Mathematics and Physics for Programmers (Game Development Series)

Many programmers frequently have limited backgrounds in the mathematics and physics needed for game development or other complex applications. Sooner or later, all programmers run into coding issues that will require an understanding of mathematics or physics concepts like collision detection, 3D vectors, transformations, game theory, or basic calculus. This book provides a simple but thorough grounding in the mathematics and physics topics that programmers need to write these algorithms and programs, using a non-language-specific approach. Applications and examples from game programming are included throughout, and exercise sets follow each chapter for additional practice of the techniques. The CD-ROM provides simulations of the mathematical and physical principles discussed in the book along with the source code. Key Features: • Presents commonly encountered mathematical and physics concepts such as vector motion, collision detection, angular physics, game theory, artificial intelligence, Bezier curves, etc. • Illustrates concepts through a non-language-specific approach, using pseudo-code, that makes the book equally valuable for anyone from C++ programmers to MacromediaTM Flash ActionScript coders • Includes a companion CD-ROM with demo examples of the mathematical and physical principles discussed in the book along with the source code • Create physical simulations, tile-based, and maze games using the concepts discussed in the book • Uses pedagogical devices such as: a glossary of terms, exercise sets, chapter outlines, and chapter summaries to help master the material ON THE CD-ROM The CD-ROM includes a large number of sample files that demonstrate techniques from the chapters • DEMOS: Contains the support files for the MPFP demo program, in a protected format • DOCS: Contains the text files, in html format, of the code samples • FIGURES: Contains all of the figures from the book, organized in folders by chapter • SOURCE: Contains the original Macromedia Director movies used to create the demos System Requirements: PC; Windows 95, 98, ME, NT4, 2000, XP; 266 MHz processor with a current hardware accelerated 3D graphics card; 32 MB or more of available RAM; 256-color monitor capable of 800 x 600 resolution; DirectX 5.0 or greater (recommended); Web browser installed; (To edit the demo files: Macromedia Director 8.5.1 or later installed). Annotation Many programmers frequently have limited backgrounds in the mathematics and physics needed for game development or other complex applications. Sooner or later, all programmers run into coding issues that will require an understanding of mathematics or physics concepts like collision detection, 3D vectors, transformations, game theory, or basic calculus. This book provides a simple but thorough grounding in the mathematics and physics topics that programmers need to write these algorithms and programs, using a non-language-specific approach. Applications and examples from game programming are included throughout, and exercise sets follow each chapter for additional practice of the techniques. The CD-ROM provides simulations of the mathematical and physical principles discussed in the book along with the source code

After reviewing the basic concepts of numbers, algebra, and geometry, this book explains the physics of motion, how to simulate ballistics and collisions on a computer for game play, and the representation of 3D space on a 2D screen. The final section looks at some techniques for optimization and simplification of physics calculations. The CD- ROM provides code samples and simulations of the mathematical and physical principles discussed. Annotation ©2005 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

This book provides a simple but thorough grounding in the mathematics and physics topics that programmers need to know to write programs, using a non-language specific approach. The companion CD-ROM provides demo examples of the mathematical and physical principles discussed in the book, with source code in several different languages (C++, Lingo, and Java)