Course Description:

Direct X is an API that provides an interface to the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). It has been developed by Microsoft and competes with OpenGL API. Most of the gaming engines that are used for programming games have been developed on top of either OpenGL or DirectX. Hence, theoretical and practical knowledge of DirectX or OpenGL is essential for any serious game programmer. This course will provide a game programmer with solid 3D graphics fundamentals using DirectX.

Prerequisites

• Knowledge of C++ is essential for this course
• Knowledge of Windows Programming (Win32 or MFC etc.). The “C++ programming for game developers” course covers Windows programming and is recommended.
• The student should be familiar with mathematical algebra.

Tools

• Microsoft Visual Studio 2008
• DirectX 9.0

COURSE CONTENTS

Preliminary

• Introduction to Microsoft COM (Component Object Model)
• DirectX and COM

 

Introduction to DirectX

• About DirectX
• Installation
• Setting up Visual Studio for DirectX

 

3D graphics fundamentals

• Coordinate System (2D & 3D)
• Left-Handed Coordinate System
• Right-Handed Coordinate System
• Rendering Pipeline
• Hardware vs Software Rendering Pipeline
• Transformation Pipeline

 

3D Graphics math fundamentals

• Vectors
• Matrices
• Homogeneous Coordinates
• Euler Angles
• Transformation Pipeline
• World Matrix
• View Matrix
• Perspective Projection Matrix
• Viewport Mapping

 

Introduction to Direct3D

• Direct3D Device
• Rendering Loop
• First Direct3D program

 

Handling Input using Windows API

• Keyboard event handling
• Mouse event handling

 

Rendering Geometry

• Simple Geometry
• Render States
• Vertex and Index Buffers

 

Viewing and Camera

• Viewing Projection
• Vertex Pipeline
• Camera Models

 

Hidden Object Removal

• Backface Culling
• Bounding Volumes
• Occlusion Culling

 

Alpha Blending

• Blending Equation
• Transparency

 

Anti-Aliasing

• Primitive Anti-Aliasing
• Global anti-aliasing

 

Lighting & Material

• Lighting Models
• Light Sources
• Shading Models
• Materials

 

Texture Mapping Basics

• Introduction to Texture mapping
• Loading Textures
• Texture transformation
• Filtering
• Texture formats and compression

 

Texture Mapping Advanced

• Multipass Rendering
• Multitexturing
• Blending
• Mip Maps

 

Font & Text

• Textured Fonts
• Direct3D Fonts

 

Timers and basic Animation

• Simple Windows Timer
• Precision Timers
• Animating Sprites

 

Shaders

• Introduction to programmable pipeline
• Structure of shaders in DirectX
• Vertex Shaders
• Fragments Shaders
• Lighting
• Geometry Shaders