The Virtual Bookcase Reviews of 'Mathematics and Physics for Programmers':
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Book description:
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™ 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).About the AuthorDanny Kodicek is a graduate of Cambridge University. He works as a freelance programmer and multimedia developer specializing in Web sites and games. Some of his previous clients include the BBC and the Royal Air Force. He is also the director of Wellspring Interactive, Ltd., and co-creator of the award-winning TimeHunt Web site.
