Game Programming Algorithms and Techniques: A Platform-Agnostic Approach (Game Design)

It’s a beautiful textbook and really helps solidify foundational concepts.

Game Programming Algorithms and Techniques is one of those books that tries to be as general as possible, and I believe the author was successful in that. Too many books target one specific piece of software or even one particular version of a framework and end up becoming dated rather quick. However, the core ideas in game development have not fundamentally changed in a while. Sure graphics get better, and there are more complexities to working with modern hardware, but the programming algorithms themselves are still very much the same.Sanjay Madhav starts the book with an overview of some classic games, how a game loop works, handling timing in games, and the idea of game objects. Next he discusses 2D games, sprites, scrolling, and tile maps. There is a quick chapter on linear algebra. Then the author continues with a treatment of 3D graphics, including coordinate spaces, lighting and shading, visibility and transformation. Handling input is covered as is sound. There is a chapter on physics, which I much appreciated, and then some quick coverage of cameras, artificial intelligence, user interface, scripting, and networking. Finally, the book closes with two example projects.The author does a great job of explaining complex concepts in easy to understand language, especially in the math and physics chapters, which could be confusing otherwise. One of the pieces that I gained a lot from was the explanation of mouse picking 3D objects, which was described beautifully and made a lot of sense. The chapter on scripting languages was also helpful and relevant.Overall I enjoyed the book, and think it would be helpful to beginning programmers, or experienced coders in other fields looking to get into game development. I feel that for intermediate to advanced game programmers, much of this book will be a review. Not to knock the book for that, though, I think it’s a great book if you understand the audience it’s aiming for. I mean, there were even a few bits of information that were new to me, however much of the book was about stuff I’ve seen before.That said, I do like to read texts of various levels, and even beginner books can help you look at familiar problems in new ways. So I think it’s very much worth reading, especially if you are just starting out in game development.

When I ordered this book, I expected to receive another thick tome, typical of programming books. I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered how much less intimidating Madhav's book is; I was amazed at how thorough his coverage of the topics on game development were; and I found his writing style enjoyable and easy to understand. It is remarkable how he explains difficult and erudite topics with ease and simplicity; and, in truth, the pseudo-code he presents is far more readable, applicable, useful, and educational than actual code.His "platform-agnostic approach" is not a gimmick: he teaches the fundamentals of game programming at a high level, yet devotes enough attention to different platforms that require unique considerations. If you're looking to develop for PC, mobile, or console in 2D or 3D: this book has it all.His professional experience really shows in many cases (far more so than other run-of-the-mill game development books) where he addresses ways in which to increase workflow and productivity as well as source-control and sub-versioning for development teams.This is definitely more of an introductory book than an advanced one, make no mistake. Madhav admits: "a seasoned game developer may not find that much in the way of new information in this book."There are some subjects that he doesn't mention regarding game development, but this is because his book is primarily focused on (as the title states) "Algorithms and Techniques." That being said, don't expect something like Jason Gregory's "Game Engine Architecture." But because it doesn't try to cover every detail and aspect of development, it benefits by being much better organized and educational.I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking to become a game programmer; and although many of the topics are at a college-level, a high school student will find this book informative and inspiring--Madhav certainly does a great job presenting some complex topics and provides two games for readers to build and expand upon, both of which have source code to download online.As good as this book is, personally, I would like to see another book from him that covers a completely different set of game development topics--or perhaps more advanced ones. It is clear he enjoys teaching, and readers will enjoy learning from him.

This books primary target is people new to or at a beginning level of game programming; however, intermediate and even advanced people would benefit from having this on hand as a resource to go back to. It has a good structure that allows a new programmer to learn the fundamentals and build upon that or a more experienced person to read about specific topics.It's packed with a lot of information, concepts, and examples. One of its strong points is how applicable the material it presents is. Everything is implementable for your own game projects. It also includes tips and best practices that only someone with years of experience in the game industry would know. This book will put you on the fast-track to being a better game programmer. This book is better than books that get bogged down in the nitty-gritty, but if that's what you're looking for you can look at the Demos. You get the best of both worlds.The author, Sanjay Madhav, is The Game Programming Professor at the University of Southern California's #1 Ranking USC Games program. He has been teaching for years and you can tell he is adept at explaining concepts and providing examples. Hundreds of his students have gone on to become successful game programmers and you can benefit from his experience, just like his students have, by buying this book. I highly recommend this book.

I can not express how good the content of the book is, its well written and a good way to refresh or learn the knowledge needed for core games development. Only bad thing about it is that my copy is bound backwards, its obviously bound in 2 parts (chapters 1-7 and 8-13) and my copy was put in backwards so starts at 8 and finishes at 7. Was a little unnerving to start with but is usable as is just not what I was expecting especially for a £30 book. Dont let that put you off though as this is a brilliant place to start or refresh your knowledge and if it was just the content it would be a 5 Star .

Personally I loved this book. Instead of many books which are simply a follow guide of how to build a game, this one gives you a thorough understanding of WHY particular algortihms and techniques are used and HOW they work, giving you many practical examples. It has also review questions at the end of each chapter with answers to make sure you have thoroughly understood the topics. Recommended for any budding games programmer.

Was expecting more than what was in here, but for seasoned C like language users it is very handy!

As for me, this book is too general, it is more like a popular science book than strictly technical one.

I was looking for an introductory book on the common algorithms in game programming.The approach of this book is something really interesting but sometimes it lacks the focus on the main concepts by simply saying - it's something not covered here, and that's all.Good as an introduction for really inexperienced game developer, each chapter covers some key arguments but it never goes deeply inside.You'll need for sure something else to satisfy all the open questions remained after the read.