Game Engine Architecture (Hardcover)

In this new and improved fourth edition of the highly popular Game Engine Architecture, Jason Gregory draws on his two decades of experience at Midway, Electronic Arts and Naughty Dog to present both the theory and practice of game engine software development. In this book, the broad range of technologies and techniques used by AAA game studios are each explained in detail, and their roles within a real industrial-strength game engine are illustrated.

The fourth edition offers the same comprehensive coverage of game engine architecture provided by previous editions, and this second volume delves into all of the major subsystems found in every game engine, including the animation engine, the 3D rendering engine, the lighting engine, the physics engine, the audio engine, and the game object model.

This book is intended to serve as an introductory text, but it also offers the experienced game programmer a useful perspective on aspects of game development technology with which they may not have deep experience. As always, copious references and citations are provided in this edition, making it an excellent jumping off point for those who wish to dig deeper into any particular aspect of the game development process.

Key Features

• Covers both the theory and practice of game engine software development
• Examples are grounded in specific technologies, but discussion extends beyond any particular engine or API
• Includes all mathematical background needed
• Comprehensive text for beginners and also has content for senior engineers

Jason Gregory has worked as a software engineer in the games industry since March 1999, and as a professional software engineer since 1994. He got his start in game programming at Midway Home Entertainment in San Diego, where he worked on tools, engine technology and game play code for Hydro Thunder™ 2 (arcade). He also wrote the PlayStation® 2/Xbox animation system for Freaky Flyers™ and Crank the Weasel. In 2003, Jason moved to Electronic Arts Los Angeles, where he worked on engine and game play technology for Medal of Honor:™ Pacific Assault and served as a lead engineer on the Medal of Honor:™ Airborne project. Jason is currently a Lead Programmer at Naughty Dog Inc., where he and his team are working on an exciting new game title for PlayStation® 5. He also developed engine and gameplay software for Naughty Dog’s Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune™, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves™, Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception™, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End™, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy™, The Last of Us Part I™ and The Last of Us Part II™ for PlayStation® 5, PlayStation® 4, PlayStation® 3, and PC. Jason has also developed and taught courses in game technology at the University of Southern California.