office hours: Mon 2 3, Thu 1 2, Fri 12 1. Lectures

1
Games FundamentalsIntroduction

• Jarek Francik
• Kingston University
• 2 February 2007
• 1 February 2008
• 6 February 2009
• 5 February 2010
• 4 February 2011

2
Outline

• Facts
• Games Fundamentals what is it about?
• Why not Flash?
• Why C?
• Why Mathematics?
• Why Physics?
• Outline
• Helicopter

3
Facts

• Dr Jaroslaw (Jarek) Francik Yarekjarek_at_kingston
  .ac.ukoffice SB 318office hours Thu 2 3,
  Fri 10-11
• Dr Vasilis Arguriouvasilis.argyriou_at_kingston.ac.u
  k office SB 106office hours t.b.a.
• HelpersMr. Ali AlinejadMr. Joshua Mee Mr.
  Alex RobsinsonMr. Jan Wilk

4
Facts

• Lectures Workshops Fri 12 4 pm SB 124/127
• 2 hrs lecture 2 hrs workshop, flexible1 hour
  lunch break in the middle

5
Games Fundamentals

• Essential background in applied mathematics...
• ...and physics
• for Games Developers
• Strong focus on practical engineering aspects
• Taught by example real problems typically
  encountered during games development process

6
Module Goals, Learning Outcomes, Indicative
Curriculum

• see Module Guide...

7
Core Text

• Wendy Stahler, Fundamentals of Math and Physics
  for Game Programmers, Pearson Prentice Hall 2006

8
Core Text

• Michael Dawson, Beginning C through game
  programming, Cengage Learning 2010

9
Supplementary Reading Mathematics

• John Flynt and Boris Meltreger, Beginning Math
  Concepts for Game Developers, Thomson Course
  Technology 2006.
• Christopher Tremblay, Mathematics for Game
  Developers, Thomson Course Technology 2004
• James M. Van Verth, Lars M. Bishop, Essential
  Mathematics for Games Interactive Applications.
  A Programmers Guide, Morgan Kaufmann, 2004

10
Supplementary Reading Physics

• Ian Millington, Game Physics Engine Development
  How to Build a Robust Commercial-Grade Physics
  Engine for your Game. 2nd edition, Morgan
  Kaufmann 2010.
• David M. Bourg, Physics for Game Developers,
  OReilly 2002
• David H. Eberly, Game Physcis, Morgan Kaufmann,
  2004

11
Supplementary Reading Programming

• Erik Yuzwa, François D. Laramée, Learn C by
  Making Games. Charles River Media 2007
• Bjarne Stroustrup, The C Programming Language
  (any edition).

12
Assessment

• coursework 50
• examination 50

13
Why not Flash?

• Flash is excellent for small games
• Flash is good for Internet games
• No serious big game is written in Flash
• Large-scale project need professional approach to
  programming, not just a scripting
• C
• Java

14
Games in Java? Java in Games?

• Java is too slow for games programming
• Java has memory leaks
• Java is too high-level
• Java application instalation is a nightmare
• Java isnt supported on games consoles
• No one uses Java to write real games
• Sun isnt interested in supporting Java gaming

15
Games in Java? Java in Games?

• Java is too slow for games programming
• Java has memory leaks
• Java is too high-level
• Java application instalation is a nightmare
• Java isnt supported on games consoles
• No one uses Java to write real games
• Sun isnt interested in supporting Java gaming

MYTHS
16
Games in Java? Java in Games?

• Java is too slow for games programming
• True in 1996.
• JDK 1.0 was 20 40 times slower than C
• J2SE 5.0 is typically 1.1 times slower
• Bottleneck is somewhere else (3D hardware, the
  net)
• Java has memory leaks
• Java is too high-level
• Java application instalation is a nightmare
• Java isnt supported on games consoles

17
Games in Java? Java in Games?

• Java is too slow for games programming
• Java has memory leaks
• garbage collection
• Java is too high-level
• Java application instalation is a nightmare
• Java isnt supported on games consoles
• No one uses Java to write real games
• Sun isnt interested in supporting Java gaming

18
Games in Java? Java in Games?

• Java is too slow for games programming
• Java has memory leaks
• Java is too high-level
• J2SE 1.4 full-screen exclusive mode (FSEM)
• JNI Java Native Interface
• JInput Game Controller API
• until DOOM it was C/C what was considered too
  high level
• Java application instalation is a nightmare
• Java isnt supported on games consoles

19
Games in Java? Java in Games?

• Java is too slow for games programming
• Java has memory leaks
• Java is too high-level
• Java application instalation is a nightmare
• just use a good installation software (install4j)
• code bloat (eg. JRE 15 MB) but...
• which of modern games is less than, say, 600MB?
• Java isnt supported on games consoles
• No one uses Java to write real games

20
Games in Java? Java in Games?

• Java is too slow for games programming
• Java has memory leaks
• Java is too high-level
• Java application instalation is a nightmare
• Java isnt supported on games consoles
• well, this one is (still) true...
• rumours on porting JVM to PS2 nothing released
• No one uses Java to write real games
• Sun isnt interested in supporting Java gaming

21
Games in Java? Java in Games?
Puzzle Pirates Chrome Law and Order II Kingdom of
Wars Alien Flux Runescape Star Wars Galaxies

• Java is too slow for games programming
• Java has memory leaks
• Java is too high-level
• Java application instalation is a nightmare
• Java isnt supported on games consoles
• No one uses Java to write real games
• Sun isnt interested in supporting Java gaming

22
Games in Java? Java in Games?
MOBILE GAMES

• Java is too slow for games programming
• Java has memory leaks
• Java is too high-level
• Java application instalation is a nightmare
• Java isnt supported on games consoles
• No one uses Java to write real games
• Sun isnt interested in supporting Java gaming

23
Games in Java? Java in Games?

• Java isnt supported on games consoles
• No one uses Java to write real games
• Sun isnt interested in supporting Java gaming
• full-scren mode
• faster I/O, memory mapping
• nanosecond timers (v. 5.0)
• Java 3D
• Java Media Framework
• Java Communications API
• Java Games Profile

24
Why not C?

• Java is better for education
• CISM policy
• anyway you are strongly advised to learn C
• which is widely used in industry
• C
• On-line Games
• Java

25
Why not C?

• Java is better for education
• CISM policy
• anyway you are strongly advised to learn C
• which is widely used in industry
• C
• On-line Games
• Java

fortunately, I dont have to answer this question
now...
26
Why Mathematics?

• Geometry a tool for drawing graphical elements
  in 2D and 3D
• Calculations make the player experience more
  life-like
• eg. rules of perspective
• 3D animation

27
Why Physics?

• fall down accelerate hit go
• throw break fly
• ride rotate dig
• swim shoot
• aim strike bounce
• drive catch
• explode reflect jump
• run kick sail

28
Outline

• Introductory Lecture (this one)
• C Basics Introducing Your Game Engine
• Maths Basics
• Thales Theorem and Perspective in 3D
• Roll and Fall Playing with the Laws of Motion
• Collisions, Momentum and Energy
• Resistance and Mechanics of Cars
• Explosions
• Physics Engine
• Physics of Rotational Motion

29
Demo Applying Physics to Helicopter