Beginning OpenGL Game Programming

Beginning OpenGL Game Programming provides new game programmers with a complete introduction to 3D game programming using OpenGL. All of the basic elements of OpenGL as it applies to game development are covered. You will learn how to apply these elements to games. The material is designed to be completely accessible to beginners, with complete but concise coverage to ensure the highest value.

User review
Could use some more motivation
Beginning OpenGL Game Programming is hardly what the title leads one to believe - an introductory book into game development. I initially chose this book as I enjoyed a book by the same publisher - Beginning C++ Game Programming, but was somewhat disappointed in this selection. I don't know where to begin,,.initially it took some time to tweak the samples just to get them to run. And then there's the fact that the samples are tied heavily to Windows programming even though the author fails to provide adequate coverage on this topic. His quote sums it up - `We are not going to go into the details of the Windows messaging system, as any good Windows programming book will do for you,,,,` Moreover, the book fails to motivate the potential game developer. Halfway through the book, I'm still wandering how most of these code snippets can turn around into re-usable samples for my own game ideas. This of course only leads to further de-motivation which is why I'm moving on to another mentor.

User review
book is not for begenners
this book is not for begenners most examples wont compile unless you do some extream unmentioned tweeking to the compiler varables.

there idea of the simpleist example is 3 files uncommented undocumented code and they dont explane anything about what they did.

there are many free resouces online far better than this book im sorry i bought it.
its not the first book ive gotten of this serise they all appear to be cheep gimmics better than some ive seen but in general there not for begenners and they realy arnt a great refrence.


I am a experenced C/C++ MySQL HTML php ASM programmer Ive worked on a mmo server project as well as many massivly netowrked and heavy algarithm based projects.

User review
Beginner in OpenGL
Hey guys, I am indeed a starter in programming. I have some knowledge of c++ and getting this book was a good thing. Right now I am still in the middle of it and this book is quite interesting. With this book, soon I will be able to do my own little games in openGL that I have been waiting to do for ever. :)

User review
Generally good for covering basics
I am not done reading this book yet, but so far, it has been interesting and insightful. The chapters are just about the right size to work through on the weekends.

User review
Admitted buyers remorse
There is nothing fundamentally wrong with this book. As a few of the other commenters have already pointed out, it's a window focused book. Had I actually done my research more thoroughly on my ubuntu box, I would have seen that and gone for Game Programming All in One, Third Edition instead which is by the same author and uses the platform independent Allegro library. Again, nothing implicitly wrong with this book, just not necessarily for me.