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.
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.
AdviceWe 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. |