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 Macromedia™ 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).

Exactly what I needed

I took physics, linear algebra, and calculus when I was in college.

Unfortunately, upon getting my IT job developing business applications, I did not have much use for them and when I became interested in game development, I realized that I had forgotten a great deal of information that I learned while I was in school.

I did have my linear algebra and calculus text book, but I misplaced (or sold) my physics book. I first looked online for quick tutorials, but a lot of tutorials left a lot to be desired.

This book briefly reviews the necessary basics which quickly returned to me and later applies them 2d and 3d scenarios.

I especially like the language agnostic approach the author has taken with the pseudocode in the book. The introduction states that no knowledge is assumed from the reader as each following chapter builds on a previous one. While, so far that statement has held true, I do wonder if a reader with absolutely no knowledge linear algebra, trig, calculus, and physics will fully grasp what the author is saying. Nevertheless, I do not see that as a negative since the book would be prohibitively huge it were anymore detailed.

The glossary is a nice inclusion and so far has been thorough enough to find everything what I was looking for.

I am certainly glad that I lost my physics book. Otherwise, I would not have this fine book.

Very useful resource

I originally purchased this book as reference material for building a 3D physics engine. And while this book certainly had material relevant for doing so, I probably would have appreciated a little more detail on the subject. That’s not to say that this isn’t a useful book, it certainly is... But it covers a vast range of topics, from 2D (and some 3D) physics to AI path finding.

Overall, while it is an excellent reference, it was not the one-stop source I was hoping it to be, and wound up having to reference other online articles to supplement what I found here.

Still worth buying, and I’m sure it will see a lot of use in the future.

so so

The the bigger mathematics coverage is on the beginning chapters; in the last ones its very shallow, there is little explanations on the programmings details.

superb coverage



I have almost all the books on game math and physics.
and besides andre la mothe’s book this book comes across as a really friendly approach to learning the math.I’ve had to look at dry math books to cover many things other’s leave out which has been thankfully included in this book.
The psuedo code makes things sit in perspective as well.
thank you for doing such a good job.

i was hoping the book went a little more indepth with InverseKinematics as it mearly glossed over it.

b

superb coverage





I have almost all the books on game math and physics.

and besides andre la mothe’s book this book comes across as a really friendly approach to learning the math.I’ve had to look at dry math books to cover many things other’s leave out which has been thankfully included in this book.

The psuedo code makes things sit in perspective as well.

thank you for doing such a good job.



i was hoping the book went a little more indepth with InverseKinematics as it mearly glossed over it.



b

Excellent Resource

A friend pointed me to this book and I couldn’t be more pleased. This is a great overall look at basic math concepts used in games. I’m always forgetting approaches and Kodicek explains things extremely well.

retraining some programmers?

Kodicek tackles a persistent problem in computing. Many game programmers have either forgotten what physics and maths they learnt, or they never learnt much of it to being with. In programming, you can go a long ways without calculus. Essentially, you are dealing with discrete maths.

But as games have become more sophisticated, they attempt to emulate reality more accurately. In order to attract users who can key off their existing physical intuition. So the gaming industry needs programmers to be trained in the physics and maths. Of course, as the book shows, the physics barely ventures beyond first year undergraduate level dynamics, and the affiliated maths.

So to a physicist or mathematician, this book is not interesting. But for the rest of you, the pseudocode methods should be understandable. And you can translate them into whatever language you work in.

The CD is strictly optional. A good enough programmer can dispense with it.