Mastering Game Development

Create complex and visually stunning games using all the advanced features available in SFML development About This Book Build custom tools, designed to work with your specific game. Use raw modern OpenGL and go beyond SFML. Revamp your code for better structural design, faster rendering, and flashier graphics. Use advanced lighting techniques to add that extra touch of sophistication. Implement a very fast and efficient particle system by using a cache-friendly design. Who This Book Is For This book is ideal for game developers who have some basic knowledge of SFML and also are familiar with C++ coding in general. No knowledge of OpenGL or even more advanced rendering techniques is required. You will be guided through every bit of code step by step. What You Will Learn Dive deep into creating complex and visually stunning games using SFML, as well as advanced OpenGL rendering and shading techniques Build an advanced, dynamic lighting and shadowing system to add an extra graphical kick to your games and make them feel a lot more dynamic Craft your own custom tools for editing game media, such as maps, and speed up the process of content creation Optimize your code to make it blazing fast and robust for the users, even with visually demanding scenes Get a complete grip on the best practices and industry grade game development design patterns used for AAA projects In Detail SFML is a cross-platform software development library written in C++ with bindings available for many programming languages. It provides a simple interface to the various components of your PC, to ease the development of games and multimedia applications. This book will help you become an expert of SFML by using all of its features to its full potential. It begins by going over some of the foundational code necessary in order to make our RPG project run. By the end of chapter 3, we will have successfully picked up and deployed a fast and efficient particle system that makes the game look much more 'alive'. Throughout the next couple of chapters, you will be successfully editing the game maps with ease, all thanks to the custom tools we're going to be building. From this point on, it's all about making the game look good. After being introduced to the use of shaders and raw OpenGL, you will be guided through implementing dynamic scene lighting, the use of normal and specular maps, and dynamic soft shadows. However, no project is complete without being optimized first. The very last chapter will wrap up our project by making it lightning fast and efficient. Style and approach This book uses a step by step approach by breaking the problems down into smaller, much more manageable obstacles, and guiding the reader through them with verified, flexible, and autonomous solutions.

A comprehensive guide with coverage on AudioFX, Particle system, shaders, sequencers, and the latest features of Unreal 4.19 that will take your game development skills to the next level Key Features Create a high-performance Combat game using the essential features of Unreal Engine 4.18+. Master the complex competitive features needed in modern games such as Volumetric Lightmaps and Precomputed Lighting on Volumetric Fog, and build an impressive UI. Experience not only VR support for your game but also the inbuilt support of Apple's ARKit and Google's ARCore with UE4's newly released support for these platforms. Book Description To make a basic combat game from scratch, you will quickly override existing UE4 classes, and add and implement simple C++ functions while running and building them. These are all discussed as a short summary for new developers and as a quick refresher for experienced developers. Next, you will build a combat player character with expanded controls, create logic for a character, swap weapons, attack and move, bridge over scene changes and transitions, retain data between scenes, and manage the scene-change process. You will then build an intelligent enemy AI and add physics based particles for weapon impacts. You will also get acquainted with cutting-edge features such as Volumetric Lightmaps for precomputed lighting, and Atmospheric and Volumetric Fog, to build advanced visuals in our ongoing GitHub project. Moving on, you will explore the tools required to build an in-game cut-scene for a more professional gameplay experience and story direction. Along the way, you will implement a solid game UI, including writing a full in-game load and save system that will enable players to resume their game from any point. You will also prepare, build, and work on VR and AR taking them from editor to real-world, building two new projects one in each of these brand new areas of UE4 and integrate classes from the main project into AR! By the end of the book, you will have mastered all major UE features and will be able to bring self-imagined games to life through Unreal Engine 4.18+. What you will learn The fundamentals of a combat-based game that will let you build and work all other systems from the core gameplay: the input, inventory, A.I. enemies, U.I., and audio Manage performance tools and branching shaders based on platform capabilities in the Material Editor Explore scene or level transitions and management strategies Improve visuals using UE4 systems such as Volumetric Lightmaps, Precomputed Lighting, and Cutscenes Implement audio-to-animation timelines and trigger them from visual FX Integrate Augmented Reality into a game with UE4's brand new ARKit and ARCore support Perform almost any game logic needed via Blueprint Visual Scripting, and know when to implement it in Blueprint as opposed to C++ Who this book is for This book is for game developers who want to build high-performance games with amazing UIs. Experience with C++ is required and some knowledge of working with Unreal Engine 4 would be an advantage.

Leverage the power of LibGDX to create a fully functional, customizable RPG game for your own commercial title About This Book Learn game architecture and design patterns with concrete examples using proper software engineering principles Save time and money with this handy reference guide for future game development with LibGDX Design and develop a fully functional RPG video game from scratch with a hands on, step-by-step approach using LibGDX Who This Book Is For If you are an intermediate-level game developer who wants to create an RPG video game but found the creation process overwhelming, either by lack of tutorials or by getting lost in a sea of game-related technologies, engines, or frameworks, then this book is for you. This book assumes familiarity with Java and some basic knowledge of LibGDX. What You Will Learn Develop characters with stat attributes, player movement, animation, physics, and collision detection Create interactive NPC characters with speech windows and build immersion via dialog trees Build inventory management system UIs with drag and drop items to sell, buy, and equip Design a quest system to expand out the content of your game Form interesting enemies with battle mechanics and spawn points Devise scripted cutscenes to add an element of story and drama Develop save and load game profiles Create special effects to give the game extra “juiciness” and polish, and help build the atmosphere In Detail LibGDX is a Java-based framework developed with a heavy emphasis on performance, and includes cross-platform support out of the box (Windows, OS X, Linux, iOS, Android, and HTML5) as well as providing all the low-level functionality so that you can focus on developing your game and not battling with the platform. LibGDX also has an engaged and responsive community, active maintenance, and is available for free without a prohibitive license. Starting from the beginning, this book will take you through the entire development process of creating an RPG video game using LibGDX. First, this book will introduce you to the features specific to RPG games, as well as an overview of game architecture. Then, you will create map locations, develop character movement, add animation, integrate collision detection, and develop a portal system. Next, you will learn and develop a HUD and other UI components, as well as an inventory management system. You will then develop NPC interactions including dialog trees, shopkeepers, and quest givers. After this, you will design and create battle features for fighting enemies, as well as event triggers for world events. Finally, you will add the final polish with sound, music, and lighting effects. By the end of this book, you will have learned and applied core components from the LibGDX framework, as well as have a finished game to use as a springboard for customization and story development for your own commercial video game. Style and approach This book walks you through the concepts and implementation of developing a complete RPG game, unfolding chapter by chapter and building upon previous concepts. Each chapter can be used as an individual reference with diagrams to explain core concepts with concrete example code explained in detail.

If you have C# knowledge but now want to become truly confident in creating fully functional 2D RPG games with Unity, then this book will show you everything you need to know.

Written as a series of engaging and practical projects, this essential guide will help you take your skills to the next level and become a game development hotshot. If you would like to truly unlock the potential of the Unreal Development Kit or are interested in using Scaleform for your own personal projects, then this book is for you."Mastering UDK Game Development" was designed for people who want to truly take their projects to the next level. Those who are familiar with the basics of creating things in UDK will have an easier time, but each project contains step-by-step explanations, diagrams, screenshots, and downloadable content that should make it possible for someone with no prior experience to learn UDK at an accelerated pace.

Create enthralling Android games with Unity Faster Than Ever Before About This Book Develop complex Android games with the help of Unity's advanced features such as artificial intelligence, high-end physics, and GUI transformations. Create amazing Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) with Unity's new uGUI system Unravel and deploy exciting games across Android devices Who This Book Is For If you are a Unity 5 developer and want to expand your knowledge of Unity 5 to create high-end complex Android games, then this book is for you. Readers are expected to have a basic understanding of Unity 5, working with its environment, and its basic concepts. What You Will Learn Develop your own Jetpack Joyride clone game Explore the advanced features of Unity 5 by building your own Action Fighting game Develop remarkable Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) with Unity's new uGUI system Enhance your game by adding stunning particle systems and complex animations Build pleasing virtual worlds with special effects, lights, sky cube maps, and cameras Make your game more realistic by providing music and sound effects Debug and deploy your games on different Android devices In Detail Game engines such as Unity are the power-tools behind the games we know and love. Unity is one of the most widely-used and best loved packages for game development and is used by everyone, from hobbyists to large studios, to create games and interactive experiences for the Web, desktop, mobile, and console. With Unity's intuitive, easy-to-learn toolset and this book, it's never been easier to become a game developer. You will begin with the basic concepts of Android game development, a brief history of Android games, the building blocks of Android games in Unity 5, and the basic flow of games. You will configure an empty project for the Jetpack Joyride Clone Game, add an environment and characters, and control them. Next you will walk through topics such as particle systems, camera management, prefabs, animations, triggers, colliders, and basic GUI systems. You will then cover the basic setup for 3D action fighting games, importing models, textures and controlling them with a virtual on-screen joystick. Later you will set up Scene for 3D Configuration, create basic gameplays, and manage input controls. Next you will learn to create the interface for the main menu, gameplay, game over, achievements, and high score screens. Finally you will polish your game with stats, sounds, and Social Networking, followed by testing the game on Android devices and then publishing it on Google Play, Amazon, and OUYA Stores. Style and approach A step-by-step and detailed guide to developing high-end complex Android games utilizing the advanced concepts of Unity.

Create and develop exciting games from start to finish using SFML About This Book Familiarize yourself with the SFML library and explore additional game development techniques Craft, shape, and improve your games with SFML and common game design elements A practical guide that will teach you how to use utilize the SFML library to build your own, fully functional applications Who This Book Is For This book is intended for game development enthusiasts with at least decent knowledge of the C++ programming language and an optional background in game design. What You Will Learn Create and open a window by using SFML Utilize, manage, and apply all of the features and properties of the SFML library Employ some basic game development techniques to make your game tick Build your own code base to make your game more robust and flexible Apply common game development and programming patterns to solve design problems Handle your visual and auditory resources properly Construct a robust system for user input and interfacing Develop and provide networking capabilities to your game In Detail Simple and Fast Multimedia Library (SFML) is a simple interface comprising five modules, namely, the audio, graphics, network, system, and window modules, which help to develop cross-platform media applications. By utilizing the SFML library, you are provided with the ability to craft games quickly and easily, without going through an extensive learning curve. This effectively serves as a confidence booster, as well as a way to delve into the game development process itself, before having to worry about more advanced topics such as “rendering pipelines” or “shaders.” With just an investment of moderate C++ knowledge, this book will guide you all the way through the journey of game development. The book starts by building a clone of the classical snake game where you will learn how to open a window and render a basic sprite, write well-structured code to implement the design of the game, and use the AABB bounding box collision concept. The next game is a simple platformer with enemies, obstacles and a few different stages. Here, we will be creating states that will provide custom application flow and explore the most common yet often overlooked design patterns used in game development. Last but not the least, we will create a small RPG game where we will be using common game design patterns, multiple GUI. elements, advanced graphical features, and sounds and music features. We will also be implementing networking features that will allow other players to join and play together. By the end of the book, you will be an expert in using the SFML library to its full potential. Style and approach An elaborate take on the game development process in a way that compliments the reader's existing knowledge, this book provides plenty of examples and is kind to the uninitiated. Each chapter builds upon the knowledge gained from the previous one and offers clarifications on common issues while still remaining within the scope of its own subject and retaining clarity.

High-end game development with advanced C++ 17 programming techniques Key Features Make the best use of object-oriented capabilities of C++ 17 to develop high-end games Create reusable C++ 17 libraries and editor tools for your game Series of example projects demonstrating advanced techniques to build games of any genre Book Description Although many languages are now being used to develop games, C++ remains the standard for professional development. The majority of professional libraries and toolchains are still built using C++. The primary goal of this book is to teach you how to harness the power of the language and provide you with the ability to build high-quality games. To begin, you will be presented with, an overview of popular development methodologies, and a short guide to updated features of the C++ 17 standard. You will learn how to leverage existing libraries such as OpenGL and the STL (standard library) to build complex systems. Throughout the journey, you will also build a set of C++ 17 compatible libraries that can be reused in your own development projects. In the last half of the book, you will work with demos designed to introduce you to advanced rendering techniques, interactive physics, advanced AI techniques, and even multiplayer game concerns with modern networks. What you will learn Work and communicate effectively in the modern games industry Develop simple and advanced gameplay systems How to leverage the standard core C++ libraries Use modern real-time rendering techniques to achieve immersive 3D visuals Achieve a narrative-driven game experience using a variety of data management techniques Implement scripting using LUA Learn AI algorithms and concepts for handling motion, behavior, and decision making Implementation of the OpenGL, Bullet Physics, GLM, SteamVR and other common libraries Who this book is for This book is intended for aspiring game developers who are proficient in C++ 17 programming and are interested in developing professional games with C++.17