Beginning game programming (with CD-ROM)

A friendly introduction to game programming on the Windows platform for the beginners.

• Presents the art and science of game programming in fun, easy-to-understand terms using popular game styles.
• Reader will build several fully functional games as well as a game engine to use in future development projects.
• A CD with the book provides the tools, code, and graphics necessary to complete all exercises.

Beginning Game Programming demystifies video game development by providing clear, practical lessons using C++, the industry standard in game programming. The book focuses on the Windows API to construct games for the Windows platform and discusses game theory, including double-buffered graphics, sprite animation, and digitized sound effects and music. A fully functional game engine provides readers with the ability to create their own games in the future. Michael Morrison is a writer, developer, toy inventor, and author of a variety of computer technology books and interactive Web-based courses. In addition to his primary profession as a writer and freelance nerd-for-hire, Michael is the creative lead at Stalefish Labs, an entertainment company he co-founded with his wife, Masheed. The first commercial debut for Stalefish Labs is a traditional social/trivia game called Tall Tales: The Game of Myths, Legends, and Creative One-Upmanship. When not glued to his computer, playing hockey, skateboarding, or watching movies with his wife, Michael enjoys hanging out by his koi pond. You can visit Michael on the Web at

Introduction.

How This Book Is Structured. What You'll Need.

I. GETTING STARTED.

1. Learning the Basics of Game Creation.

Getting to Know Video Games. Learning Game Design Essentials. Object-Oriented Programming and Games. Exploring the Tools of the Trade. Summary. Field Trip

2. Creating an Engine for Games.

What Is a Game Engine? Pondering the Role of a Game Engine. Developing a Game Engine. Building the Blizzard Example. Summary. Extreme Game Makeover.

3. Learning to Draw Basic Graphics.

Graphics Essentials. Examining Graphics in Windows. Painting Windows. Building the Crop Circles Example. Summary. Field Trip.

4. Drawing Graphical Images.

The Basics of Bitmap Images. Looking Inside a Bitmap. Developing a Bitmap Class. Building the Slideshow Example. Summary. Extreme Game Makeover.

II. INTERACTING WITH GAME PLAYERS.

5. Controlling Games with the Keyboard and Mouse.

Gaming and User Input. Taking a Look at User Input Devices. Assessing Keyboard Input for Games. Tracking the Mouse. Revamping the Game Engine for Input. Building the UFO Example. Summary. Field Trip.

6. Example Game: Brainiac.

How Does the Game Play? Designing the Game. Building the Game. Testing the Game. Summary. Extreme Game Makeover.

7. Improving Input with Joysticks.

Understanding Joystick Basics. Calibrating Joysticks. Tracking Joystick Movements. Revamping the Game Engine

for Joysticks. Building the UFO 2 Example. Summary. Field Trip.

8. Example Game: Light Cycles.

How Does the Game Play? Designing the Game. Building the Game. Testing the Game. Summary. Extreme Game Makeover.

III. ANIMATING GAMES WITH SPRITES.

9. Making Things Move with Sprite Animation.

Understanding the Basics of Animation. 2D Versus 3D Animation. Understanding the Types of 2D Animation. Applying Sprite Animation to Games. Designing an All-Purpose Sprite. Creating the Sprite Class. Building the Planets Example Program. Summary. Field Trip.

10. Managing a World of Sprites.

Assessing the Need for

Sprite Management. Designing a Sprite Manager. Adding the Sprite Manager

to the Game Engine. Eliminating Flicker with Double-Buffering. Building the Planets 2 Example. Summary. Extreme Game Makeover.

11. Example Game: Henway.

How Does the Game Play? Designing the Game. Building the Game. Testing the Game. Summary. Extreme Game Makeover.

IV. MAKING NOISE WITH SOUND AND MUSIC.

12. Playing Digital Sound Effects.

Understanding Digital Sound. Getting to Know Windows Waves. Exploring Sound Tools. Creating and Editing Sounds. Finding Sounds and Music. Accessing Wave Sounds. Playing Wave Sounds. Building the Brainiac 2 Example Program. Summary. Field Trip.

13. Playing MIDI Music.

Feeling the Music with MIDI. Understanding the Windows Media Control Interface. Using the MCI to Play MIDI Music. Adding MIDI Music Support to

the Game Engine. Building the Henway 2 Example Program. Summary. Field Trip.

14. Example Game: Battle Office.

How Does the Game Play? Designing the Game. Building the Game. Testing the Game. Summary. Field Trip.

V. TAKING ANIMATION TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

15. Animating the Appearance of Sprites.

Frame Animation Revisited. Designing an Animated Sprite. Adding Animated Sprite Support to the Game Engine. Building the Battle Office 2

Example Program. Summary. Extreme Game Makeover.

16. Creating Backgrounds for Your Sprites.

Assessing the Significance of Game Backgrounds. Understanding the Types of Game Backgrounds. Adding Background Support to the Game Engine. Building the Roids Example. Summary. Field Trip.

17. Example Game: Meteor Defense.

How Does the Game Play? D