DirectX SDK Support

Microsoft’s official DirectX SDK can be downloaded from http://msdn.microsoft.com/directx/sdk. The current version at the time of this writing is 9.21.1148, dated November 2007. However, we are not using Direct3D 10—this book does not venture beyond Direct3D 9. If you are using Dev-C++, you do not need Microsoft’s DirectX SDK, only the runtime.

Advice

Direct3D is the only DirectX component that has been updated to version 10. None of the other components (DirectSound, DirectInput, and so on) has changed much (if at all) since around 2004. All this means is that DirectInput does what it needs to do just fine and needs no new updates, just as DirectSound supports high-definition audio systems and 3D positional sound without needing to be updated further. However, Direct3D is updated regularly to keep up with the latest graphics hardware.


I recommend you use an older version of DirectX, even if you’re using Visual C++. Although the November 2007 and future releases may work, there is no guarantee, as Microsoft is not dedicated to preserving backwards compatibility. For instance, the October 2006 release is a good one that I use most often (and this is the version provided on the CD). Just remember this advice when it comes to game development—the latest and greatest tools are not always preferable for every game project.

Advice

We do not study the basics of DirectX in this advanced book. If you have never written a line of DirectX code in your life, then you will need a crash course first. I recommend Beginning Game Programming, 2nd Edition (Course Technology, 2006), which will teach you all of the basics at a very slow pace. The first four chapters cover Windows programming before even getting into DirectX, and only ambient lighting is covered to keep the examples simple for beginners.


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