Rampidbyter Rampid byter: A byte of my .Net developing life.

I just finished reading the collection of short stories bundled in the book ‘The Living Dead.’ Considering all the books i normally read are technical in nature i bought this book as something to skim in my off time. I bought it really on a whim at Borders while passing through the horror section on my way to checkout with my ‘Dirty Japanese Sayings’ book (that’s a whole other story.) I saw this book and for whatever reason picked it up and headed up to the counter. I guess there is something to be said for disposable income when i can just grab whatever tickles my fancy, but I've always valued reading even if it’s about zombies. So i figured it would at least be something i could hook into when i was bored.

Well, i started reading the first few pages after i got the book home. I became so enthralled by the stories that i couldn’t seem to put it down, and actually found the .Net 3.5 book i’ve been reading was the one that got shelved till i finished this new book. The book is absolutely fantastic because the stories don’t build on each other but present zombies in about every aspect you can image. Zombies are portrayed as being servants, work tools, physical representation of our actions/inactions, carefree simpletons, and of course the mindless killing machines we often imagine upon hearing the the word zombie.

Each story is as different as the next so you’re never reading the same type of story one after the other. Each story is as varied as the authors who pinned them. If you’re into reading stories of zombies then the obvious choice is to pick up this book and add it to your collection. Even if you’re not that into zombies i’d highly recommend this book simply to see the full gambit that zombies are portrayed. I do have to say that some of the stories have a sexual connotation so do at least make sure the reader is at least of age to read this collection.

I started reading the Beginning .Net Game Programming in C# book recently as part of what I’ll describe as a robot-information gathering session. I’m trying to learn as much as possible on game AI that will help me in understanding how to program a robot that is able to understand its environment. I will say that I’ve gotten about two chapters into this book, and I’ve already started to form the opinion that while the author has an understanding of the material they’re cocky pricks. Here is an excert from a paragraph from chapter 1:

“If you think this is too much math, this is probably the place where you should take this book back and take up something less mathematically demanding, like nuclear physics! Honestly, we can’t overemphasize how important math is when it comes to computer games. . . . “

I suppose before getting into the BEGINNING book you’re already supposed to have a firm grasp of all the algebra, and geometry involved in game programming. OH, that’s right I’m just trying to learn what is involved to start the learning process. So maybe they’re right, maybe you should take this book back, and have the author(s) shove their opinions up their arses. I could then have someone who caters to beginning learning give me a better, less condescending introduction. Pricks. At least if you can overlook the snarky attitude that is probably oozing in the remaining chapters the book seems to be decent thus far. I plan to skim the rest of the way through this book before the end of the month so I’ll post some more thoughts and opinions later on. I may even post some code from the game.