Blitz3D Programmers Manual

When did that go into the "Products" section?

Any comments on it?

Yeah I saw that yesterday and was thinking about posting a topic about it, but then I saw it was being published by lulu so I didn't care anymore.

This has me thinking that the Products page needs a more orderly, nested layout to accommodate BlitzMax modules.
That way that manual would be within the Blitz3d section and the GUI/3d/Networking modules would go within the BlitzMax section.
As it is, it's getting a bit messy.

I'm quite surprised to see that there.
Hoping for more information :)

It is most exciting.

A programmer's manual.

Assuming it is different to the standard manual, I shall purchase it.

Odd... I followed the link to www.lulu.com, typed 'Blitz' into the search, and.... nothing!

Well, 8 results, but none of them to do with Blitz3D.

Just wondering what the issue with LuLu was (apart from obviously not actually being able to find the product) ?

I had a look at the site, and it looked like a good way of getting printed manuals out for a small company like BR, who obviously don't want to have big print runs of manuals hanging round.

Lets just say, they like publishing pure crap and ripping people off. I would highly recommend that someone from Blitz Research read through the book first before deciding to sell it.

Well they're a vanity publisher, essentially, so of course there is a lot of shite - they'll publish anything you pay them to with that hefty cut of each sale. Whats this about 'em ripping folk off, though? I like to keep abreast.

Recently I bought a book from them; one of the worst books I have ever read. It was packed full of spelling and grammar errors - so much I had to re-read every other sentence most of the time to understand it. Not only that, but the book's summary and description was false.

When I went on the author's site to calmly state that I was disappointed and if that was it (it claimed to be a step-by-step book when in reality it only had 1 step), my thread was deleted as well as my account.

Lulu really doesn't care if what they're publishing is crap or not. As long as it makes them money. I'll never buy another book published by them as long as I live.

> Lulu really doesn't care if what they're publishing is crap or not.

Isn't that the very definition of vanity publishing? Other then maybe needing to watch out for breaking obscenity laws they shouldn't care. Buyer beware certainly applies though.

Considering they wrote the manual, I'd guess BRL already have a reasonable idea of it's contents!?

What exactly are you trying to say, IKG?

And I was supposed to know that how?




I think I made it pretty clear in the above posts. What else is there to explain? The only thing I'm putting down here is lulu, so please don't assume I'm putting down Blitz Research. I really didn't mean to make you mad if that's what I did =/

Lulu basically prints and binds whatever the author submits, so they're not really a publisher at all. They're basically an online [very] short run printer.

The author of the work you buy is also the publisher of the work -- it's right there in the web page title: "Self Publishing". See the bold print here. Any errors are the author's/publisher's fault, not the printer's.

I know the spelling/grammar errors aren't their fault, but in a way they're still responsible for it. I'm not blaming it all on lulu, I'm just saying that I don't trust them anymore since they don't give much care to what they're selling.

That's all. I really didn't mean to offend anyone, and if I did I'm sorry ;)

What's wrong with help system that comes WITH the product? I don't think you'd need to have much more than that to get along with coding in Blitz3D.

I'll bookmark that site. It may come in usefull.

I have always found it helpful to have something on paper in front of me, it gives you a break from the old monitor.

I have both Learn to program 2D games and Games Programming for Teens and have been waiting for a 3D book to come out.

Any info about when its out or what it contains, i.e aimed at beginner or advanced.

We all know that the best place to read various user manuals is the toilet. Yes. Yes. I know that some people will object to this but let's face it. Toilet reading is the fact of life, especially when it comes to computer related literature.

I'll admit one can read B3D electronic help by carefuly balancing a notebook on one's knees but that simply is not the same as reading the proper paper based manual. :)

Barney

Barney - be careful - not to use the wrong paper - I know the Blitz3d manual is not great but it doesn't deserve that.

Thats like blameing the people who press my Cd for my game being crap.

You pay them, they publish it. You pay them more they editit first.

Is lulu not getting money from the book's sales?

Yes, you are paying them to sell it. You are not paying them to correct it.

Erm...No, it's no good...I've lost the will to live.

Not really, no. Why would BRL need to read through a self published book before selling?

Are lulu.com a gang of subversive cheese fetishists, trying to further the cause by liberally sprinkling the texts with cheese references?

Perhaps they like to publish everyone's books in welsh, just for a laugh?

@ H&K: I mean, do they profit off the sales of the published book? Did any of the money I spent on that so-called "book" go into their pockets?

Either way, they hosted a book with a false description which led me to buying it. I don't know what you're trying to say Yan, but all I'm saying is that I don't trust them.

Everyone keeps telling me that they're paid to publish books and that they'll accept anything. I'm not arguing with that! That's my entire point..

Yes, it goes to me, and I pay them, (In theroy, obviously they just take the money, but in theroy Im paying them)

The main point is the Book and the contents of the book are MINE, not theirs. So it doent matter if they find a million errors, they have no right to change it.

I understand your problem with them, but thats because you dont understand the nature of their business, it like complaining to a libary. They really have no control over the contents of the book.

They are the agent of the writter, and connot really be held resposible for the content of the book other than in a fundimental dont publish ileagal stuff sort of way. And even then they have infact no leagal obligation to read the book at all.

Obviously they will have looked at the book, and would get in big trouble for child porn, terrorist tips and the like, but ultimatly they are just a "photocopy shop" with a P&P delevery service

A real publisher "owns" the book in a real leagal sence even tho the writter still has interlectual ownership of the contents, and usualy they pay you as the writer. In this case BRL still own both the contents of the book and the actual physical books themsels, anyproblems with it are Brls (Or the specific writter in the case you are talking about).

Well what do you know, BRL have taken one of my ideas seriously!

http://www.blitzbasic.com/Community/posts.php?topic=51763

Sure, I was expecting it to be a printed version of a completed blitzmax documentation, but this is still good. A very useful tool and a good sign that the BRL team are taking a product and using every angle of that product to make money. Hopefully good sales of the Blitz3D version will spur development of the BlitzMax documentation, which could be used in a similar both useful and money making product.

However, I find it encouraging that this is a clear sign that the Blitz team are in business and acting like one rather than the (somewhat unjustified) reputation as hobbyist programing by hobbyist programers.

Don't know if some of you people might not be aware, but there is already a book about Blitz 3D available from Amazon:

"3D Game Programming for Teens" by Eric Grebler.

@ H&K: Please read what I said. I'm not blaming them for the spelling errors. I can't say this enough.

I'm not blaming lulu for making the book garbage. I'm just saying I won't be buying more books published by them anytime soon since they'll publish anything; including pure crap.

I'm not saying it's their fault. I'm just saying I don't trust anything under their name for the exact reason you stated; they don't care what it is since the author is paying them to publish it.

Let's move on now :)

err yes you were. Moving on.

LOL @ Barnabius! Quite true. However, you could bring your laptop to the loo and read the electronic manual there, but I must admit that would not be quite the same... :D

I prefer paper manuals too.

I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHEN THIS BOOK IS GOING TO BE AVAILABLE.

Did I type that in capitals and in bold? Must be because I am not normal.

Really?

Not being funny Puki, but aren't you way past the point when this sort of manual would be any use to you?

Not sure - does anyone know what is in this book? There seems to be little info about it. Is it just a new manual or is it more a programming book with methods on how to do things in B3D?

I'm guessing it's this

If it is then I shall buy it. Would like to know more about it first though.

I wonder if I am mentioned in the book?

Perhaps the new Blitz3D manual would coincide with the launch of Blitz3D Update V200, the final update? :)

http://unavailable.lulu.com/

The site is closed.

I hope it isn't forever. I'm intrigued to see this book.

any plans for a blitzmax book to go along side this new guide book?

hope this one does come out its about time one got released there was a glimmer of hope about one on blitzcoder forums but that didnt happen.

Pete

They're back!

http://www.lulu.com/uk

IPete2.

still no details on blitz3d book though?

I've still not spotted it.

Mother is displeased as I have been chewing the furniture again. Serves me right for digging her up again.

If anyone knows of any release date for this book then feel free to post it - it will save me looking every day so that I can be first in the queue to brag about my new book.

Thanks Agent Smith, got this book the other day, from the reviews I had read on this book before I didnt realise it was about Blitz 3D.

I would definitley recommend this book to beginners.

Could we have a rough release date for the Blitz3D Programmers Manual.

Mmm, still no sign of this book.

Keep the pressure on peeps.

Details on this book would be great.

Will it be out before the end of the year?

Yeah a little info would be great

Well, let's look at what we know:

Blitz3D Programmers Manual ($29.99 USD)

Features: Coming soon!

BRL have been intimating that it is already available to buy for a while now via

So, "puki" the cheeky, little, scamp has decided to ask this 'LuLu' outfit exactly what time the big cheese is flashing its knickers at us.



The 'I know of people who are interested in purchasing it' is quite cunning - I thought of that myself.