| Math is a fundamental part of any game developer’s programming arsenal.Without a strong understanding of math, you can easily waste days solving a problem in a game that, in reality, is as simple as 1-2-3. If you’re considering programming a game that is even slightly complicated, you must realize that it is crucial to first master some basic concepts such as matrices and vectors.
This book is designed specifically for the game developer, not the mathematician. Most game programmers interested in learning about the math behind their work have two options:
■ They can read a “true” math book—that is, a book that is geared for mathematicians. The problem with reading this type of book is that they not only tend to delve so deeply into each equation, losing you in the process, but they also provide you with no means to understand the material. ■ They can read a “plug-and-play” book, which tend to present a glut of equations without showing how everything fits together.
This book falls somewhere in the middle. It clarifies how mathematical ideas fit together and apply to game programming, and includes only those proofs that help elucidate useful math concepts. Unlike most math books—including many math books for game programmers— this book is concerned less with why it works (for example, proving that one plus one equals two) as with how it works and what that implies.
One way this book simplifies key mathematical concepts is by providing examples. Another is by leveraging software to help solve algebraic equations. Instead of showing 200 ways to integrate a function or providing pages and pages of integral tables, this book recognizes that you simply need to understand the idea behind the operation and why the operation works. |