o.K. So I was a business/marketing major and did it for a while but I have dabbled in programming here and there for a while so I decided to get a bachelors in computer science with a focus on game development. Well mannnnn the math is insanity lol does the knowledge of math have to be this deep for game dev? I mean is software/game development really this dependent on math? I always thought the more financial aspect would be more math orientated but I have already taken 4 pr 5 math classes and barely squeeked by, I hate math so just curious from you programmers is everything really this math intensive especially in game development? And if so is there any books or etc you recommend to make someone better at it?
I can attest to the fact that math is very important in computer programming, but keep in mind that some math used in computer programming is much different than anything that you will learn in high-school. If you are just working on a simple PVP shooter, you can probably get by with just high-school math knowledge, but if you are diving into things like calculating trajectories for a robot, then you’ll need to learn some more advanced math (Vector math, etc…)
I am more just curious about the math level. I thought that the engines cut a lot of the math out. and I am still not sure I understand why math is so heavy in computer science as I do not get where it really fits into it other then the financial area or building your own engine. that is what is all confusing me.
Hmm, yes and no… When I was building engines, math of course was at the very core for shaders, matrix calculations, setting up quaternion references, vector references, VBO, Lighting… But even then, I built a math library and just referenced it for various calculations. I didn’t try and do the base calculations every time I decided I wanted something to happen. The math core (base confusing calcs) was a need to know once basis and forget about it from there on out.!
Most of this is abstracted in a pre-made engine, sure there is no escaping the fundamentals… You need to know what linear interpolation does, you need to know how to manipulate quaternions and you should understand how transforms / vectors / bool’s / int’s / floats / doubles yada yada yada works. But you don’t exactly have to be a math geek or really deeply know most of it…
Here, check out how a basic game engine is made:
There’s nothing here that blows the mind…
Yall are killing me lol , Do any of you have any recommendations of where I can build up my knowledge of math? I hear mixed reviews about the khan academy so I do not know if its good or not.
Seriously? Then im using it bro i just didnt know anyone who used it and could only rely on articles now that you cosign it im goibg to use it