Good book for learning DirectX

KoopaParatroopa

Right. So I'm looking to learn how to use DirectX.

The book I've been reading on it so far just isn't doing it for me. The code is just flat out confusing, and the explanations of the code might as well be copy and pastes from the help page for the DirectX functions and objects being called.

It is basically written by one of those jokers thats thinks this is a good comment:

//Call to a confusing ass function.
NonObviousFunction(olol, l0l, stuff, omg, wtf);

At this point, I'm basically waiting to turn the page and see a comment like: //There be dragons here!

Oh, and the code in the book does not match the code on the CD. Which is always nice.


Soooo... Anyone able to reccomend a really good book on intro level DirectX that has clear and useful C++ or C# code with good explanations of the DirectX concepts?

mrcheesypants

I'm sorry that I can not provide direct advice for directX books but a good way to buy programming books is to check out the reviews.

Edit: Reading my post I think I came off as a little bit rude. I apologise if it came off that way to you.

Edit2: You might also want to look into XNA development after you study a bit of game programming.

Janin

If I were you, I'd learn how to use OpenGL first. It's easier to learn, as you don't have to master things like vertex buffers before you can begin drawing shapes or whatever. Also, at advanced levels OpenGL and Direct3D are pretty similar, so you should be able to learn DirectX without as much trouble.

For OpenGL tutorials, check out NeHe. Tutorials are on the left.

blincoln

I learned DirectX 9 using C# with some tutorials online. There wasn't any one single tutorial I thought was good, but I pieced together enough from several.

My favourite was this one:

http://www.thehazymind.com/

This is the one I used first:

http://users.pandora.be/riemer/index.html

It covers more ground, but the coding style is very much rooted in old school code where you didn't have built-in functions for e.g. reading an unsigned dword from a file and had to do it by hand.

KoopaParatroopa

Well I did some poking around on the links posted, and it helped me out.

I really like the code I've seen at the NeHe site so far. What I've looked at so far is clean, with good comments and well explained. Its old, but seems like a good place to get started.

At this point I am going to go with learning OpenGL.

From what I've gathered, DirectX seems to have a very limited scope: Gaming under windows or the Xbox. Whereas OpenGL seems to be the standard used by everybody else, and it works under windows too. It seems like a better place to start.


I also really hate dealing with Microsoft products. Their just not easy to use, and they always seem to be playing some sort of childish little game to make things more difficult than they have to be. Their software is simply rage-inducing.


Book wise, I'm looking at the following:

For basic computer graphics techniques: Computer Graphics Using Open GL (2nd Edition) (although I'd love to hear suggestions for other good books on graphics techniques)

And then getting the offical OpenGL refrence standards (Red, Blue and Orange books), for learning OpenGL.

Janin

If you'd like, old versions of the Blue Book and Red Book are available online. If you find them useful, then get the newest editions (which cover OpenGL 2). Which reminds me - any old sample code for OpenGL will work without modification on even the newest systems. It's completely backwards compatible.