] works just as well on most Linux boxes as it does on MS Windows. I've written applets and games (for a University graphics class actually) that compile and run under both Windows and Linux.
Don't complain about Linux tools just because you have to LOOK FOR THEM [google.com] rather than sit around and have them shoved in your face [microsoft.com]. Between a decent editor, code revision/control, bug tracking, decent uptime of a sever grade OS, ANSI complient compilers [gcc.org], at least one SDK, I may still want to buy a keyboard from Microsoft but I don't have to buy Microsoft tools software to develop games for Windows [redhat.com] or for Linux.It may not be an MDI (multi document interface) like Visual C++, but then I like being able to pop up a xxgdb window and have three scrolling xterms of ouput from gcc's last runs rather than tabbing through a tiny window. Got better syntax highlighting too.
If you can't do it in EMACS, it probably can't be done (or is waiting for the Lisp to be written.)
As professional who has worked on real program (i.e. real-time embeded OSes for cirtical system with more than a Megabyte of Z80 ASSEMBLER code in some files) I cannot begin to attest to the superiority of CVS (or even RCS [gnu.org]) over Microsoft's $600 SourceSafe product for managing (or mangling) project documents.
Decent bug tracking tools are hard to come by and this one has withstood the test of time (and the mozilla codebase). I don't know of anything equivalent shipped by Microsoft (or specifically for their OS).
Re:RMS Goes to the Zoo (part 1) (Score:1)
sean
Re:Why consider Linux? (Score:1)
"Windows tools crush linux, period. Anybody who disagrees hasn't used Visual C++". Whew - I'll let that one stand on its own. I know I'm not the only professional developer who has developed on more than one platform who does NOT prefer use of a coercive, proprietary IDE.
In my view, Linux is not yet mature enough in the eyes of corporate America as a whole as a deployment platform. Businesses are still willing to pay the premium to Sun, HP, IBM, etc. for a commercially supported flavor of Unix from a trusted vendor. As a desktop platform for Unix developers, though, Linux serves at least as well as Windows can.
Choose one Output/Input Library! (Score:1)
why you rarely see negative reviews (Score:3)
The only reason for writing a bad review is if the book is so egregiously offensive that you have to get rid of the bile it generated. This seems to be in that category.
As Gene Wolfe said (paraphrased): "Some people finish every book they start. This really impresses me. Personally, when I get shit in my eyes, I close them."
Chances are, if someone's gone to the trouble to read the whole book, it's a decent book. How many Linux books don't get reviewed here, anyway?
Re:this is the problem with linux users (Score:2)
Cause the screwdriver costs 200$, while the hammer and it's respective screwdriver-emulator is free. Nevermind that switching between your hammers and screwdrivers can take minutes.
At any rate, using your reasoning, no one should ever give up Windows, since the development support is there because people run it. If you're then saying run it because the development support isn't available for the alternative OS, well then, you'd be a part of the very problem you wish would get solved.
The nice thing is, if you run WINE, no money goes to MS, thus you contribute to possible market reduction, thus making it far more likely that developers and gaming/video API-makers will take into account *nix portability from the game development's get-go. Yes, it's like littering
Re:this is the problem with linux users (Score:2)
Open Directory Project (Score:3)
Flawed Premiss (Score:2)
Re:this is the problem with linux users (Score:1)
I know Linux is still lacking things to make it everybodys OS but I don't see how the command line is at fault.
Windows ME sure became a lot nicer when they removed the option of booting in to DOS...
But really, I'd be happy to coexist with Windows.
And if game company's would put a little effort into making their games cross platform I'd be really happy.
They could put Windows, Linux, Mac and what not binaries on the cd, have it all boxed up in the same package and they'd have a much bigger market without having to worry about not selling not of the Linux or what ever version.
Kylix... (Score:1)
This is a wonderful tool for game developers, as you can without too much effort compile the same project using delphi 6 for Windows.
I'm looking forward to see what people are currently developping for Linux using Kylix, expect to see really cool stuff soon! (Submitted this as a story, but it was rejected)
How About Loki's Book? (Score:4)
Hopefully, Loki's [lokigames.com] book, Programming Linux Games [nostarch.com] will be a lot better.
Does anyone know of any early reviews of this book? It's due to be relesed in August.
-Karl
Re:Why consider Linux? (Score:1)
He's not, unless there is another just like him on the Yahoo! message board regrading XP removing Java, where UNIX came up.
The guy said (to paraphrase) "Obviously you don't know much about software development if you think a command line is enough for state of the art software development"
haha, is that a JOKE or what? I'm sure Loki and ID don't have but so much dependance on KDevelop, none at all for the products they came out with before it was stable! And isn't Linux the development environment of choice for PS2, I guess cutting edge games aren't considered state of the art! Wait a minute, isn't Linux used by alot of special effects houses who developed their code in house? Guess those guys aren't state of the art!
This person's definition of state of the art seems to vary wildly from mine. The fact of the matter is an Xterm, KWrite, the latest OpenGL (Mesa) and SDL libraries are all, it's all anyone NEEDS, after all, an IDE just puts all those tools in one app with a pretty little button you can click to run them!
Re:Why consider Linux? (Score:1)
So when someone comes along and says crazy stuff like "You can't use a command line to create state of the art software" or any of this other outright bull that they spout that sounds just like something you would read on an MS propoganda page, you can't help but think in the back of your mind "Does this person work for MS"?
Maybe they do, maybe they don't, but thanks to the actions of MS, I can only take such people but so seriously.
It's settling... (Score:2)
"State of the art" (Score:2)
Anyhow, there are lots of Unix programmers who rarely see a 'command line' - the emacs users.
Art imitates life (Score:3)
Bye bye Karma.
Re:Why consider Linux? (Score:1)
That's simple: It's free. I don't want to make a buck, I want to have fun
Also, writing free games in your spare time allows you to build up experience and a portfolio...should you want to do it seriously eventually.
Personally, I love that a lot of source code is available in Linux, which allows me to keep learning new things, increasing my skills. Especially when it comes to games because that is a lot different from business apps. Its nice to have examples to show you how its done.
I wish there was an SDL-focused game dev book (Score:4)
using SDL for input, as a graphics substrate for 2D games and for OpenGL-based 3D games, etc. Throw in some coverage of OpenAL as well as generally applicable topics such as AI, Maths, and the like. Garnish with touches of the 'other side' of game development (plot, characterization, artwork) so the code monkeys understand what the writers and artists are talking about.
Result: a book teaching folks how to make games that run on Linux. And windows. And any other platform SDL, OpenGL, and OpenAL work on. If it can be pointed out to the development community that these tools are viable and easy to use, further that they get portability almost for free using them thus expanding their market for low marginal cost, more games might come out that Linux, MacOS, BeOS, *BSD, etc. could play.
Plus SDL is just cool. :-)
Only question in my mind is would O'Reilly publish a book like this; if so what animal would it be? (would a woodcut of Pac-Man work?)
--
News for geeks in Austin: www.geekaustin.org [geekaustin.org]
erf (Score:2)
If you're not using gamedev.net or flipcode.com, you may want to give gameinstitute.com a try. It's mostly windows based and a bit pricey, but if there's enough Linux interest (email them, duh) then they'll probably add courses.
Peace,
Amit
ICQ 77863057
PC-GPE ... (Score:1)
Re:Discussing an entire marker/industry in one boo (Score:1)
---
Re:Discussing an entire marker/industry in one boo (Score:1)
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Slashdot needs money too.... (Score:1)
GPL is nice, but so is a little $$.
| - Adam Sane
Re:Unnecessary... (Score:2)
Games have pushed this industry in every way shape and form. Next to pr0n there is nothing more important than games and in terms of hardware there is NOTHING more important.
Yes there need to be better apps but games are where it is at.
Yes the Amiga struggled without a Word, Excel but it was killed by very poor decisons throughout it's history, not by the lack of Word.
Linux MUST get games and especially network games like UT, NASCAR 4, Half-Life, Combat Sims etc, etc....
---
Re:Unnecessary... (Score:2)
There is a current movement toward digital video/editing, made feasible by "cheap" high end hardware
---
Re:negative review (Score:1)
I am grateful for that. I find it much more useful for someone to say "hey, check out this book, it's great" about a book he loves then pointing out to me a book that was lousy.
--
Re:Discussing an entire marker/industry in one boo (Score:1)
Anybody remember Dr. C. Wacko?! (Score:1)
It was a clever, comical, well-made book which I still found myself as I programmed stuff in Turbo-Basic XL, and Action!. And what Linux could really use is an "Abstracted for the OS" version of Dr. C. Wacko to show up again for Linux.
Laugh will you?! Good, because that's part of the solution. A 13yr. old, addicited to games who wants to roll their own isn't going to pack around a 2500 pg. tome in order to do it, and they won't pick it back up again and again in order to cover something useful if it's buried in appendix XXI. And using that logic, neither should anyone else who's worth their weight in cheese-dip. Sheesh, you'd think we'd be smarter than to cater to such editorial/publisher whim.
Honestly, a book which covers the important stuff, like choosing a gaming library, low-balling the hardware spec, graphics, regionality, distribution and licensing could do it in a way which is both educational and entertaining.
What I find chilling is how many slick editors sell companies on cookie-cutter hardware/software tomes, filled with hundreds of pages of sleep-inducing pablum in order to make a quota.
One of the most useful books I've ever (yes, ever) purchased which actually helped pay the bills was the 1st. edition of the JavaScript Visual Quick Learning Guide (not 100% on the title, it's at home right now) by the PeachPit Press. That book did everything right. Unlike 99% of books published for this industry. It presented quick, cogent, and useful examples. Categorized them in a functional way, and even had a good layout for reference info.
Less than a year later they re-released it, and I guess they made some sweeping changes to bring the 2nd. edition up to the untenably bad level the majority of PeachPit press books and many other technical books seek to aspire to.
So, if any editors are out there, and being gracious enough to read this, then please take this moment to be reminded of what makes a geninuely useful how-to book:
- It shouldn't be more than an inch thick. If you need more than an inch of book to cover your subject, throw out some fluff. I don't buy a working book if I can't carry it with me. Sam's publishing hasn't gotten a red-cent out of me because all their crap is full of pablum and asides that don't go anywhere. Need more than an inch...use a URL, Oreilly does.
- Small examples which demonstrate exactly what needs to be illuminated. Three pages of source is unnecessary and only marches towards a quota.
- Use a common, free, and easily written for language. Of course there's a buttload of zealots out there who unpack their pulpit and invoke their lists of language X rocks for game programming because... reasons, but they're not important. The end-user, the person who needs to be infected with all those good memes involving timing, and inputs, and outputs--they are the target. Chances are most gurus talk a great talk but somehow never find the time to actually write a game. Isn't it funny how that works?
- Write to the industry, not the consumer. Don't be afraid to tell people how to really make a game. Don't leave out important stuff, things used by the trade. Game writing is almost like writing about a guild. Don't be afraid to publish things like the value of Pi. Don't be afraid to talk about sorting matricies, or at least put in links to best result algorithms, or lacking links, make them yourself. Telling someone what needs to be done, and omitting important things makes any book a hollow reference. Omission is the great editorial lie.
I know this is a woefully incomplete list, but I think it's enough to establish criteria for what is commonly left out of books which are sold as being something they're not.Re:Entry Route (Score:1)
Pick up a book on X Window development, a few OpenGL books, a sound book, and even a few "classic" computer graphics books. Using these "Learn Game Programming in 24 Hours" books will limit what you know and can do, you need to learn how to do a lot of stuff, then use your imagination!
Re:this is the problem with linux users (Score:2)
The nice thing is, if you run WINE, no money goes to MS...
...except, of course, when you implicitly support the developers' decision to spend money on VC++ licenses, MSDN subscriptions, MS-Press books, Windows licenses, MS Tech Support,...
People need to stop jumping on the bandwagon. (Score:3)
There shouldn't be a book for Linux games anyway. There shouldn't be a book dedicated to games on ANY OS. They should talk about how things work, and get them to work in as portable a way as possible, so that people can get their games in as many hands as possible, and so that they can have a book that will be beneficial to them no matter their OS (be it Win, Lin, BSD, etc.)
I suppose I'll never see another book I liked as much as Micheal Abrash's Graphics Black Book. (Not the exact title, but it's not exactly in front of me right now
RMS Goes to the Zoo (part 1) (Score:2)
With a twinkle in his eye and a skip in his step, RMS slammed his sky-blue Chevette's rusted-out car door and turned on heel toward the MIT Zoo entrance. Today was a Sunday, and RMS had decided the daily stresses of Free Software, the GPL, and his "crazy drug habits" could go away for just one afternoon while he enjoyed the zoo.
"That'll be twenty-five dollars, sir," the lady at the admission booth said glumly. She looked at RMS expectantly.
"I was expecting this zoo to be Free," RMS stated loudly, eyes darting around to gauge onlookers' reactions. There was none. RMS's capital F had went unnoticed. "Can you ensure me that this money will not help fund--"
The admissions lady cut him off. "Twenty-five dollars, or twenty bucks with a Mr. Pibb can," the lady cut in.
With a grumble and shake of his beard, RMS handed over twenty five of his hard-earned dollars. Considering that the GPL works to unemploy programmers, one must wonder where this money came from...
By evening, RMS found himself in front of the penguin exhibit. He felt himself start to sweat, which would have been no surprise-- his thick, full, grizzly beard must be worth a thousand down comforters-- except that he was wearing only a pair of nylon biking shorts and a travel pack around his waist. He stared at his hands. What was wrong?
"AWWWK!" a nearby bird offered. RMS wheeled in the direction the screech had come from. He was met with the steely, unfeeling stares of a penguin. "AWK! Ooooh God, the penguin said AWK... lord, lord lord, it's LINUX. THE PENGUIN IS TUX!" RMS blurted out. He felt dizzy, and cold sweat now washed over his brittle, hairy chest. He looked this way and that. From nearby a bird again squawked.
"AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWK"
RMS ran as fast as his atrophied hippy-programmer legs could carry him, right thru a gate and into an exhibit. He realized what he had done, and before he could turn around, he heard a low, ominous sound. Like the Devil's riding mower. "MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" RMS gasped.
MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
He was standing in the Gnu section, and it seemed these bull yaks were in rut and ready to mate with the first hairy thing with a hole in its center they found. Bad luck for RMS and his beard. Just then he felt cloven hooves push him down...
part two soon to follow...
Re:How About Loki's Book? (Score:1)
-John
Re:I wish there was an SDL-focused game dev book (Score:1)
-John
At least the book exists (Score:1)
Discussing an entire marker/industry in one book.. (Score:2)
there's no way this could have been a good book, really.
Sad though. it would be useful to have quality publications on this subject... I guess we'll have to wait a while longer...
--CTH
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allegro (Score:3)
Windows tools crush Linux? (Score:2)
You are trolling right? I gave up on VC 6 a long time ago in favor of EMACS, when I found that the features in EMACS provided me more of what I needed than the tools in VC6. Funny, my friend Luke has gone to NetBeans, and I know a couple of people who are trying to figure out if theyt can use EMACS as the default editor in VC...
As a student of C, I found the GCC to be far more useful than Microsoft's compiler because it forces a creater distinction between C and C++. My greatest problem is that Microsoft's compiler lets you get away with many things that you should not be able to get away with (of course that explains some things, but we won't go there). I suspect that the basic problem has to do with the structure of some Windows APIs (particulalrly CDO and MAPI, forcing C++ style linking) but I am not sure.
How many times have I had a program not compile because it was missing a bracket or perenthesis? When have I seen VC tell me my parentheses are mismatched? EMACS suits my needs better providing me exactly what I need for the job.
OTOH, I know many people that are really happy with Visual Studio products, an dmore power to them, but that is a far cry from saying that the tools are far superior.
Sig: Tell all your friends NOT to download the Advanced Ebook Processor:
where's my damn copy anyway (Score:1)
What the? (Score:1)
This book (at least from what the review says) exemplifies everything that is wrong with most programming books - they seem to be rushed to market with little or no concern for accuracy and usefullness. They simply put a title on a book which makes it seem like it would be helpful in order to sell copies, and then they provide very little, if any, useful content. It's sad how hard it is to find a decent, helpful book.
Re:Andre's stuff is hit/miss... (Score:1)
Re:Brilliant observation... (Score:1)
That doesn't mean you know what you're doing. This is not a personal attack, for all I know you could be the best programmer since sliced bread, but even so you will have to demonstrate you know what you are talking about, rather then just saying:
Crappy Code examples!! (Score:1)
Re:RMS Goes to the Zoo (part 1) (Score:1)
Entry Route (Score:4)
I must have bought a dozen 'write games in..' books and found every one of them to be too light on detail, too thinly spread, and too badly written to be of use - so ended up buying a couple of 'proper' programming books and just working out the game bits later.
Personally, I think for the many folk that gave up before going to the proper books, there SHOULD be books with 'write games' in the title that start at about 'hello world' move on through 'pong' and end up somewhere about 'quake'. They'd have to do it over a few volumes, but if they were well written (like the OLD animal books) and not £80 a pop I reckon they'd be onto a winner.
More Books on programming on Linux! (Score:1)
The mainstream developer can be engaged on Linux if they see more help, books, mags, etc. on Programming Linux. That will give more confidence on the future of the platform Linux, sure.
Re:Why consider Linux? (Score:1)
That's simple: It's free. I don't want to make a buck, I want to have fun.
Yeah, we have day jobs, but maybe we like to enjoy ourselves and develop a game for fun.
"Granted I don't have much chance of making any money, but at least that market place supports the concept of buying software"
Then why don't you develop for free, since you don't have much chance of making money? If it's free, more people will play your game because it's freely available.
"And forget the GPL -- that will kill any hope of money"
Then don't use the GPL. :P
I hope this guy is actually a Linux guy who is just mocking the windows programmers... :)
Re:The main problem with the book.. (Score:1)
Re:Unnecessary... (Score:1)
Sure games push the hardware limits, and porn is the most popular type of internet content, that is the nature of those things.
But what does 'nothing more important' mean? If you mean most computing time is spent playing games and watching porn, and the most money is spent to achieve these goals, our country is definitely not gonna be the dominant world economy much longer.
What is your evidence that people buy hardware for the games?
Re:Why so negative??? (Score:1)
Re:allegro (Score:1)
Re:allegro (Score:3)
Although the following is not Open Source it might be very interesting to all those who want to develop games for Linux: http://www.garagegames.com [garagegames.com]. They will be releasing the V12 engine (Tribes 2 engine) for $100 USD. Full Source AND it is multi platform (Linux, MAC, Windows).
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Re:Sounds like the SDL website would be more helpf (Score:1)
The other book was good (Score:1)