BreakOut 3D

Remember that these functions do not exclusively need to be applied on backgrounds.

device.SetTexture( 0, textureBackground );
device.VertexFormat = CustomVertex.TransformedColoredTextured.Format;
device.SetStreamSource( 0, vertexBackground, 0 );
device.DrawPrimitives( PrimitiveType.TriangleStrip, 0, 2 );

This is the code to render the background. First we tell the directx3d device that we want to draw a texture. Then we tell the device which vertex format that it should use. Before we call the draw function we bind the vertex buffer to a data stream port (see the SDK documentation for more information).

DirectXCamera :

Matrix view = Matrix.LookAtLH( cameraPosition, cameraDirection, cameraUpDirection );
device.SetTransform( TransformType.View, view );
Matrix projection = Matrix.PerspectiveFovLH( fFieldOfView, fAspectRatio, fNearPlane, fFarPlane );
device.SetTransform( TransformType.Projection, projection );

Every collection of information in a 3d world is described in matrices. A matrix is a bunch of numbers that describes something like shapes, functions or in this case information about a slice in a 3d world.

This code tells the device where we want to place our point of view. First make a matrix over the area you want to look at with the function LookAtLH () which builds a Left-Handed view matrix. Then tell the device that this is our view. The device now needs one last thing and thats a perspective. We inform the device about the perspective in the same way as for the view. The function PerspectiveForLH() builds a left handed projection matrix with the given parameters. If you are programming in 2d you should use the function OrthoLH() instead.

DirectXMisc :

Contains functions for finding files, show statistic etc.

DirectXFont :

Mesh threeDText = Mesh.TextFromFont( device, textFont, text, fDeviation, fExtrusion);

The 3d font is just an ordinary mesh. The static function TextFromFont() builds the mesh. The render and move functions are the same as in the class DirectXObject.

DirectXLight

Its not much fun without lights.

device.Lights[ lightNo ].Type = LightType.Point;
device.Lights[ lightNo ].Position = lightPosition;
device.Lights[ lightNo ].Attenuation1 = fAttenuation;
device.Lights[ lightNo ].Diffuse = diffuseColor;
device.Lights[ lightNo ].Ambient = ambientColor;
device.Lights[ lightNo ].Range = 100.0f;
device.Lights[ lightNo ].Enabled = true;
device.Lights[ lightNo ].Commit();

This is very simple. The device keeps track of every light and every light needs to have a unique number. The number is of type short which is a 16 bit variable but you can only use eight active lights at the same time (if you really need to I think there is a way to get more). Then its just to fill in the properties of the light and call the function Commit(). There are three types of lights, directional, point and spot. The code above is for a point light. The other lights are created in the same fashion with the difference that the directional lights dont use the position attribute and the spotlight needs a direction etc. etc.

DirectXObject :

This class contains the code for building a mesh from a directx mesh file (.x).

Mesh systemMemoryMesh = Mesh.FromFile( strPath, MeshFlags.SystemMemory, device, out adjacencyBuffer, out Mat ); // GraphicsStream ,ExtendedMaterial

Load the .x file. The Extended material Mat gets the information about texture names and material properties which (if they exist) can be found in the file. AdjacencyBuffer is a stream containing graphic data. This variable can be used for optimizing the mesh which is a very good thing to do.

systemMemoryMesh.OptimizeInPlace( MeshFlags.OptimizeCompact | MeshFlags.OptimizeAttrSort | MeshFlags.OptimizeVertexCache, adjacencyBuffer );

Optimize, Optimize, Optimize

for( int i = 0; i < Mat.Length; i++ )
{
materials[ i ] = Mat[ i ].Material3D;
materials[ i ].Ambient = materials[ i ].Diffuse;
if ( Mat[ i ].TextureFilename != null )
{
// Create the texture
string texturefilename = DirectXMisc.FindFile( null, Mat[ i ].TextureFilename );
textures[ i ] = TextureLoader.FromFile( device, texturefilename );
}
}

A mesh can have many different textures. This for loop takes every texture that was found in the .x file and creates the textures.

for( int i=0; i < materials.Length; i++)
{
device.Material = materials[ i ];
device.SetTexture( 0, textures[ i ] );
systemMemoryMesh.DrawSubset( i );
}

To render the object just tell the device what material and what texture to use and then call the function DrawSubset() from the mesh object.

DirectXSound :

AudioVideoPlayback.Audio mp3 = new AudioVideoPlayback.Audio(mySong.mp3);
mp3.Play();

As you can see above, to play an mp3 in a directx application is a very easy thing to do, thanks to the AudioVideoPlayback classes and functions.

DirectSound.Device soundDevice = new DirectSound.Device();
// game = the main form = System.Windows.Forms.Control
m_soundDevice.SetCooperativeLevel( game, DirectSound.CooperativeLevel.Priority );
DirectSound.Buffer sounds = new DirectSound.SecondaryBuffer( myWav.wav, soundDevice );

To play sounds is a little more work. First we must create a device for the sound and then set the CooperativeLevel.

sounds.Play( 0, DirectSound.BufferPlayFlags.Default );

Then just press play

Breakout3dMap :

The program I wrote to create maps. I wrote it in two hours so dont expect much.

What you can learn or copy .

Mp3 implementation
Sound implementation
Meshes, textures and objects (Backgrounds, 3d Fonts ..)

I m not an expert or professional programmer. I just program on my spare time so this article could contain errors and misleading information. If it does then Im sorry and you can write to my e-mail and yell at me :). But I hope it does more good than harm. Good luck everyone!