Games development and programming Books

Book SynopsisLearn to design and build Virtual Reality experiences, applications, and games in Unreal Engine 4 through a series of practical, hands-on projects that teach you to create controllable avatars, user interfaces, and more.Key Features Learn about effective VR design and develop virtual reality games and applications for every VR platform Build essential features for VR such as player locomotion and interaction, 3D user interfaces, and 360 media players Learn about multiplayer networking and how to extend the engine using plugins and asset packs Book DescriptionUnreal Engine 4 (UE4) is a powerful tool for developing VR games and applications. With its visual scripting language, Blueprint, and built-in support for all major VR headsets, it's a perfect tool for designers, artists, and engineers to realize their visions in VR. This book will guide you step-by-step through a series of projects that teach essential concepts and techniques for VR development in UE4. You will begin by learning how to think about (and design for) VR and then proceed to set up a development environment. A series of practical projects follows, taking you through essential VR concepts. Through these exercises, you'll learn how to set up UE4 projects that run effectively in VR, how to build player locomotion schemes, and how to use hand controllers to interact with the world. You'll then move on to create user interfaces in 3D space, use the editor's VR mode to build environments directly in VR, and profile/optimize worlds you've built. Finally, you'll explore more advanced topics, such as displaying stereo media in VR, networking in Unreal, and using plugins to extend the engine. Throughout, this book focuses on creating a deeper understanding of why the relevant tools and techniques work as they do, so you can use the techniques and concepts learned here as a springboard for further learning and exploration in VR.What you will learn Understand design principles and concepts for building VR applications Set up your development environment with Unreal Blueprints and C++ Create a player character with several locomotion schemes Evaluate and solve performance problems in VR to maintain high frame rates Display mono and stereo videos in VR Extend Unreal Engine's capabilities using various plugins Who this book is forThis book is for anyone interested in learning to develop Virtual Reality games and applications using UE4. Developers new to UE4 will benefit from hands-on projects that guide readers through clearly-explained steps, while both new and experienced developers will learn crucial principles and techniques for VR development in UE4.Table of ContentsTable of Contents Thinking in VR Setting up your Development Environment Hello World: Your First VR Project Getting Around the Virtual World Interacting with the Virtual World - Part I Interacting with the Virtual World - Part II Creating User Interfaces in VR Building the World and Optimizing for VR Displaying Media in VR Creating a Multiplayer Experience in VR Taking VR Further: Extending Unreal Engine Where to Go from Here A: Useful Mind Hacks B: Research and Further Reading

Read more less

Book SynopsisLearn and implement game AI in Unity to build smart environments and enemies with A* pathfinding, finite state machines, behavior trees, and the NavMeshKey Features Explore the latest Unity features to make AI implementation in your game easier Build richer and more dynamic games using AI concepts such as behavior trees and navigation meshes Implement character behaviors and simulations using the Unity Machine Learning toolkit Book DescriptionDeveloping artificial intelligence (AI) for game characters in Unity has never been easier. Unity provides game and app developers with a variety of tools to implement AI, from basic techniques to cutting-edge machine learning-powered agents. Leveraging these tools via Unity's API or built-in features allows limitless possibilities when it comes to creating game worlds and characters. The updated fifth edition of Unity Artificial Intelligence Programming starts by breaking down AI into simple concepts. Using a variety of examples, the book then takes those concepts and walks you through actual implementations designed to highlight key concepts and features related to game AI in Unity. As you progress, you'll learn how to implement a finite state machine (FSM) to determine how your AI behaves, apply probability and randomness to make games less predictable, and implement a basic sensory system. Later, you'll understand how to set up a game map with a navigation mesh, incorporate movement through techniques such as A* pathfinding, and provide characters with decision-making abilities using behavior trees. By the end of this Unity book, you'll have the skills you need to bring together all the concepts and practical lessons you've learned to build an impressive vehicle battle game.What you will learn Understand the basics of AI in game design Create smarter game worlds and characters with C# programming Apply automated character movement using pathfinding algorithm behaviors Implement character decision-making algorithms using behavior trees Build believable and highly efficient artificial flocks and crowds Create sensory systems for your AI world Become well-versed with the basics of procedural content generation Explore the application of machine learning in Unity Who this book is forThis Unity artificial intelligence book is for Unity developers with a basic understanding of C# and the Unity Editor who want to expand their knowledge of AI Unity game development.Table of ContentsTable of Contents Introduction to AI Finite State Machines Randomness and Probability Implementing Sensors Flocking Path Following and Steering Behaviors A* Pathfinding Navigation Mesh Behavior Trees Procedural Content Generation Machine Learning in Unity Putting It All Together

Read more less

Book SynopsisArm yourself with the practical skills and cutting-edge insights necessary to successfully design captivating games across a variety of genres and platforms Purchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free PDF eBook Key Features Master the skills, processes, and techniques essential for working in a professional setting Grasp the core principles and processes of level design, world building, and storytelling Design, implement, and refine high-quality features and mechanics for contemporary video games Book DescriptionIf you’re in search of a cutting-edge actionable guide to game design, your quest ends here! Immerse yourself in the fundamentals of game design with expert guidance from veterans with decades of game design experience across a variety of genres and platforms. The second edition of this book remains dedicated to its original goal of helping you master the fundamentals of game design in a practical manner with the addition of some of the latest trends in game design and a whole lot of fresh, real-world examples from games of the current generation. This update brings a new chapter on games as a service, explaining the evolving role of the game designer and diving deeper into the design of games that are meant to be played forever. From conceptualizing a game idea, you’ll gradually move on to devising a design plan and adapting solutions from existing games, exploring the craft of producing original game mechanics, and eliminating anticipated design risks through testing. You’ll then be introduced to level design, interactive storytelling, user experience and accessibility. By the end of this game design book, you’ll have learned how to wrap up a game ahead of its release date, work through the challenges of designing free-to-play games and games as a service, and significantly improve their quality through iteration, playtesting, and polishing.What you will learn Define the scope and structure of a game project Conceptualize a game idea and present it to others Design gameplay systems and communicate them clearly and thoroughly Build and validate engaging game mechanics Design successful games as a service and prepare them for live operations Improve the quality of a game through playtesting and meticulous polishing Who this book is forWhether you are a student eager to design your very first game or a game designer looking to expand your skill set, this book will help you master the fundamentals of game design across all stages of game development. With a focus on best practices and a pragmatic approach, Practical Game Design offers insights into the art and craft of game design from two senior game designers, with insider knowledge that even veterans will find valuable. While prior experience with game development is not absolutely necessary, having basic knowledge of popular video games will prove helpful.Table of ContentsTable of Contents Introducing the Game Production Process Preparing a Game Concept Scoping a Game Project Creating Design Documentation Understanding Game Mechanics Designing Systems and Features Making Prototypes Designing Compelling Stories for Games The Fundamentals of Level Design Creating Characters Balancing Your Content and Systems Building a Great User Interface and User Experience Making Your Games Accessible Mastering Games as a Service Understanding Monetization Techniques The Final 10%

Read more less

Book SynopsisLearn to create interactive cross-platform games such as a 3D Minigolf, a 2D Arcade classic, and much more with the all-new Godot Engine 4.0 Key Features Master the art of developing cross-platform games Harness the power of Godot's node and scene system to design robust and reusable game objects Effortlessly and effectively integrate Blender into Godot to create powerful 3D games Book DescriptionThe Godot 4 Game Development Projects book introduces the Godot game engine and its feature-rich 4.0 version. With an array of new capabilities, Godot 4.0 is a strong alternative to expensive commercial game engines. If you’re a beginner, this user-friendly book will help you learn game development techniques, while experienced developers will understand how to use this powerful and customizable tool to bring their creative visions to life. This updated edition consists of five projects with more emphasis on the 3D capabilities of the engine that will help you build on your foundation-level skills by showing you how to create small-scale game projects. Along the way, you’ll gain insights into Godot’s inner workings and discover important game development techniques that you can apply to your own projects. Using a straightforward, step-by-step approach and practical examples, this Godot book covers everything from the absolute basics to sophisticated game physics, animations, and much more. Upon completing the final project, you’ll have a strong foundation for future success with Godot 4.0 and be ready to develop a variety of games and game systems.What you will learn If you’re new to Godot, get started with the game engine and editor Learn about the new features of Godot 4.0 Build games in 2D and 3D using design and coding best practices Use Godot’s node and scene system to design robust, reusable game objects Use GDScript, Godot’s built-in scripting language, to create complex game systems Implement user interfaces to display information Create visual effects to spice up your game Publish your game to desktop and mobile platforms Who this book is forThis book is for game developers at any stage, whether you’re a beginner looking for an introduction or an experienced programmer aiming to delve into game creation using Godot Engine 4.0. It will serve as a valuable resource for newcomers to the realm of game development, while also offering a wealth of insights to experienced developers. Prior programming experience is a prerequisite.Table of ContentsTable of Contents Introduction to Godot 4.0 Coin Dash – Build Your First 2D Game Space Rocks: Build a 2D Arcade Classic with Physics Jungle Jump: Running and Jumping in a 2D Platformer 3D Minigolf: Dive into 3D by Building a Minigolf Course Infinite Flyer Next Steps and Additional Resources

Read more less

Book SynopsisGet to grips with programming techniques and game development using C++ libraries and Visual Studio 2019Key Features Learn game development and C++ with a fun, example-driven approach Build clones of popular games such as Timberman, Zombie Survival Shooter, a co-op puzzle platformer, and Space Invaders Discover tips to expand your finished games by thinking critically, technically, and creatively Book DescriptionThe second edition of Beginning C++ Game Programming is updated and improved to include the latest features of Visual Studio 2019, SFML, and modern C++ programming techniques. With this book, you'll get a fun introduction to game programming by building five fully playable games of increasing complexity. You'll learn to build clones of popular games such as Timberman, Pong, a Zombie survival shooter, a coop puzzle platformer and Space Invaders. The book starts by covering the basics of programming. You'll study key C++ topics, such as object-oriented programming (OOP) and C++ pointers, and get acquainted with the Standard Template Library (STL). The book helps you learn about collision detection techniques and game physics by building a Pong game. As you build games, you'll also learn exciting game programming concepts such as particle effects, directional sound (spatialization), OpenGL programmable shaders, spawning objects, and much more. Finally, you'll explore game design patterns to enhance your C++ game programming skills. By the end of the book, you'll have gained the knowledge you need to build your own games with exciting features from scratchWhat you will learn Set up your game development project in Visual Studio 2019 and explore C++ libraries such as SFML Explore C++ OOP by building a Pong game Understand core game concepts such as game animation, game physics, collision detection, scorekeeping, and game sound Use classes, inheritance, and references to spawn and control thousands of enemies and shoot rapid-fire machine guns Add advanced features to your game using pointers, references, and the STL Scale and reuse your game code by learning modern game programming design patterns Who this book is forThis book is perfect for you if you have no C++ programming knowledge, you need a beginner-level refresher course, or you want to learn how to build games or just use games as an engaging way to learn C++. Whether you aspire to publish a game (perhaps on Steam) or just want to impress friends with your creations, you'll find this book useful.Table of ContentsTable of Contents C++, SFML, Visual Studio, and Starting the First Game Variables, Operators, and Decisions – Animating Sprites C++ Strings and SFML Time – Player Input and HUD Loops, Arrays, Switches, Enumerations, and Functions – Implementing Game Mechanics Collisions, Sound, and End Conditions – Making the Game Playable Object-Oriented Programming – Starting the Pong Game Dynamic Collision Detection and Physics – Finishing the Pong Game SFML Views – Starting the Zombie Shooter Game C++ References, Sprite Sheets, and Vertex Arrays Pointers, the Standard Template Library, and Texture Management Collision Detection, Pickups, and Bullets Layering Views and Implementing the HUD Sound E?ects, File I/O, and Finishing the Game Abstraction and Code Management – Making Better Use of OOP Advanced OOP – Inheritance and Polymorphism Building Playable Levels and Collision Detection Sound Spatialization and the HUD Particle Systems and Shaders (N.B. Please use the Look Inside option to see further chapters)

Read more less

Book SynopsisExplore the latest features of Godot 4 using advanced techniques and recipes to create professional-grade games with increased efficiency Purchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free PDF eBook Key Features Take advantage of the new Vulkan renderer and 3D physics in Godot 4 to create high-quality games Streamline your game development workflow with Godot’s new TileMap, TileSet, and Animation Editor features Discover what’s changed in GDScript 2.0 and Shader additions to enhance your game development skills Book DescriptionWant to transition from Godot 3 to 4? Look no further than the Godot 4 Game Development Cookbook. This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to become proficient with the latest GUI, GDscript 2.0, Vulkan 2D/3D rendering, shaders, audio, physics, TileSet/TileMap, importing, sound/music, animation, and multiplayer workflows. With its detailed recipes, the book leaves no stone unturned. The Godot 4 Cookbook begins by exploring the updated graphical user interface and helps you familiarize yourself with the new features of GDscript 2.0. Next, it delves into the efficient rendering of 2D and 3D graphics using the Vulkan renderer. As it guides you in navigating the new Godot 4 platform, the book offers an in-depth understanding of shaders, including the latest enhancements to the shader language. Moreover, it covers a range of other topics, including importing from Blender, working with audio, and demystifying the new Vulkan Renderer and the physics additions for 2D and 3D. The book also shows you how the new changes to TileSet and TileMap make 2D game development easy. Advanced topics such as importing in Godot 4, adding sound and music to games, making changes in the Animation editor, and including workflows for multiplayer in Godot 4 are covered in detail. By the end of this game development book, you’ll have gained a better understanding of Godot 4 and will be equipped with various powerful techniques to enhance your Godot game development efficiency.What you will learn Speed up 2D game development with new TileSet and TileMap updates Improve 2D and 3D rendering with the Vulkan Renderer Master the new animation editor in Godot 4 for advanced game development Enhance visuals and performance with visual shaders and the updated shader language Import Blender blend files into Godot to optimize your workflow Explore new physics system additions for improved realism and behavior of game objects Experience innovative features by building multiplayer games in Godot 4 Who this book is forThe Godot 4 Game Development Cookbook is for seasoned game developers who want to acquire skills in creating games using a contemporary game engine. It is an invaluable resource for indie game developers and Godot developers who are familiar with Godot 3 and have some level of expertise in maneuvering the interface.Table of ContentsTable of Contents Exploring the Godot 4 Editor Transitioning to GDScript 2.0 2D and 3D Rendering with Vulkan Practicing Physics and Handling Navigation in Godot 4 Playing with Shaders in Godot 4 Importing 3D Assets in Godot 4 Adding Sound and Music to Your Game Making 2D Games Easier with Tileset and Tilemap Achieving Better Animations Using the New Animation Editor Exploring New Multiplayer Features in Godot 4

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis textbook is about systematic problem solving and systematic reasoning using type-driven design. There are two problem solving techniques that are emphasized throughout the book: divide and conquer and iterative refinement. Divide and conquer is the process by which a large problem is broken into two or more smaller problems that are easier to solve and then the solutions for the smaller pieces are combined to create an answer to the problem. Iterative refinement is the process by which a solution to a problem is gradually made better–like the drafts of an essay. Mastering these techniques are essential to becoming a good problem solver and programmer. The book is divided in five parts. Part I focuses on the basics. It starts with how to write expressions and subsequently leads to decision making and functions as the basis for problem solving. Part II then introduces compound data of finite size, while Part III covers compound data of arbitrary size like e.g. lists, intervals, natural numbers, and binary trees. It also introduces structural recursion, a powerful data-processing strategy that uses divide and conquer to process data whose size is not fixed. Next, Part IV delves into abstraction and shows how to eliminate repetitions in solutions to problems. It also introduces generic programming which is abstraction over the type of data processed. This leads to the realization that functions are data and, perhaps more surprising, that data are functions, which in turn naturally leads to object-oriented programming. Part V introduces distributed programming, i.e., using multiple computers to solve a problem. This book promises that by the end of it readers will have designed and implemented a multiplayer video game that they can play with their friends over the internet. To achieve this, however, there is a lot about problem solving and programming that must be learned first. The game is developed using iterative refinement. The reader learns step-by-step about programming and how to apply new knowledge to develop increasingly better versions of the video game. This way, readers practice modern trends that are likely to be common throughout a professional career and beyond. Table of ContentsPart I: The Basics of Problem Solving with a Computer.- 1. The Science of Problem Solving.- 2. Expressions and Data Types.- 3. The Nature of Functions.- 4. Aliens Attack Version 0.- 5. Making Decisions.- 6. Aliens Attack Version 1.- Part II: Compound Data of Finite Size.- 7. Structures.- 8. Defining Structures.- 9. Aliens Attack Version 2.-10. Structures and Variety.- 1.1 Aliens Attack Version 3.- Part III: Compound Data of Arbitrary Size.- 12. Lists.- 13. List Processing.- 14. Natural Numbers.- 15. Interval Processing.- 16. Aliens Attack Version 4.- 17. Binary Trees.- 18.- Mutually Recursive Data.- 19.- Processing Multiple Inputs of Arbitrary Size.- Part IV: Abstraction.- 20. Functional Abstraction.- 21. Encapsulation.- 22. Lambda Expressions.- 23. Aliens Attack Version 5.- 24. For-Loops and Pattern Matching.- 25. Interfaces and Objects.- Part V: Distributed Programming.- 26. Introduction to Distributed Programming.- 27. Aliens Attack Version 6.- 28. Aliens Attack Version 7.- 29. Aliens Attack Version 8.- Part VI: Epilogue.- 30. Advice for Future Steps.

Read more less