Designing Arcade Computer Game Graphics

Free EBooks - Graphics

In 2000, Ari Feldman wrote a book called Designing Arcade Computer Game Graphics. Unfortunately, it was taken out of print (although copies still might exist in the retail channel). Ari Feldman has been so kind to give us the right to distribute the book electronically. In this way all of you can learn about how to create graphics for your games.

Graphics play a central role in the computer gaming experience, and arcade-style games are no exception. Designing Arcade Computer Game Graphics emphasizes the development of quality graphics for 2D arcade-style computer games, both online and offline, including such topics as game design and documentation, animation, proper color usage, and fonts.

You can download the full book here: Arcade Computer Game Graphics by Ari Feldman (zipped pdf, 4.8 MB)

GPU Gems 1

Free EBooks - Graphics

GPU Gems is a compilation of articles covering practical real-time graphics techniques arising from the research and practice of cutting edge developers. It focuses on the programmable graphics pipeline available in today's graphics processing units (GPUs) and highlights quick and dirty tricks used by leading developers, as well as fundamental, performance-conscious techniques for creating advanced visual effects. The contributors and editors, collectively, bring countless years of experience to enlighten and propel the reader into the fascinating world of programmable real-time graphics. Read...

Graphics Programming Black Book

Free EBooks - Graphics

Michael Abrash's Graphics Programming Black Book is a collection of the author's previous books on assembly language and graphics programming, as well as past columns for Dr. Dobb's magazine. Though much of the book (such as 8088/286/386 assembly language optimization and VGA graphics programming) is out-of-date by now, the reader can see some of the larger tendencies in the author's work over the years--a reliance on profiling in order to test code, and creative thinking to improve performance wherever possible. This text features assembler optimization for a variety of problems including searching algorithms, and records the author's approaches to optimizing code for the evolving line of Intel CPUs, from the 8088 on to the early Pentium lines. The last few chapters of this book are more relevant, and include a series of explorations of some of the technology behind the popular Doom and Quake 3-D games by id Corporation (where the author worked). Optimized solutions to 3-D graphics problems from texture mapping, hidden surface removal, and Binary Space Partitioning (BSP) trees are explained. Current gaming and 3-D technology, such as Direct3D and VRML is left out, but it's clear that game programmers like the author will continue to push the limits of current hardware technology in inventive ways. This book is clearly targeted at game developers and serious assembly language programmers, not for the general reader. More...

ShaderX2: Introductions and Tutorials with DirectX 9.0

Free EBooks - Graphics

ShaderX2: Introductions & Tutorials with DirectX 9 is a collection of articles that provide an introduction to vertex and pixel shader programming using DirectX 9. Nearly a dozen experts in the graphics programming and software engineering fields share their knowledge on a variety of shader programming subjects, including how to integrate shaders written in the High Level Shading Language into your application and how to create shader-friendly 3D models. Other topics discussed are implementing shadow maps and shadow volumes to create realistic-looking shadow effects, using advanced lighting models, adding fog effects to increase a scene’s realism, and unlocking the new features of the pixel and vertex shader 3.0 models. Additionally, facilitating the shader prototyping process using a new shader development tool is addressed. Download here.

ShaderX2: Shader Programming Tips and Tricks with DirectX 9.0

Free EBooks - Graphics

More than 50 authors have contributed their expertise to ShaderX2: Shader Programming Tips & Tricks with DirectX 9. Divided into six sections, this book focuses on a wide array of shader programming topics, including:

* Terrain geomorphing
* Cloth animation using vertex texturing
* Rendering polygonal objects as thick volumes
* Hemisphere lighting
* Rendering volumes using ray tracing
* Water simulations
* Precomputed radiance transfer
* Simulating iridescence and translucency
* Fog effects
* Simulating real-time depth of field
* Implementing soft shadows
* Using effects buffers