Game Engine Architecture, Second Edition

Hailed as a "must-have textbook" (CHOICE, January 2010), the first edition of Game Engine Architecture provided readers with a complete guide to the theory and practice of game engine software development. Updating the content to match today’s landscape of game engine architecture, this second edition continues to thoroughly cover the major components that make up a typical commercial game engine. New to the Second Edition Information on new topics, including the latest variant of the C++ programming language, C++11, and the architecture of the eighth generation of gaming consoles, the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 New chapter on audio technology covering the fundamentals of the physics, mathematics, and technology that go into creating an AAA game audio engine Updated sections on multicore programming, pipelined CPU architecture and optimization, localization, pseudovectors and Grassman algebra, dual quaternions, SIMD vector math, memory alignment, and anti-aliasing Insight into the making of Naughty Dog’s latest hit, The Last of Us The book presents the theory underlying various subsystems that comprise a commercial game engine as well as the data structures, algorithms, and software interfaces that are typically used to implement them. It primarily focuses on the engine itself, including a host of low-level foundation systems, the rendering engine, the collision system, the physics simulation, character animation, and audio. An in-depth discussion on the "gameplay foundation layer" delves into the game’s object model, world editor, event system, and scripting system. The text also touches on some aspects of gameplay programming, including player mechanics, cameras, and AI. An awareness-building tool and a jumping-off point for further learning, Game Engine Architecture, Second Edition gives readers a solid understanding of both the theory and common practices employed within each of the engineering disciplines covered. The book will help readers on their journey through this fascinating and multifaceted field. Front Cover 1 Contents 8 Foreword to the First Edition 14 Foreword to the Second Edition 18 Preface to the First Edition 22 Preface to the Second Edition 24 Acknowledgements 25 I. Foundations 28 1. Introduction 30 2. Tools of the Trade 90 3. Fundamentals of Software Engineering for Games 124 4. 3D Math for Games 192 II. Low-Level Engine Systems 256 5. Engine Support Systems 258 6. Resources and the File System 324 7. The Game Loop and Real-Time Simulation 366 8. Human Interface Devices (HID) 408 9. Tools for Debugging and Development 438 III. Graphics, Motion and Sound 468 10. The Rendering Engine 470 11. Animation Systems 570 12. Collision and Rigid Body Dynamics 674 13. Audio 770 IV. Gameplay 872 14. Introduction to Gameplay Systems 874 15. Runtime Gameplay Foundation Systems 896 V. Conclusion 1006 16. You Mean There’s More? 1008 Bibliography 1014 Back cover 1018 "A 2010 CHOICE outstanding academic title, this updated book covers the theory and practice of game engine software development. It explains practical concepts and techniques used by real game studios, such as Electronic Arts and Naughty Dog. Suitable for both beginners and seasoned engineers, the text includes all the required mathematical background. Examples are grounded in specific technologies, but the discussions extend beyond any particular engine or API. This edition adds new material, including a chapter on audio"-- Provided by publisher