From the Publisher
Mathematics and Physics for Programmers
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(tm) 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).