All you programmers out there...

Mantle2600 · 05-04-2003, 11:43 PM

Like most people, ive made alot of bad choices in my life, the worst being to decide to skip high school, literally, i never stepped foot in one. But my dream, other than sports related, is to pogram video games for a living. However, being that i never went to high school, i missed alot of math subjects and such. Theres this school i want to eventually go to in Orlando, Full Sail, but I obviously gotta learn a good amount of math to program. So my question is, what specific kinds of math do I need to best succeed in programming, or at least get my feet wet?

korme · 05-05-2003, 12:04 AM

To take Visual Basic at my High School you need to have a C or better in Algebra I, I believe. So, Algebra is probably a good start.

klayman · 05-05-2003, 02:19 AM

You'll eventually need to learn linear algebra and single variable calculus, at the very least, I would think. You would definitely need those for any 3d graphics for games, and you would probably want to add in multi-variable calculus and introductory physics. Discrete math would also be very helpful in any type of programming courses you would take. All the advice I've heard from programmers is that they wish they took more math in school, so I've been taking as much math as I could.

Marc Vaughan · 05-05-2003, 06:28 AM

What math is required depends a lot on the area in which you want to specialise ...

In computing generally you'll need a reasonable aptitude for math,and good knowledge of Algebra etc.

Specialist knowledge is only really required in you're planning on going into a particular area.

For example (very crude examples bear in mind):

3D Graphics - Vectors
Physics Simulation - Decent physics background

cuervo72 · 05-05-2003, 08:56 AM

I would think for some types of games (simulations?) a couple of courses in statistics might be useful.

Programming for an intranet, I haven't needed much math at all, but that is a different beast from game programming. Funny too, considering I had Calc I-III, Linear Algebra, DiffEq, Analysis I & II, and remember basically none of it :-)

Bonegavel · 05-05-2003, 01:34 PM

It's nice to see actual game programmers like Marc reply regarding this stuff (no offense to anyone else). As a full-time programmer wannabe, it is nice to have access (albeit limited) to those in "the know."

Marc, any chance of you "genericising" the CM4 engine and licensing it for those of us with grand ideas, decent programming knowledge, and yet a lack of ability to create the type of simulation engine needed to make a professional title?

05-05-2003, 08:56 AM	#5
cuervo72 Head Coach Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Maryland	I would think for some types of games (simulations?) a couple of courses in statistics might be useful. Programming for an intranet, I haven't needed much math at all, but that is a different beast from game programming. Funny too, considering I had Calc I-III, Linear Algebra, DiffEq, Analysis I & II, and remember basically none of it :-) __________________ null

05-05-2003, 01:34 PM	#6
Bonegavel Awaiting Further Instructions... Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Macungie, PA	It's nice to see actual game programmers like Marc reply regarding this stuff (no offense to anyone else). As a full-time programmer wannabe, it is nice to have access (albeit limited) to those in "the know." Marc, any chance of you "genericising" the CM4 engine and licensing it for those of us with grand ideas, decent programming knowledge, and yet a lack of ability to create the type of simulation engine needed to make a professional title? __________________

05-05-2003, 12:04 AM	#2
korme Go Reds Join Date: May 2001 Location: Bloodbuzz Ohio	To take Visual Basic at my High School you need to have a C or better in Algebra I, I believe. So, Algebra is probably a good start.

05-05-2003, 02:19 AM	#3
klayman College Benchwarmer Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Edmonton	You'll eventually need to learn linear algebra and single variable calculus, at the very least, I would think. You would definitely need those for any 3d graphics for games, and you would probably want to add in multi-variable calculus and introductory physics. Discrete math would also be very helpful in any type of programming courses you would take. All the advice I've heard from programmers is that they wish they took more math in school, so I've been taking as much math as I could.

05-05-2003, 06:28 AM	#4
Marc Vaughan SI Games Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Melbourne, FL	What math is required depends a lot on the area in which you want to specialise ... In computing generally you'll need a reasonable aptitude for math,and good knowledge of Algebra etc. Specialist knowledge is only really required in you're planning on going into a particular area. For example (very crude examples bear in mind): 3D Graphics - Vectors Physics Simulation - Decent physics background

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