Frequently Asked Questions
These demos were written in 1995 using Direct3D "Retained Mode" -- a technology that Microsoft has long since dropped.
If you have questions that aren't addressed on the page, or suggestions for improving this page, don't hesitate to write.
Q: Where are the ddraw.h and d3d.h files?
A: DirectX comes in two portions: the runtime portion, and the SDK. The runtime portion is necessary to run DirectX based programs while the SDK provides the files necessary to compile DirectX programs. The runtime portion for DirectX 3 is included on the book's CD-ROM, but the SDK is not. The SDK is, however, available for download from the Microsoft web site. It's available in different packages, the largest of which is about 128 megabytes, so downloading can be -- cumbersome. For about $10, Microsoft will send you the latest version on CD.
Q: Why doesn't the AppWizard work with Visual C++ 5.x/6.x?
A: Cutting-Edge Direct3D was published in 1996, making it (in software years) ancient. The original AppWizard was written with Visual C++ 4.0, and does not work with Visual C++ 5.0 or 6.0. You can use the original AppWizard, either by recompiling the AppWizard source code (which is included on the book CD) using VC 5.0 or 6.0, or by downloading a copy from the AppWizard page.
Q: Why doesn't the book include demos which feature indoor environments (as in a 1st person game like Quake)?
A: Writing a 1st person 3D engine is a big topic, and attempting to write one in Direct3D Retained Mode would be disappointing. Direct3D Immediate Mode is better suited for this task.
Still have questions? stan@rezio.net