What book to get
by David Martin · in Torque Game Engine · 06/21/2007 (4:38 am) · 16 replies
Hey, I'm getting into Torque and am looking at either this book or the Game Programmers Guide to Torque book. Which one would you recommend? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each?
My local bookstore had 3D Game Programming All-in-One in stock but only the first edition. The person who runs it said that they'd never gotten in the second edition. Is the difference negligible? Does it really matter? I heard that the first edition has a LOT of bugs. Is this the case and does the second edition solve this? Also, I have the Demo of 1.5 and am looking to purchase an Indie licence for 1.5. Does this make using the books hard as 3D Game 1st edition uses 1.3 and 2nd edition uses 1.4. I think that Game Programmers Guide uses 1.4?
My experience: A reasonable knowledge of VB.Net, high school knowledge of mathematics and physics, some database experience but nothing extensive.
Any other relevant info would be most appreciated as well as I don't want to spend ages trying to get into a book only to find that it's out of date, buggy or just plain ole crap :p
My local bookstore had 3D Game Programming All-in-One in stock but only the first edition. The person who runs it said that they'd never gotten in the second edition. Is the difference negligible? Does it really matter? I heard that the first edition has a LOT of bugs. Is this the case and does the second edition solve this? Also, I have the Demo of 1.5 and am looking to purchase an Indie licence for 1.5. Does this make using the books hard as 3D Game 1st edition uses 1.3 and 2nd edition uses 1.4. I think that Game Programmers Guide uses 1.4?
My experience: A reasonable knowledge of VB.Net, high school knowledge of mathematics and physics, some database experience but nothing extensive.
Any other relevant info would be most appreciated as well as I don't want to spend ages trying to get into a book only to find that it's out of date, buggy or just plain ole crap :p
#2
Of course there are buggy bits of code as with most coding books, but the main thing about the second edition is it explains everything about the engine and will rip away the dreaded torque learning curve.
If you want to make basic games get the GPGT book
If you want to make games that use all the engines capabilities get the second edition!!!!!!!
06/22/2007 (4:29 am)
I bought the GPGT book and thought it was okay, but its one downfall is that it doesnt teach you everything that is possible with torque while the Second edition of the 3D Game Programming All-in-one does.Of course there are buggy bits of code as with most coding books, but the main thing about the second edition is it explains everything about the engine and will rip away the dreaded torque learning curve.
If you want to make basic games get the GPGT book
If you want to make games that use all the engines capabilities get the second edition!!!!!!!
#3
The 2nd edition was good, but I think I maybe I would have liked the Advanced edition better.
Truth be told, I need to work with TGB and TXG to build up my skills.
06/22/2007 (9:38 am)
Sean- by second edition do you mean the second book, the Advanced edition? I thought the 2nd edition was basically an update of the 1st edition with some new content. The 2nd edition was good, but I think I maybe I would have liked the Advanced edition better.
Truth be told, I need to work with TGB and TXG to build up my skills.
#4
06/25/2007 (9:22 am)
So, any last bits of advice? I've managed to track down First Edition of 3d Game Programming and also a copy of Game programmer's guide to torque. Which one would you recommend if they were only my options?
#5
Get 3DGP as a great tutorial (Advanced if you can only get one), and GPGTT as a great reference/tutorial (with emphasis on reference). JMHO...
06/25/2007 (9:55 am)
David, you can find all these books at Amazon if you can't find them anywhere else. Everyone is right about the Advanced Edition of 3DGP being better than the first edition, but I'm glad I went through both. Though they're basically the same thing with the Advanced being more updated and less buggy, there were small nuances in each that helped.Get 3DGP as a great tutorial (Advanced if you can only get one), and GPGTT as a great reference/tutorial (with emphasis on reference). JMHO...
#6
The "Advanced 3D Game Programming All-in-One" book is not the same as the "3D Game programming All-in-One Second Edition" book. The "3D Game programming All-in-One Second Edition" is the "revised and updated" version of "3D Game programming All-in-One". It can get a little confusing!
You should get "3D Game programming All-in-One Second Edition" to start with and then "Advanced 3D Game Programming All-in-One" when you are ready to learn more advanced AI scripting among other things.
By the way, Ken's new book "Maximum Torque..." should be out in a week or so. Just to add to the confusion!
06/25/2007 (1:20 pm)
FYI:The "Advanced 3D Game Programming All-in-One" book is not the same as the "3D Game programming All-in-One Second Edition" book. The "3D Game programming All-in-One Second Edition" is the "revised and updated" version of "3D Game programming All-in-One". It can get a little confusing!
You should get "3D Game programming All-in-One Second Edition" to start with and then "Advanced 3D Game Programming All-in-One" when you are ready to learn more advanced AI scripting among other things.
By the way, Ken's new book "Maximum Torque..." should be out in a week or so. Just to add to the confusion!
#7
sorry for confusion
06/26/2007 (11:18 am)
Jydog by "the second edition" i meant the revamped version of the first book,sorry for confusion
#8
07/01/2007 (10:16 pm)
I've had both the 1st Edition and 2nd Edition now. I had bought the 1st Edition some time ago and I had to purchase the 2nd Edition for one of my classes at school. The 2nd Edition has 300 more pages.
#9
The 2nd edition uses 1.4 yeah? How well does that work with 1.5 (which I have the demo of)
Is it also of a higher quality than the first edition?
07/01/2007 (11:39 pm)
Is there anywhere that you can pay for the book and download it and the CD online?The 2nd edition uses 1.4 yeah? How well does that work with 1.5 (which I have the demo of)
Is it also of a higher quality than the first edition?
#10
The 2nd edition uses 1.4 yeah? How well does that work with 1.5 (which I have the demo of)
Is it also of a higher quality than the first edition?
07/01/2007 (11:43 pm)
Is there anywhere that you can pay for the book and download it and the CD online?The 2nd edition uses 1.4 yeah? How well does that work with 1.5 (which I have the demo of)
Is it also of a higher quality than the first edition?
#11
if u come across a way to do it give us a shout lads right.
I have stopped trying to find the electronic version because i bought the real book.(paper one)
07/02/2007 (4:08 am)
The book itself is of higher quality and it works with torque 1.5 engine (not demo) relatively easy.I am not too sure about the demo version. The issue of downloading a electronic version. Thats whats i wanted to do too but the closed i got was to a pdf hidden in some website's backlog of adverts and the file itself only had the books contents page. Thats it really.if u come across a way to do it give us a shout lads right.
I have stopped trying to find the electronic version because i bought the real book.(paper one)
#12
07/02/2007 (6:58 am)
How could it work on the 1.5 engine but not the demo? Isn't the engine just the demo + source engine, FPS and Racing starter pack, documentation etc?
#13
07/02/2007 (7:30 am)
How could it work on the 1.5 engine but not the demo? Isn't the engine just the demo + source engine, FPS and Racing starter pack, documentation etc?
#14
07/02/2007 (7:32 am)
How could it work on the 1.5 engine but not the demo? Isn't the engine just the demo + source engine, FPS and Racing starter pack, documentation etc?
#15
07/02/2007 (9:05 am)
I dont know about the demo version because i never tried it.
#16
08/26/2007 (12:12 am)
While it may not have all the pages of the books, http://www.netlibrary.com/ does have both books, and tons of other 3d programming and software books online in pdf format for you to check out for free any time day or night! If you don't have a local library that offers it, I think you can sign up online for free through librarypoint at http://www.librarypoint.org/netlibrary_signup.asp 
Aidsterramma
I do not think I am in the position to recommend anything to you, but I strongly encourage buying the Second Edition of the book, because the name sounds cooler and from what I have heard all around the forums the Second Edition book is better. Think about it this way: First Edition is like a Beta of a game, you are not quite done it, but it is all coming together. Second Edition is working over the First Edition, breaking all the bugs, fixing all the problems, stuff like that.
So, make your decision!