Checkout the latest books on game development here
Game programming is a part of Game Development which involves developing software of video games. Although many novices undertake game programming as a hobby, it is often regarded as a high-level software development activity, carried out by professional programmers.
In today’s times, the career of a game programmer/developer has become quite popular owing to the increased demand for programmers in almost all of the video game companies. Game programming is a very secure career choice as nearly every business works on the principles of programming.
Additionally, programming is not an easy job, hence not many people venture into this arena which leaves a lot of scope for excellent job opportunities. Due to a dearth of game programmers within the industry, the pay packages are extremely competitive.
Although, all these positives might sound good to the ears but becoming a game programmer does
require a lot of hard work and dedication. However, if you know the right place to start your quest, it will be a cakewalk for you.
If you are a game programming aspirant, you cannot excel without the help of the below-given books:
Game Engine Architecture
The book on Game Engine Architecture which covers each and every system of the modern game engines along with the detailing of inter-system interactions.
Regardless of whether you are an experienced programmer or a modest beginner, you will easily understand the subject matter.
The biggest benefits of the book are a mature style of writing, a clear description of all the functional blocks, different ways in which an engine can implement a given feature and the interaction between different blocks of a game engine.
Programming Game AI
The book on programming AI which breaks complex topics into simpler, easy to understand forms. The various concepts are explained in a logical, step-by-step manner, which makes perfect sense even to a beginner. The book contains well described, thorough and real working examples which can be plugged right into a game. The best part about the book is that it gives out all the secrets of AI programming, with a modern and efficient code along with techniques that are relevant in today’s world.
Mathematics For 3D Game Programming And Computer Graphics
The book on 3D mathematics which will act as an excellent reference for those who are working on computer graphics and 3D programming.
This book comes along with a companion website containing GLSL and C++ shader codes. In order to reinforce the subject matter, each chapter has a practice exercise (along with the answer key). The book will take you through all the important mathematical concepts of 3D programming like matrix, vectors, basic geometry, ray tracing, curve algorithms and the like. However, in order to make the best possible use of this book, you must have some basic knowledge of math.
Game Coding Complete
A comprehensive book on game coding which acts as a journeyman’s book for game programmers by complementing the knowledge gained through introductory texts and broadening the horizon of knowledge by introducing more advanced topics.
The best part about the book is that it covers all those topics which are normally left out by some other books like memory management and pointers, debugging, scripting, scheduling and testing and so on. In addition to this, the author has also maintained an active website to support the book and its readers.
Artificial Intelligence For Games
The book on Gaming artificial intelligence provides you with a refreshing account of artificial intelligence knowledge in the area of game development. The book contains all the information that is necessary for a reader to create an implementation on his own.
Without getting into quick and dirty implementation techniques, the book will take you through an idealized design approach so that you can master the art of game development.
The Art Of Game Design: A Book Of Lenses
A comprehensive book on game designing offers the most practical approach to game development. The book will carry you through some gems of game psychology which will add a fresh perspective to your way of thinking.
Additionally, it will also make you aware of some facets of personal communication and the mistakes that professional game designers most often make.
All in all, it is a well-presented book with modest and easy to understand illustrations and examples.
Level Up!: The Guide To Great Video Game Design
A guide on designing great video games is a must have for any aspiring game developer. Among all the available books on game designing, this one definitely stands out.
The author not only possesses complete knowledge about game development but has also been a part of this industry for several years. The information is presented in an easy to understand and fun manner, with little drawings explaining a point more clearly than written text.
An ideally suitable book for novices as well as advanced programmers.
Game programming gives you an opportunity to carve out a career in a field that you enjoy. Also, since programming requires putting in long hours of work, the more you enjoy your work, the more efficient you will be. And, if you know where to look out for the information that you require, you can definitely be a huge success within this arena.
Hello! Sorry to bother, I know this is an old post, but I'm kind of desperate. I live in a rural city that doesn't really appreciate the art that is to play and make videogames. And of course there is no way I can learn to make videogames other than the internet and books I can buy from the internet. I've already got Scot Roger's Level up! and I want to learn more about making videogame engines so the real question is: Should I get Game Engine Architecture right now or should I wait for the new edition coming on July 8 of this year?
Also, I don't have a lot of money, and since I live outside USA, buying books from Amazon can get really expensive. So, if I already own level up! and am planning to buy Game Engine Architecture, What book do you recommend I get next? I was thinking The Art Of Game Design: A Book Of Lenses. Sorry for the really long ass question. I don't want to be a bother. 🙁
Ivan, Thanks for your comment. I am glad this post is helping you. Please email me from our contact form and I can suggest you some more useful resources that can help you learn further.
When John saw my bookshelf filled with game development books, he suggested that I write a blog post about them. At first, this seemed like a daunting task — there are a lot of books, and different books are useful for different people. Which ones should I talk about first? However, after looking through them some more, I realized that I have two books that I can recommend to everyone: Rules of Play and Game Engine Architecture.Rules of Play:Rules of Play presents a theoretical framework that includes all games, from hopscotch to Deus Ex. The authors discuss (in great detail) important questions about what games are, why we play them, and how they interact with the rest of our lives. I found this book really helped me to take a step back and see the broader perspective of what games can be. It's really easy to get caught up in current trends, like realistic shooters and retro platformers, and lose sight of all the other options!This book is very long and academic, and much more about theory than practice, so don't pick it up if that's not what you're looking for. However, if you're interested in a strong and broad theoretical game design background, this is a great resource!Game Engine Architecture:Game Engine Architecture is a great complement to Rules of Play — it is all about practice and not about theory. It presents a technical overview of every element of modern game engine design, including memory management, asset pipelines and multithreading. There are many books on this subject, but this one is the most modern and comprehensive that I have seen. It was written by a programmer who really knows what he is talking about, having worked on AAA projects from Hydro Thunder to Uncharted 2.With such a broad scope, it's written at a fairly high level, so it won't walk you through the implementation details of every individual feature. However, it's a great way to compare what you are doing to what the huge studios are doing, and make sure you aren't missing anything important.James D.