sbdev - Frequently Asked Questions

3D Programming Demos and Tutorials

Q: What is the purpose of this website and who runs it?

A: The purpose of the site is to generate interest in my work. It is also helpful when I get feedback (whether general or technical) on my projects, so feel free to tell me what you think. The content of the site is all my own, I code the demos, write the tutorials and design the site.

Q: What are the requirements for running your demos?

A: Firstly you will need DirectX 9 or higher, the programs will not work without it. The Direct3D programs need a 3D accelerator card. The programs should work on Windows 98, Windows ME and Windows XP but have not been tested on Windows 2000.

You can download Direct X 9 from here.

Q: I can't get some of the programs to work, what can I try?

A: If you encounter problems check you have DirectX 9 and also check you have up to date drivers for your video card. Also each program includes a readme.txt file, so look for specific instructions and troubleshooting advice in there. Failing that try e-mailing me, I may be able to help.

Q: Is the source code available for any of the demos?

A: The source code is not available, so please do not ask for it.

Q: When will further tutorials be added?

A: The only answer to this is they'll be added when they are done. It's just a case of finding time to write them.

Q: What system do you develop with?

A: My system is currently-

Asus A8N5X Motherboard (NForce 4 chipset)
AMD Athlon 4000+ San Diego Socket 939 (with Arctic Cooling Freezer 64 Pro)
Thermaltake Tsunami Dream Case (with dual 12 cm fans and Vantec fan controller)
Connect3D ATI Radeon X1800 XT 256 MB (with Zalman VF900)
2 GB DDR400 OCZ EL Platinum DRAM
Western Digital 250 GB SATA 7200 rpm HDD
SoundBlaster Audigy 2 ZS
Pioneer DVD+/-R/WR Drive
Microsoft Intellimouse Optical
Logitech Internet Navigator Keyboard
Eltax Monitor 3 speakers with Sonic Impact t-amp
Dell 2007WFP 20" TFT and Samsung 172T 17" TFT

Windows XP Pro SP2
Visual C++ 6 Professional Edition
DirectX 9 SDK

Q: What books have you found useful?

A: If you are interested in software 3D programming, I have found these books extremely helpful -

Building a 3D Game Engine in C++ by Brian Hook (ISBN: 0-471-12326-9).
Black Art of 3D Game Programming by Andre Lamothe (ISBN: 1-57169-004-2).
Focus on 3D Terrain Programming by Trent Polack (ISBN: 1-59200-028-2)

If you are interested in general DirectX programming, this book is useful, although it does not cover Direct3D -

Tricks of the Windows Game Programming Gurus by Andre Lamothe (ISBN: 0-672-31361-8)

I haven't yet found any useful Direct3D books, and long since stopped buying them. Everything you need to learn Direct3D is in the DirectX SDK, which you can download from the Microsoft website.

Q: What sort of games do you enjoy yourself?

A: My favourite games are System Shock 2, Thief and Thief 2.