Advanced 3D Game Programming All in One

#1 Where are you getting this information from?

#2 I saw it in the bookstore last week. It uses a different engine to show the concepts. Still a good book, but not for Torque.

Thanks.

#3 @Derk: no that's not true.

He is actually working on two books, both based on Torque. The title of the one Spencer refers too is indeed "Advanced 3D Game Programming All in One".

#4 I found this reference to the new book by Finney:

Published by: COURSE TECHNOLOGY INC.
Author: Finney, K Number of pages: 650
Group: PROGRAMMING - GAMES
ISBN: 1592007333 User level: Not Available
Objective: Not Available Date Published: Aug 2005
RRP

#5 Http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1592007333/qid%3D1113835821/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr_11_1/104-2516734-6779951

#6 Dirk's Link to Amazon

#7 Whats the title of the other book?

#8 I think it's titled "How I didn't tell anyone on GG site that I have a new Torque book out"

Seems kind of wierd to find things out this way, considering how many of us would probably buy the book

#9 "Seems kind of wierd to find things out this way, considering how many of us would probably buy the book"

Maybe its because the book _isn't_ out yet ?
According to Tim's post above, the published date is August, 2005. That's 3 or 4 months away yet.

#10 Wow, definite purchase by me on release.

sadly, I could really use that book right now! :(

#11 Not sure why there hasn't been any official announcement, but my copies from Amazon arrived yesterday.

#12 Mine just shipped yesterday... how'd you get lucky? :)

#13 There is a GG resource for this now that it's published. It's a good book -- just got mine today.

#14 @Jason Does he cover the C side of the engine?

#15 It would have been nice to see a blog entry about the new book...but Ken *did* post a bit about it on this thread:

www.garagegames.com/mg/forums/result.thread.php?qt=32447

#16 I read 240 pages of this book the day i bought it.

I am from the Tribes 1 community, made some cool shifter add ons, cursed the code a lot. Man, what I would have given to have this book back then.

#17 @Anthony -
No engine modification is covered - just TorqueScript...

#18 Resource: www.garagegames.com/index.php?sec=mg&mod=resource&page=view&qid=8600

#19 How about AI? I have 3D game programming all in one and there is nothing about AI. If I remembered correctly AI should be one of the things explained in Advanced 3DGPAI.

If there is AI chapter, how deep is going (code, script or just theory)?

Thanks in advance ;)

#20 @Denis:
The AI chapters are Chapters 5-9 (Section II of the book). There is Torque Script code and tutorial, in addition to the theory. Chapter 5-6 are theory type stuff. The code in 7-9 gets into the Torque Script for standing guard, following paths, chasing, Interactive AI (AI server, AI client, AI talk system), Group Behaviors (Swarm, Chasing Swarm) for bots...

The AI code has aggressiveness settings, code for a swarm following a player who leads them, etc... It's kind of a cool way to lead an army of bots... Marine Corps style -- lead from the front. There are pages of AI code -- not just a brief touch, but a set of tools that you can build on or just use in a game. He goes through how to use the code, like adding swarms of bots with console commands, etc.

Before getting into the AI section, there is good theory and practical practice in coding vectors and doing the kind of math you'll need for good AI to work.... code like "what direction is my target" -- something a bot would need to be able to figure out.

It's neat stuff. AI is a major focus of the Advanced book - one of the 4 sections (Advanced Script Programming, AI, Enhanced Game Programming, Enhanced Game Modeling, and the appendices). Each section has 3-5 chapters.

No C++ engine code in the book -- just Torque Script... but that's what I needed so I like it that way.

The Advanced book isn't as thick as the first one (592 vs 812 pages), but it's got some really good code and techniques. Some of the stuff like debugging techniques are really important.