Thomson Course Technology has released
Beginning Math Concepts for Game Developers, which provides point-by-point descriptions of central math topics for game developers.
Written by John P. Flynt, Ph.D., and Boris Meltreger,
Beginning Math Concepts for Game Developers provides hands-on explanations of topics central to beginning math as related to game development. It differs from books that focus solely on math topics, involving readers in extensive programming activities and focusing on creating an understanding of a computer game as a cognitive machine that can be driven almost wholly by table of data generated by math equations.
While it does cover some of the math skills conveyed in the typical math book, it also teaches readers how to think about generating mathematical values and then translating them into the coordinate space of the game or into the event model that maps the activities of the game. It addresses both the use of a graphical engine and the creation of intelligence for a game.
John P. Flynt, Ph.D., works in the software development industry, has taught at colleges and universities, and has authored courses and curricula for several college-level game development programs. His academic background includes work in information technology, the social sciences, and the humanities. Among his works are In the
Mind of a Game,
Simulation and Event Modeling for Game Developers (with co-author Ben Vinson), and
Software Engineering for Game Developers.
Boris Meltreger graduated from a top mathematics and physics high school in Russia. He went on to earn an advanced degree in optical engineering. After completing a dissertation on acoustics and optics, he took up work for the Russian government developing optical computers. He has been the recipient of engineering awards for his work and has owned his own engineering company. Boris has in recent years performed pioneering work in the development of optical technologies for medical applications and currently works as a software engineer.
For more information, visit the
Course PTR website.
