The guiding principle in this book is to publish the best available tips for game programming; most of these fit into 10 pages or fewer. But don't let the efficient presentation fool you; almost every one of these tips will be invaluable to any serious game developer.

Early sections concentrate on techniques for creating more maintainable, faster code. A guide to using scripts for data-driven game modules and techniques teaches you better resource management (like using handles). A quick-start tutorial to the Standard Template Library (STL) will help you learn how to use these fast collection classes in your code right away. Several contributors show off strategies for better game debugging and profiling--there's even a set of classes that can provide onscreen feedback during testing.

The mathematical underpinnings that are required to do leading-edge 3-D graphics processing--including the use of quaternions, instead of matrices, in certain calculations--also are discussed. (One section looks at simulating water surfaces.) And artificial intelligence (AI) techniques for games--like Finite State Machines (FSMs), fuzzy logic, and neural networks--are explained. (The extremely cool flocking algorithms, which will let you add the behavior of birds or fish to your next game level, are especially appealing.)

Over 20 techniques for doing work with polygons (a staple of representing 3-D virtual worlds) are laid out, too. You'll learn a variety of important concepts, such as collision detection, working with key frames, better skinning for character animation, and realistic terrain generation (including fractals). A discussion of pixel effects, with some cutting-edge ways to add more realistic lighting and shadows to your games, closes the discussion. (One of the more exciting sections shows you how to simulate glass objects within 3-D scenes.)

With its leading-edge material on the algorithms that are used by the competition, Game Programming Gems will be a virtual must-read for anyone who works in the game industry. With code samples that are geared to OpenGL and that should run on both Windows and Linux, this book will help developers hone their game-programming skills. --Richard Dragan

Topics covered:

• 1. Tips and strategies for game developers
  2. Data-driven design and scripting languages
  3. Object-oriented design primer
  4. Using Visual C++ templates for faster math calculations
  5. Resource-management techniques (Singleton patterns, resource handles, and tips for fast data loads)
  6. The C++ Standard Template Library (STL) for games
  7. Bit arrays
  8. Network protocols for online games
  9. Using asserts and profiling for games
  10. Random numbers
  11. Interpolation methods
  12. Equations for rigid body motion
  13. Using polynomial approximations for trig functions
  14. Implicit Euler integration
  15. Wavelets
  16. Simulating water surfaces
  17. Quaternion vs. matrix calculations
  18. Artificial-intelligence (AI) techniques for gamers
  19. Sending messages
  20. Finite State Machines (FSMs)
      
  21. Game trees
  22. Pathing strategies (including A* and 3-D pathing solutions)
  23. Flocking algorithms
  24. Introduction to fuzzy logic and neural networks
  25. Techniques for faster graphics with polygons (and 3-D fundamentals)
  26. Loading vertices faster into OpenGL
  27. The vector camera
  28. Camera-control strategies
  29. 3-D collision detection
  30. Multiresolution maps
  31. Distance calculation
  32. Object occlusion
  33. Working with octrees
  34. Interpolating between 3-D keyframes
  35. Skinning techniques
  36. Terrain-generation algorithms (including fractals)
  37. 2-D lens flare
  38. 2-D sprite effects with 3-D hardware
  39. Techniques for more realistic lighting
  40. Shadows and texturing
  41. Simulating glass and liquids in games