Books about game programming

[renegade7]

I'm looking for some books about how to program games.

I have a lot of experience with programming, but it's been from the science and engineering paradigm...MATLAB, VHDL, and C have been my main focuses, I'm also reasonably proficient in Java and Processing (but seriously though, C all the way!). So I'm looking for resources that will teach me specifically about how to go about programming games.

 

[Rosiv]

I'm looking for some books about how to program games.

I have a lot of experience with programming, but it's been from the science and engineering paradigm...MATLAB, VHDL, and C have been my main focuses, I'm also reasonably proficient in Java and Processing (but seriously though, C all the way!). So I'm looking for resources that will teach me specifically about how to go about programming games.

I feel stupid suggesting something to you, for you seem to have way more experience than i do,and since i suck balls at programming. But i am reading "Killer Game Programming in java" By O'Reilly. Its a bit dated, since it came out 2005, but i heard like 90% good reviews. They have code samples in the book and cover alot of topics. It cost me 20$ used for a paperback, but if you do some Google-fu i'm sure you can manage to find it.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Well it depends on if you want to make games or engines, if you actually want some games done then grab a game engine to your liking first (Unity, Unreal and Crytek engines are available freely and have no limits up to triple A standards).
Then books and tutorials surrounding those engines will suite you best, I personally prefer up to date online tutorials because you can encounter massive changes by the time a book is put together in it's entirety.

And if you want to start making engines of your own C is actually the perfect start, which you then complement with 3D graphics APIs.

 

[Weaver]

Well it depends on if you want to make games or engines, if you actually want some games done then grab a game engine to your liking first (Unity, Unreal and Crytek engines are available freely and have no limits up to triple A standards).
Then books and tutorials surrounding those engines will suite you best, I personally prefer up to date online tutorials because you can encounter massive changes by the time a book is put together in it's entirety.

And if you want to start making engines of your own C is actually the perfect start, which you then complement with 3D graphics APIs.

I can parrot this. I'm a programmer by profession as well, and I've written a simple, bare-bones game engine before... just use a pre-built one or you're going to spend 5 years making a game that should take 6 months.

Unity is the king of the indie scene right now, there's lots of resources available. I'd check it out!

 

[Cloned31]

I prefer Java as a programming language, it's alot friendlier. Though, for a game however it's not that friendly I mean Jesus I tried making a mock version of nethack lite and it took wayyyyy too long. Try a programming language called Haxe, a game making program called Stencly uses it along with a very simple UI. The syntax is really simple to learn and I'm currently in love with it at the moment.

 

[Ziadaine_v1legacy]

Honestly, don't look into books.

I'm studying games development at the moment and work with UDK Engine. Here's a few simple steps to get going:

1) Find a platform to work with, UDK is surprisingly easy and has a lot of support and video guides, as well as pre-made materials to use.

2) plan. lots of plan. What type of game do you like? what do you want to make? will the engine/program language support it/be a nightmare to work with?

3) babbeh steps, and a shitton of drawing.

4) for me with UDK, we started off with making a landscape, then adding props, prop properties (like, touching a spike damages you), test with pre-made models and bots.

5) heavy building.


I know if you're an Australian, Evocca College do a "Diploma in Digital and Interactive Games Design" course which is what I'm doing (Plus they supply you with all materials: Alienware M17xr4, Office 2012, Adobe CS6 Collection, Maya, 3DS Max etc.)