Inside Direct3D

This book is best at explaining the basic and advanced features in version 7 of DirectX, a gaming platform that includes numerous APIs such as Direct3D (for 3-D graphics), DirectDraw (for 2-D graphics), and DirectInput (for joystick input). This text explains how to implement such 3-D effects as texture mapping, lighting effects, fog, and stencil buffers (which can be used to create cinematic fade-in/fade out effects, for instance).

Each section here traces a relevant part of the DirectX API, starting with DirectDraw and then moving on to various aspects of Direct3D and other APIs. Standout chapters include a solid explanation of Direct3D's transformation and lighting pipeline (which combines the various 3- D elements and effects into a single rendered scene). There's also an introduction to using input devices (like joysticks) and an overview of multiplayer gaming, an explanation of what functionality is available, and a demonstration of the applicable APIs.

The other standout here is the author's useful gaming engine (called RoadRage), which lets you try out DirectX graphics features hands-on. While game development is a huge topic, this title can definitely get you started by concentrating on the DirectX APIs themselves, with some appealing visual demos that demonstrate the various graphics effects in action. For those with some previous DirectX knowledge, the bundled sample gaming engine is definitely worth the price of the book. --Richard Dragan

Topics covered: Overview of Microsoft DirectX 7, DirectX APIs ( DirectDraw, Direct3D, DirectPlay, DirectInput), COM for game programmers, using the Microsoft Direct3D Framework, basic message handling, programming with DirectDraw, enumerating and selecting Direct3D devices, windowed and full-screen modes, flipping and selecting surfaces, Direct3D Immediate Mode features and APIs, the Transformation and Lighting (T & L) pipeline, vertices, the strided vertex format, viewports, types of lighting, rendering 3-D scenes, primitive types (point lists, line lists, triangle stripes, and triangle fans), render states, keyboard and joystick input with DirectInput, force feedback, texturing, texture management, texture compression and the DXT format, bitmaps, texture filtering, texture blending and wrapping, fog effects, alpha blending, light mapping, cinematic effects with stencil buffers, 3-D models and animation (segmented and single-mesh characters), Direct3D optimization hints, multiplayer gaming, and RoadRage (sample custom gaming engine).