Games development and programming Books
Apple Academic Press Inc. Essential Mathematics for Games and Interactive
Book SynopsisExpert Guidance on the Math Needed for 3D Game ProgrammingDeveloped from the authors' popular Game Developers Conference (GDC) tutorial, Essential Mathematics for Games and Interactive Applications, Third Edition illustrates the importance of mathematics in 3D programming. It shows you how to properly animate, simulate, and render scenes and discusses the mathematics behind the processes.New to the Third EditionCompletely revised to fix errors and make the content flow better, this third edition reflects the increased use of shader graphics pipelines, such as in DirectX 11, OpenGL ES (GLES), and the OpenGL Core Profile. It also updates the material on real-time graphics with coverage of more realistic materials and lighting.The Foundation for Successful 3D ProgrammingThe book covers the low-level mathematical and geometric representations and algorithms that are the core of any game engine. It also explores all thTrade ReviewPraise for Previous Editions:"It’s the book with all the math you need for games."—Neil Kirby, Researcher, Alcatel-Lucent"Even though I’ve worked with these systems for years, this book showed me new ways of looking at several topics that make them easier to remember and use. For someone new to 3D programming, it is extremely useful—it gives them a solid background in pretty much every area they need to understand."—Peter Lipson, Toys for Bob, Inc.Table of ContentsRepresenting Real Numbers. Vectors and Points. Linear Transformations and Matrices. Affine Transformations. Orientation Representation. Interpolation. Viewing and Projection. Geometry and Programmable Shading. Lighting. Rasterization. Random Numbers. Intersection Testing. Rigid-Body Dynamics.
£99.75
Apress Developing 2D Games with Unity
Book SynopsisChapter 1. Gaming Past and Present.- Chapter 2. Introduction to Unity.- Chapter 3. Foundations.- Chapter 4. World Building .- Chapter 5. Building Out the Gameplay.- Chapter 6. Beyond the Basics.- Chapter 7. Polish, Polish, Polish .- Chapter 8. Where to go next. Table of ContentsChapter 1. Gaming Past and PresentChapter Goal: Draw upon the current renaissance in independent games to inspire readers to leverage their own experiences and fresh perspectives to build innovative independent games. ● Games Historically ● Games Today ● Independent Games ● Game Engines - What are they and why do they matter? Chapter 2, Introduction to Unity Chapter Goal: Introduce the user to the Unity Development Environment. Explain how to navigate the interface, Views, and Scenes, and configure Layouts for ease of development. ● Install and Configure Unity ● Navigating the Unity Interface ● Understanding the Different Views ● Configure and Customize the Layout ● The Transform Toolset ● Unity Documentation Chapter 3. FoundationsChapter Goal: Walk the reader through C# syntax, naming conventions, and data types. Teach the reader about Unity-specific concepts like Game Objects, Components, and Scripts. We’ll also be talking about some of the more common architectural design patterns and describe why they are used in the context of building our sample game. ● C# Walkthrough ● Entity-Component Architecture ● Game Objects: Our Container Entities ● Components: Building Blocks ● Scripts: Logic for Components ● Introducing: Prefabs ● Inheritance and OOP ● Unity Object Lifecycle ● Logging Output ● Debugging Chapter 4, World BuildingChapter Goal: Leverage pre-existing and new features of the Unity 2D development toolset to efficiently build out animations, backgrounds, and levels. ● Importing 2D Assets ● Working with Sprite Atlases ● Animating our Sprites ● 2D Tilemapping ● 9-Slicing Tiles ● Scriptable Tiles ● Scriptable Brushes Chapter 5, Building Out the Gameplay Chapter Goal: This chapter will focus on tying the content from the previous two chapters together to make a playable game. We will utilize more design patterns, implement collision detection, and talk about best-practices when handling user-input in a generic fashion. ● Handling User Input ● Collision Detection ● The Delegate Pattern ● Object Managers ● Physics in Unity Chapter 6, Beyond the Basics Chapter Goal: Discuss and implement various features common across all games, such as scene management, saving data, and UI. Build mechanisms to link together the various states of the game. Demonstrate how to extend the Unity Editor to build tools that increase developer efficiency. ● Scene and Level Management ● Managing Game State ● Building the Game Manager ● Object Pooling ● Coroutines ● Extending the Unity Editor ● Saving Data Chapter 7, Polish, Polish, Polish Chapter Goal: Add the finishing touches such as audio, custom fonts, buttons, and menus. Touch upon topics such as shaders and performance profiling, as well as analytics so we can see how users play our game. ● Adding Sound and Music ● Using Custom Fonts ● Custom Buttons ● Menus ● Splash Screens ● Particle Effects ● Unity Analytics ● Shaders ● Performance Profiling Chapter 8, Where to go next Chapter Goal: Discuss various next steps the reader can take to further their Unity knowledge, build better games, and get more involved with the Unity community. ● Asset Store ● Community: Online and Offline ● Game Jams ● Online Resources
£49.49
APress Game Development with GameMaker Studio 2
Book SynopsisCreate games from start to finish while learning game design and programming principles using the GameMaker Studio 2 game engine and GameMaker Language (GML).Game Development with GameMaker Studio 2 covers all aspects of game design and development from the initial idea to the final release, using an award-winning game engine. You learn how to create real-world video games based on classic and legendary video game genres. Each game project introduces and explains concepts of game development and design and coding principles, allowing you to build a wide set of skills while creating an exciting portfolio to kick-start a career in game development.Author Sebastiano Cossu teaches you to design levels in your games, draw sprites to populate your virtual worlds, program game objects for interaction with the player, incorporate custom music and sound effects, build GUIs for your menus and game interfaces, and support keyboard, mouse, and gamepad controls inTable of ContentsCHAPTER 1: Overview GOALS This chapter will introduce the content of the book and its goals, then will do a little introcution to programming, GameMaker Studio 2, the interface of the software, how to download and install it. Pages no: 15 CHAPTER 2: Hello World GOALS: This chapter will introduce GMS2 and the main concepts around programming and software development via a simple hello world project. Pages no: 17 CHAPTER 3: Memory (part 1) GOALS: Covering the complete design of the game and the implementation of the first half of it. Topics covered are: an introduction to game design documents, arrays, data structures, loops, functions, scripts and the implementation of the first part of the game (creating the deck of cards, shuffling and positioning cards in the room, flipping cards via the click of the mouse) Pages no: 35 CHAPTER 4: Memory (part 2) GOALS: Finishing the development of the game, plus considerations on game design and how to make a game fun. Topics covered are: game logic, victory conditions, timers and time-based tasks, texts and GUI, fun factor in a video game, game design considerations. Pages no: 30 CHAPTER 5: 1942 (Part 1) GOALS: Covering the design and first part of the implementation of an endless vertical shooter based on the famous Z80 classic by Capcom, 1942. Introducing vertical scrolling, arrow-keys movements, bullet system, enemies, score and explosions. Pages no: 50 CHAPTER 6: 1942 (Part 2) GOALS: Covering the second half of the implementation of the 1942-clone game. Introducing enemy AI, HP and statuses, power ups, level design boss fights. Also covered: game design considerations, fun factor and challenges Pages no: 50 CHAPTER 7: Designing Bosses GOALS: This chapter will cover some interesting in-depth analysis to boss fights design taking as examples real world video games that made boss fighting good (Shadow of the Colossus, Dark Souls, etc.). Pages no: 10 CHAPTER 8: Super Plumber Bros (Part 1) GOALS: Covering design and implementation of a platformer based on the classic Super Mario Bros. This chapter will reinforce some concepts from previous chapters like keyboard movement, score, HP, enemies, power ups, level design and attack. Pages no: 50 CHAPTER 9: Super Plumber Bros (Part 2) GOALS: This will cover the second half of the game introducing new concepts. Topics covered are: side scrolling camera, running, jumping, gravity, save system and gamepad controller Also covered: game design considerations, fun factor and challenges. Pages no: 50 CHAPTER 10: Designing Platformers GOALS: This chapter will analyse the history of platformer and how they evolved in the years. Considerations about how to make a platformer fun and challenging will be the main topic of the chapter. There will be in-depth analysis of masterpieces of the genre like Super Mario Bros and Spelunky. Pages no: 10 CHAPTER 11: CottageVania (part 1) GOALS: Design and implementation of a metroidvania, building on the concepts covered in chapters 7 and 8. Covering the first half of the implementation of the game creating a platformer (like the one in chapter 7 and 8) and enhancing it with stats and different attacks. Pages no: 50 CHAPTER 12: CottageVania (part 2) GOALS: Finishing the implementation of the game adding some interesting characteristics like: good level design, bossfights, items. Considerations about game design. Challenges and exercises. Pages no: 50 CHAPTER 13: Designing Metroidvania GOALS: Talking about metroidvania and the importance they have in the game industry. How they became one of the most wanted game genre and one of the most appreciated. What makes a metroidvania good? Examples on real life games (Metroid, Castlevania, Hollow Knight, etc) Pages no: 10 CHAPTER 14: What's next? GOAL: how to progress learning and publishing your game on digital stores (steam, gog, etc.) Pages no: 10
£44.99
APress Unity Networking Fundamentals
Book SynopsisLearn the fundamentals of networking with Unity and C#. This book covers a variety of topics, including accessing data using RESTful APIs, local networked games, and creating multiplayer online games using client-server architecture.The book provides the basics of networking, sockets, TCP vs. UDP, client-server architecture, serialization, RESTful APIs, network latency, and client-side prediction. Projects are presented to illustrate the concepts, including a chat client/server overlay for your game, and a 3D maze game that allows up to four players to connect over the network.By the end of the book, you will be familiar with low-level networking concepts such as protocols and architecture as well as high-level knowledge on how to create applications that use a client/server architecture for multiplayer games.What You Will LearnKnow the difference between TCP and UDP, and the pros and cons of these pTable of ContentsChapter 1: Networking ConceptsChapter 2: SerializationChapter 3: Restful APIsChapter 4: TCP connectionsChapter 5: Networking IssuesChapter 6: Develop Maze ShooterChapter 7: LAN NetworkingChapter 8: Servers
£46.74
APress Beginning Game Development with Godot
Book SynopsisLearn the fundamentals of Godot by diving headfirst into creating a 2D platformer from scratch. This book is a hands-on, practical guide to developing 2D games using the Godot Engine 3.2.3/3.3, with the help of GDScript.Author Maithili Dhule begins by explaining some basic tools and techniques used to make games, the factors that need to be considered while choosing a game engine, and pointing out the benefits of using Godot. She then walks you through downloading the engine and guides you as you explore key features of its interface. Next, you''ll receive a concise introduction to the basics of GDScript, the main scripting language used in Godot, before moving on to essential topics such as Godot''s node-scene architecture, the interaction of various physics bodies, the creation of game scenes, and writing scripts. As the book progresses, you''ll learn how to create and animate your game character, design the game world, add enemies, and implement a coin-collection syTable of ContentsChapter 1: Introduction to Game Development Sub –Topics:• Brief history of game development• Fundamentals of making games• What is a game engine? • How do we choose a game engine?• Why choose Godot? Chapter 2: Getting Started with GodotSub – Topics:• Downloading the Godot engine• Starting a new project • Exploring the Godot interface• Icons and shortcutsChapter 3: GDScript in a NutshellSub - Topics:• Keywords, operators, and identifiers• Commenting code• Variables and data types• Functions and method calls• Example code Chapter 4: Exploring Game PhysicsSub - Topics:• Node-scene architecture• Physics bodies – what are they? • RigidBody2D • StaticBody2D• Collision shapes • Introducing gravity• Try it yourself – Your first game scene Chapter 5: Adding Game GraphicsSub - Topics: • Creating game objects • Instances of scenes• Importing game assets• Writing a game script• Adding and detecting key presses• Try it yourself – Creating your player Chapter 6: Game Animations Sub - Topics: • Giving life to the player • Player animation • Detecting the floor and ceiling • Adjusting gravity• Try it yourself – Making your player run, jump, and climbChapter 7: Building the World Sub –Topics:• Parallax background • Try it yourself – Creating a parallax background• Tilemaps, Tilesets, and the Tile Palette• Painting the game level• Implementing camera-follow• Try it yourself – Designing the game worldChapter 8: Counting Wins and Losses Sub – Topics: • Coin-collection • Deleting in-game objects • Using signals • Creating enemies• Try it yourself – Adding rewards and enemies• Game scene change• Try it yourself – Creating the game over sceneChapter 9: Game GUISub - Topics:• The title screen • Buttons• Adding music and sound effects Chapter 10: Publishing your GameSub - Topics: • Exporting the game to various platforms• Monetization • Introducing game updates• What next?
£46.74
APress Advanced Unity Game Development
Book SynopsisJump start your Unity game development journey with a detailed review of a complete, professionally built game using Unity, C#, and Visual Studio. Gain invaluable experience with code structure, project structure, centralization of game state data, controlled initialization of script components, AI opponents, multiple input sources, player preferences, a full HUD and menu system, music and sound effects, level/track building, and more.Author Victor Brusca walks you through the game''s code, scripts, and overall structure, all the while showing you how the code works within the Unity engine to define a complete, refined game. Starting with game specifications, the book covers base classes, basic interaction classes, advanced interaction classes, helper classes, input classes, and abstraction of raw input. Next, you''ll dive into the menu system and see how a full, complete menu and HUD are coded and set up in the project through a detailed review of the code and working examplTable of ContentsChapter 1: Introduction and Getting StartedSub-Topics:Setting Up Your EnvironmentPlaying Hover Racers/Getting ReadyChapter ConclusionChapter 2: Game SpecificationsSub-Topics:Model: Car, Track, SensorModel: Car, Boost, Jump, Bounce ModifiersChapter ConclusionChapter 3: Base ClassSub-Topics:Class Review TemplateClass Review: BaseScriptStatic/Constants/Read-Only Class Members: BaseScriptClass Fields: BaseScriptPertinent Method Outline/Class Header: BaseScriptSupport Method Details: BaseScriptMainMethod Details: BaseScriptDemonstration: BaseScriptChapter ConclusionChapter 4: Interaction ClassesSub-Topics:Class Review: BounceScriptClass Fields: BounceScriptPertinent Method Outline/Class Headers: BounceScriptSupport Method Details: BounceScriptDemonstration: BounceScriptClass Review: Road ScriptClass Fields: RoadScriptPertinent Method Outline/Class Headers: RoadScriptSupport Method Details: RoadScriptMain Method Details: RoadScriptDemonstration: RoadScriptClass Review: WaypointCheckClass Fields: WaypointCheckPertinent Method Outline/Class Headers: WaypointCheckSupport Method Details: WaypointCheckMain Method Details: WaypointCheckDemonstration: WaypointCheckClass Review: TrackHelpScriptPertinent Method Outline/Class Headers: TrackHelpScriptSupport Method Details: TrackHelpScriptMain Method Details: TrackHelpScriptDemonstration: TrackHelpScriptChapter ConclusionChapter 5: Advanced Interaction ClassesSub-Topics:Class Review: CollideScriptStatic/Constants/Read-Only Class Members: CollideScriptClass Fields: CollideScriptPertinent Method Outline/Class Headers: CollideScriptSupport Method Details: CollideScriptMain Method Details: CollideScriptDemonstration: CollideScriptClass Review: CarSensorScriptStatic/Constants/Read-Only Class Members: CarSensorScriptClass Fields: CarSensorScriptPertinent Method Outline/Class Headers: CarSensorScriptSupport Method Details: CarSensorScriptMain Method Details: CarSensorScriptDemonstration: CarSensorScriptChapter ConclusionChapter 6: Helper ClassesSub-Topics:Class Review: DestroyScriptClass Review: WaterResetScriptPertinent Method Outline/Class Headers: WaterResetScriptSupport Method Details: WaterResetScriptMain Method Details: WaterResetScriptDemonstration: WaterResetScriptClass Review: EngineWhineScriptStatic/Constants/Read-Only Class Members: EngineWhineScriptClass Fields: EngineWhineScriptPertinent Method Outline/Class Headers: EngineWhineScriptMain Method Details: EngineWhineScriptDemonstration: EngineWhineScriptClass Review: LapTimeClass Review: LapTimeManagerStatic/Constants/Read-Only Class Members: LapTimeManagerClass Fields: LapTimeManagerPertinent Method Outline/Class Headers: LapTimeManagerSupport Method Details: LapTimeManagerMain Method Details: LapTimeManagerDemonstration: LapTimeManagerClass Review: PopupMsgTrackerDemonstration: PopupMsgTrackerClass Review: UtilitiesStatic Class Members: UtilitiesDemonstration: UtilitiesClass Review: CameraFollowXzStatic/Constants/Read-Only Class Members: CameraFollowXzClass Fields: CameraFollowXzPertinent Method Outline/Class Headers: CameraFollowXzMain Method Details: CameraFollowXzDemonstration: CameraFollowXzClass Review: WaypointCompareDemonstration: WaypointCompareChapter ConclusionChapter 7: Input ClassesSub-Topics:Class Review: CharacterMotorMovementClass Review: CharacterMotorJumpingClass Review: CharacterMotorSlidingClass Review: CharacterMotorClass Fields: CharacterMotorPertinent Method Outline/Class Headers: CharacterMotorSupport Method Details: CharacterMotorMain Method Details: CharacterMotorDemonstration: CharacterMotorClass Review: FPSInputControllerClass Fields: FPSInputControllerPertinent Method Outline/Class Headers: FPSInputControllerMain Methods Details: FPSInputControllerDemonstration: FPSInputControllerClass Review: MouseLookNewEnumerations: MouseLookNewClass Fields: MouseLookNewPertinent Method Outline/Class Headers: MouseLookNewMain Method Details: MouseLookNewDemonstration: MouseLookNewClass Review: GameState (Touch Input Snippet Only)Chapter ConclusionChapter 8: Menu System ClassesSub-Topics:Class Review: BasePromptScriptClass Fields: BasePromptScriptPertinent Method Outline/Class Headers: BasePromptScriptSupport Method Details: BasePromptScriptMain Method Details: BasePromptScriptDemonstration: BasePromptScriptClass Review: GamePauseMenuPertinent Method Outline/Class Headers: GamePauseMenuSupport Method Details: GamePauseMenuMain Method Details: GamePauseMenuDemonstration: GamePauseMenuClass Review: GameHelpMenuClass Fields: GameHelpMenuPertinent Method Outline/Class Headers: GameHelpMenuSupport Method Details: GameHelpMenuInput Handler Support Method Details: GameHelpMenuMain Method Details: GameHelpMenuDemonstration:GameHelpMenuRemaining Menu ClassesChapter ConclusionChapter 9: Player and Game State Classes Part 1Sub-Topics:Class Review: PlayerInfoClass Review: TrackScriptClass Review: PlayerStateStatic/Constants/Read-Only Class Members: PlayerStateClass Fields: PlayerStatePertinent Method Outline/Class Header: PlayerStateSupport Method Details: PlayerStateMain Method Details: PlayerStateDemonstration: PlayerStateChapter 10: Player and Game State Classes Part 2Sub-Topics:Class Review: GameStateEnumerations: GameStateStatic/Constant/Read-Only Class Members: GameStateClass Fields: GameStatePertinent Method Outline/Class Headers: GameStateSupport Method Details: GameStateMain Method Details: GameStateDemonstration: GameStateChapter ConclusionChapter 11: Making it ProfessionalSub-Topics:Build SettingsGeneric Platform SettingsPC, Mac, and Linux Desktop SettingsUniversal Windows Platform (UWP) SettingsiOS SettingsAndroid SettingsWebGL SettingsInput MappingUI / Menu SystemData PersistenceMemory ManagementSounds and MusicStatic ObjectsTags and LayersAI OpponentsCamerasProject SettingsChapter Conclusion Chapter 12: Adding a New RacetrackSub-Topics:Track Environment and Cleanup ScriptHover Racers and the GameState ObjectTrack and Waypoint ObjectsJumps, Boosts, Menu Screens, and MoreChapter ConclusionChapter 13: ConclusionSub-Topics:AccomplishmentsAcknowledgementsWhere You Go From HereSaying Goodbye
£46.74
APress Beginning VFX with Autodesk Maya
Book SynopsisDive into the nuances of visual effects (VFX) design, from planning to execution, using Autodesk Maya. This book introduces the methods and techniques required for your first foray into 3D FX generation from scratch. You will start with the fundamentals of visual effects, including a history of VFX, tools and techniques for creating believable visual effects, and popular tools used in the industry. Next, you are introduced to Autodesk Maya and its various components that make it a favorite among professionals. You will learn how to create rigid body collisions and simulate realistic particles such as dust, fire, water, and more.This book also presents strategies for creating a vortex, rain, hair, fluids, and other soft body simulations and also demonstrates nature element simulations for computer-generated production. At the end of the book, there is a capstone project to make your own visual effectTable of ContentsChapter 1: Introduction to Visual Effects • Scope of this book• Topics to be covered• The importance of Visual Effects• The need for the creation of the visual magicChapter 2: History of VFX • The Evolution of Science in visual design• The State of Art technology in the Digital EraChapter 3: Industrial application for VFX• How to approach the planning of a VFX shot• Industry practices• Software, tools, and techniques used in the rendition of the visual splendor on ScreenChapter 4: Introduction to FX in Maya• Maya Nucleus• nParticle System• Fluids• ncloth • nHairChapter 5: Working with nParticle FX • Fun with Emitter• nParticle tool • Identical object creation with InstancerChapter 6: Creating effects with Particle Emission, Fields/Solvers• Real-life simulation with Gravity• Creation of galaxy • Tinker bell magical dust particle generationChapter 7: Maya Rigid and Soft Body Systems• Introduction to Rigid Body and Constraints• Rigid & Soft Body exampleChapter 8: Working with Maya Fluids• Introduction to fluid -working with container• Working with 2D container • Working with 3D container Chapter 9: Maya Effects• Get Effect Asset Library• Collision with effects• Creating fire, fireworks, lightening, shatter, and smoke effectsChapter 10: Playing with MAYA nucleus Cloth & nConstraint• Creating nCloth• Working with passive collider• Play with nCloth Attributes• Power of nConstraints for effective and efficient simulation.Chapter 11: Working with Hair and Fur Styling • Foundation concept of hair and fur creation• Long hair creation and simulation• Maya Hair libraryChapter 12: Technical Fluid Simulation with Bifrost• Importance of Bifrost Fluids• Working with Bifrost library• Learn to compute and execute water simulation shot Efficiently Chapter 13: FX Capstone Project• Creating a 3D Scene• Integrating the 2D and the 3D worlds• Render FX scene • Conclusion
£49.49
APress Building Quality Shaders for Unity
Book Synopsis Understand what shaders are and what they're used for: Shaders are often seen as mystical and difficult to develop, even by skilled programmers, artists, and developers from other game design disciplines. This book dispels that idea by building up your shader knowledge in stages, starting with fundamental shader mathematics and how shader development mindset differs from other types of art and programming, and slowly delves into topics such as vertex and fragment shaders, lighting, depth-based effects, texture mapping, and Shader Graph. This book presents each of these topics with a comprehensive breakdown, the required theory, and some practical applications for the techniques learned during each chapter. The HLSL (High Level Shading Language) code and Shader Graphs will be provided for each relevant section, as well as plenty of screenshots. By the end of this book, you will have a good understanding of the shader developmenTable of ContentsChapter 1: Introduction to Shaders in UnitySub-topics:• Brief overview of shader fundamentals• Unity’s built-in pipeline• URP (Universal Render Pipeline)• HDRP (High Definition Render Pipeline)Chapter 2: Maths for Shader DevelopmentSub-topics:• Vectors in 2D and 3D• Dot product, cross product, and other vector operations• Matrices• Multiplication, transpose, inverse, and common matrix operations• Important spaces in computer graphics• Homogeneous coordinate systems• Transformation between spacesChapter 3: Your Very First ShaderSub-topics:• The shader pipeline, and data flow• ShaderLab, SubShaders and Fallbacks• Shader Tags• The appdata struct: Input to the vertex shader• The vertex shader• The v2f struct: Data passed between the vertex and fragment shader• The fragment shaderChapter 4: Shader GraphSub-topics:• The argument for node-based editors• The vertex and fragment stages• Shader nodes & properties• Your first Shader GraphChapter 5: Textures, UV Coordinates & Normal MappingSub-topics:• What is texture mapping?• What are UV coordinates?• Scaling, rotating and offsetting UVs• Sampler states• Normal mapping & tangent spaceChapter 6: TransparencySub-topics:• Transparency vs opacity• Alpha-blended transparency• Sorting• Screen-door (“dithered”) transparencyChapter 7: The Depth Buffer• What is the depth buffer?• Depth-testing and culling• Depth-based shader effectsChapter 8: More Shader FundamentalsSub-topics:• Shader keywords and variants• Single- and multi-pass shaders• GrabPass and UsePass• Unity’s standard shader librariesChapter 9: Lighting & ShadowsSub-topics:• Lighting theory: Diffuse, specular, ambient, and Fresnel light• Phong shading• Physically based rendering• Shadow castingChapter 10: Image Effects & Post ProcessingSub-topics:• Post Processing in the Built-in pipeline, URP and HDRP• Convolution kernels, Gaussian blur and multi-pass effects.• Edge detection with a Sobel kernel• Better edge detection using the depth texture and normal textureChapter 11: Advanced ShadersSub-topics:• Geometry shaders: adding or modifying vertices• Tessellation shaders: subdividing a mesh• Building an LOD system with tessellation shaders• Compute shaders: arbitrary computation on the GPUChapter 12: Profiling & OptimizationSub-topics:• The Unity Profiler and Frame Debugger• Branching in shaders• Avoiding overdraw• Multi-material objects• BatchingChapter 13: Shader Recipes For Your GamesSub-topics:• World-space reconstruction in post processing shaders• Custom lighting: cel-shading (toon shading)• Vertex displacement – realistic water (Gerstner waves)• Refraction by modifying the framebuffer• Interactive snow layers (modifying the height of a mesh based on gameplay actions)• Holograms using emissive colour• Using Voronoi noise to make marble
£49.49
APress GameMaker Fundamentals
Book Synopsis Master the fundamental programming skills needed to create your own computer games in GameMaker. This book shows how to use GameMaker to build and publish cross-platform games. Each chapter covers a certain programming element, including layers, variables, and so on. You will also learn how to design levels in your games, draw sprites to populate your virtual worlds, and build GUIs for your menus and game interfaces. GameMaker Fundamentals also provides a thorough introduction to the GameMaker Language (GML). Practical example projects reinforce the concept discussed in each chapter.On completing this book, you will have a thorough understanding of how to create games from scratch using game design and programming principles using GameMaker and GML. What You Will Learn Review core programming features required for sound knowledge of GameMaker Master how to combine GML to orchestrate game actions<Table of ContentsChapter 1: Instance LayersSub - Topics● What are layers● Layer types● Layer orders● ProjectsChapter 2: VariablesSub –Topics● Built in variables● Drawing variables● Variable types● ProjectsChapter 3: ConditionalsSub - Topics● What are conditoinals● Examples● ProjectsChapter 4: Drawing ShapesSub - Topics: ● Drawing shapes● ProjectsChapter 5: Drawing ContinuedSub - Topics: ● Drawing variables● Using fonts● Formatting text● Drawing sprites● Formatting sprites● ProjectsChapter 6: Keyboard Input & Basic ControlsSub - Topics: ● Keyboard input● Mouse input● Moving a player instance● Projects Chapter 7: Objects & EventsSub - Topics: ● Alarm event● Create event● Draw event● Step event● Input events● Collision event● Draw GUI event● Projects Chapter 8: SpritesSub - Topics: ● Importing sprites● Strip images● Formatting sprites● ProjectsChapter 9: Health & LivesSub - Topics: ● Health● Lives● Score● Projects Chapter 10: MouseSub - Topics: ● Mouse Buttons● Interaction with mouse● ProjectsChapter 11: AlarmsSub - Topics: ● Usage● Setting alarms● Example usage● ProjectsChapter 12: CollisionsSub - Topics: ● Usage● Events● Collisions using code● Examples● ProjectsChapter 13: RoomsSub - Topics: ● Setting a background● Views● ProjectsChapter 14: BackgroundsSub - Topics: ● Moving backgrounds● ProjectsChapter 15: SoundsSub - Topics: ● Importing audio● Playing sounds● Playing music● Audio control● ProjectsChapter 16: Splash Screens & MenusSub - Topics: ● Why use a splash screen● Unlockable levels● ProjectsChapter 17: RandomizationSub - Topics: ● Using random values● Random variables examples● ProjectsChapter 18: AISub - Topics: ● Moving towards the player● Bullets● ProjectsChapter 19: INI filesSub - Topics: ● What are INI files● Writing data● Reading data● ProjectsChapter 20: EffectsSub - Topics: ● Built in effects● Effect layers● ProjectsChapter 21: LoopsSub - Topics: ● Types of loops● Effect layers● Projects● Examples● ProjectsChapter 22: ArraysSub - Topics: ● Example usage● Two dimensional arrays● Drawing array data● Using for weapon control● ProjectsChapter 23: DS ListsSub - Topics: ● Example usage● Adding data● Organizing data● ProjectsChapter 24: PathsSub - Topics: ● Creating a path● Manipulating a path● ProjectsChapter 25: FunctionsSub - Topics: ● Setting up● Examples● Projects
£42.49
APress Exploring Game Mechanics
Book SynopsisLearn simple yet powerful, modern-day techniques used in various gaming genres, including casual and puzzle, strategy and simulation, action-adventure, and role-playing. This book is your pocket-sized guide to designing interesting and engaging mechanics for any type of game.Exploring Game Mechanics is a cornucopia of concepts related to gameplay mechanics that you can use to create games that are fun and rewarding to play. Dive into key gameplay elements that improve the player experience, such as implementing in-game tutorials, controlling the flow of player-choice-based games, and building a game narrative through storytelling. Understand how to establish the game''s end goal for the player to work towards by creating quests, missions, and objectives. Explore the key ideas behind creating immersive game worlds, generating better NPCs and enemies, and controlling the in-game economy. Finally, discover the unique mechanics that make established industry gameTable of ContentsCHAPTER 1: WHY DO WE PLAY GAMES? Sub –topics: • What players look for in a game: Novelty, creativity, and a sense of achievement• Appeal of different game genres such as action RPGs, puzzles, casual and simulation games• Role of game art and game aesthetics in increasing player motivation• What are game mechanics? • Impact of game mechanics on the player experienceCHAPTER 2: CREATING FUN GAMEPLAY Sub – topics:• Difference between linear and non-linear games • Controlling flow of non-linear, player-choice based games • Controlling difficulty of gameplay through game balancing and teaching player through in-game tutorials• Storytelling and the game narrative • Creating quests and missions for establishing the end-goal of the gameCHAPTER 3: FREEDOM TO EXPLORE NEW WORLDSSub - topics:• Implementing player progression by developing player’s skills and abilities and levelling up the player through achievements• Movement mechanics: controlling the player through user input• Mechanics for in-game travel with the help of maps and guides, transport vehicles, instant teleportation methods, and shortcuts in the game levels• Game world and environment mechanics, including concepts such as creating infinite open worlds through procedural generation and realistic weather systemsCHAPTER 4: DEFEAT, COLLECT, REPEATSub - topics: • Enemy and NPC generation using artificial intelligence and creating combat mechanics• Establishing victory and defeat conditions• Managing the player inventory, controlling the internal game economy, and resource management in games• Implementing a reward system such as collection or trading of in-game currency, spawing natural resources in the game• Unlocking new game levels and areas and greater player customization as the character levels upCHAPTER 5: CHOOSE YOUR MECHANICSSub - topics: • Tips for choosing game mechanics• Designing game mechanics for different kinds of players such as achievers, skillers, and completionists• Analysis of game mechanics in existing games of different genres: o Sims (simulation) o Fallout (role playing) o Age of empires (base building) o Life is strange (player-choice based) o No man’s sky (procedurally generated survival)• Prototyping, trial and error
£22.49
APress Accelerating Unity Through Automation
Book SynopsisBuilding games with Unity is hard enough without having to stand up and go and make a coffee each time you want to just build your project or find out days/weeks down the line that some change you made while building your dream has incurred a debt that means your project cannot be built for one of your target platforms without a lot of rework. Through automation, many of these hardships can be detected early and free up time and stress by monitoring your project as it is being created, identify risks and issues as you write the code, and free up your machine while lengthy build processes are running. The change might be hard, but once setup, it will give you peace of mind that everything you create will run, updates will be automatically managed, and your players are less likely to be drafting one-star reviews on your next publication. What You Will Learn Build the automation of your dreams to accelerate your projectGet detailed examples for generating workflows tailored to your neTable of ContentsChapter 1: What is Automation?.- Chapter 2: What is Gained Through Automation, the Highlights.- Chapter 3: Services Covered by This Title.- Chapter 4: Automation Hosting.- Chapter 5: Structure of Automation.- Chapter 6: Validation, Checking Your Code.- Chapter 7: Testing, Making Sure It Runs.- Chapter 8: Building and Publishing.- Chapter 9: Setting Up Unity Game Services Automation.- Chapter 10: Setting up Azure DevOps.- Chapter 11: Setting up GitHub Actions.- Chapter 12: Final Notes.
£42.49
APress Beginners Guide to Unity Shader Graph
Book SynopsisDiscover how shaders can enhance your game and mesmerize players by making graphic gameplay elements more realistic and attractive. This book provides easy-to-follow recipes that will show you how to leverage the Unity Shader Graph to create more immersive, enjoyable games. Author Álvaro Alda takes you through each effect step by step, so that you gain a foundational understanding of how they are created using the Shader Graph tool. Practical projects help you put what you're learning into context, from simple effects like 3D scan lines to more complicated effects such as black holes, bubble particles, water, and even interactive snow. Twelve different effects are demonstrated, to cover almost everything related to shader graph. On completing this book, you will have a thorough understanding of the Shader Graph tool and samples to replicate and continue learning from. Whether you are an indie game developer or technical artist,Beginner's Guide to Unity Shader Graph will give you the Table of ContentsChapter 0: Unity Set Up and GuidelinesChapter 1: Introduction to ShadersSub -Topics:•What is a shader?•Vertex and fragment shader•Working spaces (world, object, view, tangent)•Light in URP•Create your first shader in URPChapter 2: Shader Graph EditorSub -Topics:•Master nodes Connecting nodes•Properties•Connecting nodes•SubshaderChapter 3: Noise Sub -Topics:•What is a procedural noise?•Noise samples (Simple, Gradient, Voronoi)•Dissolve effectChapter 4: Movement and Time Control Sub -Topics:•Scanlines 3D•UI transitionChapter 5: SciFi Shaders Sub -Topics:•Hologram effect•SciFi shieldChapter 6: Scene Depth Sub -Topics:•Water Shader•Acid Shader•Ice refraction•Black holeChapter 7: Vertex DeformationSub -Topics:•Bubbles•Snow deformation•Stroke EffectsChapter 8: PBR MaterialsSub -Topics:•What is PBR?•Lava EffectChapter 9: Bonus Effects Sub -Topics:•Retro particles•Interactive Snow•Toon shaderAppendix A: Maths Review Sub -Topics:•Trigonometry•Vector mathematics•Matrix and algebraAppendix B: Shader Graph NodesSub -Topics:•Coordinate nodes.•Mathematic operation nodes (add, subtract, multiply...)•Restrictive nodes (clamp, frac)•Master nodes (position, base color, normals, smoothness)•Custom functions•Mix nodes (blend, lerp)•Color nodes (color, gradient, etc.)
£43.99
APress Game Programming with Unity and C
Book SynopsisLearn the essentials of the Unity game engine, the C# programming language, and the art of object-oriented programming. This book is aimed at beginners with no knowledge or experience in game development or programming.Packed with examples, this Second Edition is up-to-date with the latest Unity standards and features as of 2023, and includes manyadjustments to improve your experience. Starting with an introduction to Unity, you will learn the essentials of the engine: navigating the various windows, managing the objects that make up your game, and understanding the concepts that are fundamental to the engine. After that, you will gain a solid foundation in the concepts of object-oriented programming and the syntax of the C# language. Then the fun really begins, as you get hands-on experience building three playable example projects that drill you on the concepts you've learned until they stick.Guided at each step by author Casey Hardman, you will outline and implement bare-bones, simpTable of Contents
£46.74
APress Game Development with Unreal Engine 5 Volume 1
Book SynopsisDive into the heart of game development with Unreal Engine 5 (UE5), the latest revolution in creating immersive and visually stunning game worlds.Crafted to encourage your imaginative and inventive skills, Volume 1 of this two-part guide stands as a crucial tool in your journey towards developing incredible video games with UE5 and serves as a transition into the programming dimensions of game creation with C++ featured in Volume 2. Blending artistic mastery with technical prowess, you'll journey from the basics of UE5's environment to creating expansive landscapes with procedural content generationand combining materials for lifelike terrains.Discover the power of Quixel Bridge and Megascans to bring realistic textures and models into your projects, and master Nanite for rendering complex scenes with cinematic fidelity. You'll also learn to create dynamic lighting and shadow effects with Lumen, enrich your game's atmosphere with sophisticated particle systems using Niagara. Then i
£46.74
APress Lean Game Development
Book SynopsisMaster Lean UX and Lean Startup techniques to improve your agile game development experience beyond Scrum. This updated version of the book focuses on applying lean and agile methodologies to the game development process and features improved examples, applied techniques, and a whole new section explaining how to test a game in Unity with CI.You'll see how to define a minimum viable product (MVP) for games with Lean Canvas, allowing customers to iterate over it and collect feedback for improvement at every cycle. All of these are achieved while still using standard Agile techniques. The first part of the book explains the ideation process of a game and how lean methodologies allow developers, especially small studios, to avoid scope creep. Next, it it provides guidance on creating MVPs and using player feedback to iterate and improve games. The book then discusses continual improvement (CI) methods. A crucial part of CI is generation of Lean Canvas.LeanGame Development, Second Edition Table of ContentsChapter 1: IntroductionSub –Topics• Why lean game development, not agile game development?• How do lean and agile relate to the game world?• Games and software relate much more deeply.• What kind of game is software development?• Where did it go wrong?• SummaryChapter 2: First steps with LeanSub – Topics• Seven key principles of lean• Lean inception• Lean PMO• Lean DevOps• Kanban• How can you take advantage of Scrum• Continuous integration• Going from build-measure-learn to lean game• Looking deeper at the inception• Test driven development• Lean and Games• SummaryChapter 3: An Inception in practiceSub - Topics: • How and why, we did an Inception• How was our inception?• Prioritizing ideas• Persona development• Next Steps with lean• How does the game look like from the inception perspective• SummaryChapter 4: Do we really need a MVPSub - Topics: • MVP and MVG Defined• Building Prototypes• The Product Owner role in MVP/prototype• Getting more from less• Recognizing when a game is not viable• Thinking simpler first• From MVP Canvas to Lean Game Development• MVGs and prototypes of Super Jujuba Sisters• SummaryChapter 5: Examples of MVGsSub - Topics: • Guerrilla Games: From Killzone FPS to open world Horizon Zero Dawn - Conception - Thunderjaw (core mechanic example) - Open World - Vegetation System - Proof of Concept - Pre-production - Production• Archero: Casual Games as a Great Lean Process• Dead cells: Quick feedback loop - Dead cells Core Concept - Expanding to multiplayer - Pivoting Tower Defense - MVPChapter 6: Generating HypothesisSub - Topics:• When hypothesis are not created from the InceptionChapter 7: Test Driven DeveopmentSub - Topics:• TDD defined• Tests are good, but then why there is so much poorly tested code?• Applying TDD to games• Next steps to improve TDDChapter 8: Continuous IntegrationSub - Topics:• Why continuous integration• Using continuous integration• Code versioning• Automated build• SummaryChapter 9: The world between Design and BuildSub - Topics:• A little bit about Design• A little bit about Build• Pretty Beautiful, but how is it done?• SummaryChapter 10: Test, Code, TestSub - Topics:• Testing types• Test cases• Coding game art work• Coding the game software• Test automation• SummaryChapter 11: Measuring and AnalyzingSub - Topics:• Ways of measuring• Feedback• More on feedback• Other ways of measuring• Measuring through hypothesis• Analyzing • SummaryChapter 12: Creating ideas for iteratingSub - Topics:• Action Items• The features are OK, but the game is not fun• The Game is fun but very difficult to play• Rethink the limitations on Game Development• Tying things together• SummaryChapter 13: Consolidating Knowledge before Expanding Sub - Topics• Automated testing • Agile methodologies • Art and Iteration process • Avoiding Time Waste • Continuous Delivery • SummaryChapter 14: More about games Chapter 15: Example game using Automated testing for game developmentSub - Topics• Setting up Unity for testing. • Creating testing scenes and objects • Setting up a CI for Unity • Testing Gameplay, how to test character controllers • More testing scenarios for games • How to test ECS with Bevy Engine• Summary
£40.49
APress Basic Math for Game Development with Unity 3D
Book SynopsisThis book will teach you fundamental mathematical concepts using Unity-based custom examples, explaining the implementations and demonstrating how these concepts are applied in building modern video game functionality. You will learn the theoretical foundation of each concept, and then interact, examine, and modify the implementation to inspect the effects. Basic Math for Game Development with Unity 3D begins by explaining points in the 3D Cartesian Coordinate system. From there, you'll gain insight into vectors and details of dot and cross products, quaternions, rotation and decomposition of vectors. These basic mathematical foundations are illustrated through Unity-based example implementations. Associated with these concept presentations are separate examples of how the concepts are applied in creating typical video game functionality, such as collision support, motion simulations, autonomous behaviors, shadow approximations, and reflections off surfaces with arbitrary orientationTable of Contents
£42.49
O'Reilly Media Mobile Game Development with Unity
Book SynopsisDo you want to build mobile games, but lack game development experience? No problem. This practical guide shows you how to create beautiful, interactive content for iOS and Android devices with the Unity game engine.
£29.99
O'Reilly Media iOS Swift Game Development Cookbook 3e
Book SynopsisReady to make amazing games for the iPhone and iPad? With Apple's Swift programming language, it's never been easier. This updated cookbook provides detailed recipes for managing a wide range of common iOS game-development issues, ranging from 2D and 3D math, SpriteKit, and OpenGL to augmented reality with ARKit.
£35.99
Taylor & Francis Inc Fluid Engine Development
Book SynopsisFrom the splash of breaking waves to turbulent swirling smoke, the mathematical dynamics of fluids are varied and continue to be one of the most challenging aspects in animation. Fluid Engine Development demonstrates how to create a working fluid engine through the use of particles and grids, and even a combination of the two. Core algorithms are explained from a developer's perspective in a practical, approachable way that will not overwhelm readers. The Code Repository offers further opportunity for growth and discussion with continuously changing content and source codes. This book helps to serve as the ultimate guide to navigating complex fluid animation and development. Explains how to create a fluid simulation engine from scratch Offers an approach that is code-oriented rather than math-oriented, allowing readers to learn how fluid dynamics works with code, with downloadable code available Explores various kindsTable of ContentsChapter 1 Basics. Chapter 2 Particle-Based Simulation Chapter 3 Grids Simulation Chapter 4 Hybrid Techniques
£59.84
Taylor & Francis Inc Blender for Visual Effects
Book SynopsisBringing concrete examples from industry to light, this book explains how to use Blender to create visual effects for video/film production. It supplies readers with a practical way to learn how to use Blenderâs tools across a wide range of scenarios in video/film production, including setting up cameras on a stage, lighting, and other production processes. Maintaining a focus on composition, the book not only explains how to use the most common tools, such as tracking, rendering, and compositing, but also explains how to deal with software limitations and sort out problems. Since the best way to learn something is with a practical example, this book follows one of the authorâs own projects, starting with how to prepare the elements that will be needed later on. The example illustrates how to use Blender tools and features for scene tracking, setup, rendering, masking, and other post-production functionsâfrom start to finish in a professional workflow. The book examines all the compositing nodes that can be used in Blender. It details time-saving tips, features such as the motion tracker, and rendering techniques so readers will have enough information to accomplish the most common tasks encountered in the creation of a professional visual effects composition. By following the example project presented in the book, you will gain the practical understanding required to use Blenderâs tools in the most common scenarios in video/film production. You will also gain industry insights into the limitations of the software and how to sort out the problematic scenarios that may come up through the various stages of your project.Table of ContentsProblem Definition. Preparation. Tracking. Scene Setup. Rendering. Masking. Compositing.
£40.84
Cornell University Press A Precarious Game
Book SynopsisA Precarious Game is an ethnographic examination of video game production. The developers that Ergin Bulut researched for almost three years in a medium-sized studio in the U.S. loved making video games that millions play. Only some, however, can enjoy this dream job, which can be precarious and alienating for many others. That is, the passion of a predominantly white-male labor force relies on material inequalities involving the sacrificial labor of their families, unacknowledged work of precarious testers, and thousands of racialized and gendered workers in the Global South. A Precarious Game explores the politics of doing what one loves. In the context of work, passion and love imply freedom, participation, and choice, but in fact they accelerate self-exploitation and can impose emotional toxicity on other workers by forcing them to work endless hours. Bulut argues that such ludic discourses in the game industry disguise the racialized and gendered inequalitiTrade ReviewBuilding on "critical political economy, feminist theory, and autonomist Marxism" (p. 11), this book is a much-needed contribution to critical game studies by breaking the glamorous spell over the contemporary forms of immaterial and creative media labor. Theoretical discussions are clear enough to engage with and vividly illustrated in ethnographic research. The language makes the book a fluent read not only for academics but for anyone interested in current modes of capitalism and videogame production. * Critical Studies in Media Communication *Bulut transports readers inside of video game production to gain a better perspective on the gestalt of the video game industry. This book is a thought-provoking example of media ethnography and would captivate anyone interested in a critical approach to employment relations in any industry where technology and creativity intersect. * ILR Review *By providing a nuanced analysis of this creative workforce, A Precarious Game challenges us to rethink the broader implications of the precarization of the professional management class. It thus makes insightful contributions to the debates on video games, digital labor, and the future of work. * WORK AND OCCUPATIONS *Table of ContentsIntroduction: For Whom the Love Works in Video Game Production? 1. The Unequal Ludopolitical Regime of Game Production: Who Can Play, Who Has to Work? 2. The End of the Garage Studio as a Technomasculine Space: Financial Security, Streamlined Creativity, and Signs of Friction 3. Gaming the City: How a Game Studio Revitalized a Downtown Space in the Silicon Prairie 4. The Production of Communicative Developers in the Affective Game Studio 5. Reproducing Technomasculinity: Spouses' Classed Femininities and Domestic Labor 6. Game Testers as Precarious Second-Class Citizens: Degradation of Fun, Instrumentalization of Play 7. Production Error: Layoffs Hit the Core Creatives Conclusion: Reimagining Labor and Love in and beyond Game Production
£91.80
Cornell University Press A Precarious Game
Book SynopsisA Precarious Game is an ethnographic examination of video game production. The developers that Ergin Bulut researched for almost three years in a medium-sized studio in the U.S. loved making video games that millions play. Only some, however, can enjoy this dream job, which can be precarious and alienating for many others. That is, the passion of a predominantly white-male labor force relies on material inequalities involving the sacrificial labor of their families, unacknowledged work of precarious testers, and thousands of racialized and gendered workers in the Global South. A Precarious Game explores the politics of doing what one loves. In the context of work, passion and love imply freedom, participation, and choice, but in fact they accelerate self-exploitation and can impose emotional toxicity on other workers by forcing them to work endless hours. Bulut argues that such ludic discourses in the game industry disguise the racialized and gendered inequalitiTrade ReviewBuilding on "critical political economy, feminist theory, and autonomist Marxism" (p. 11), this book is a much-needed contribution to critical game studies by breaking the glamorous spell over the contemporary forms of immaterial and creative media labor. Theoretical discussions are clear enough to engage with and vividly illustrated in ethnographic research. The language makes the book a fluent read not only for academics but for anyone interested in current modes of capitalism and videogame production. * Critical Studies in Media Communication *Bulut transports readers inside of video game production to gain a better perspective on the gestalt of the video game industry. This book is a thought-provoking example of media ethnography and would captivate anyone interested in a critical approach to employment relations in any industry where technology and creativity intersect. * ILR Review *By providing a nuanced analysis of this creative workforce, A Precarious Game challenges us to rethink the broader implications of the precarization of the professional management class. It thus makes insightful contributions to the debates on video games, digital labor, and the future of work. * WORK AND OCCUPATIONS *Table of ContentsIntroduction: For Whom the Love Works in Video Game Production? 1. The Unequal Ludopolitical Regime of Game Production: Who Can Play, Who Has to Work? 2. The End of the Garage Studio as a Technomasculine Space: Financial Security, Streamlined Creativity, and Signs of Friction 3. Gaming the City: How a Game Studio Revitalized a Downtown Space in the Silicon Prairie 4. The Production of Communicative Developers in the Affective Game Studio 5. Reproducing Technomasculinity: Spouses' Classed Femininities and Domestic Labor 6. Game Testers as Precarious Second-Class Citizens: Degradation of Fun, Instrumentalization of Play 7. Production Error: Layoffs Hit the Core Creatives Conclusion: Reimagining Labor and Love in and beyond Game Production
£20.99
Xlibris Corporation Programming Concepts In Java
£15.70
Manchester University Press Games are Not: The Difficult and Definitive Guide
Book SynopsisHow do we reconcile a videogame industry's insistence that games positively affect human beliefs and behaviors with the equally prevalent assumption that games are “just games”? How do we reconcile accusations that games make us violent and antisocial and unproductive with the realization that games are a universal source of human joy?In Games are not, David Myers demonstrates that these controversies and conflicts surrounding the meanings and effects of games are not going away; they are essential properties of the game's paradoxical aesthetic form. Games are not focuses on games writ large, bound by neither digital form nor by cultural interpretation. Interdisciplinary in scope and radical in conclusion, Games are not positions games as unique objects evoking a peculiar and paradoxical liminal state – a lusory attitude – that is essential to human creativity, knowledge, and sustenance of the species.Table of Contents1 Games are not cooperative2 Games are not designer intentions3 Games are not references (of the conventional sort)4 Games are not narratives5 Games are not beliefs6 Games are not gameplay7 Games are not toys8 Games are not simulations: part one9 Games are not simulations: part two10 Games are not commodities11 Games are not what you think12 Games are art (because games are not art)Index
£17.67
Little, Brown & Company The Dream Architects: Adventures in the Video
Book SynopsisAt Massive Entertainment, a Ubisoft studio, a key division of one of the largest, most influential companies in gaming, Managing Director Polfeldt has had a hand in some of the biggest video game franchises of today, from Assassin's Creed to Far Cry to Tom Clancy's The Division, the fastest-selling new series this generation which revitalized the Clancy brand in gaming.In THE DREAM ARCHITECTS, Polfeldt charts his course through a charmed, idiosyncratic career which began at the dawn of the Sony PlayStation and Microsoft Xbox era--from successfully pitching an Avatar game to James Cameron that will digitally create all of Pandora to enduring a week-long survivalist camp in the Scandinavian forest to better understand the post-apocalyptic future of The Division.Along the way, Polfeldt ruminates on how the video game industry has grown and changed, how and when games became art, and the medium's expanding artistic and storytelling potential. He shares what it's like to manage a creative process that has ballooned from a low-six-figure expense with a team of a half dozen people to a transatlantic production of five hundred employees on a single project with a production budget of over a hundred million dollars.A rare firsthand account of the golden age of game development told in vivid detail, THE DREAM ARCHITECTS is a seminal work about the biggest entertainment medium of today.
£21.60
Taylor & Francis Inc AI for Games and Animation: A Cognitive Modeling
Book SynopsisJohn Funge introduces a new approach to creating autonomous characters. Cognitive modeling provides computer-animated characters with logic, reasoning, and planning skills. Individual chapters in the book provide concrete examples of advanced character animation, automated cinematography, and a real-time computer game. Source code, animations, images, and other resources are available at the book's website, listed below.Table of ContentsForeword -- Preface -- 1 Introduction -- 1.1 Cognitive Character -- 1.2 Domain Knowledge -- 1.3 Character Instruction -- 1.4 Knowledge Acquisition -- 1.5 Phenomenology -- 1.6 Implementation -- 1.7 Other Models -- 2 Background -- 2.1 Geometric Models -- 2.2 Kinematic Control -- 2.3 Physical Models -- 2.4 Noninterpenetration -- 2.5 Biomechanical Mode -- 2.6 Behavior and Cognitive Model -- 2.7 Notes -- 3 Domain Knowledge -- 3.1 Mathematical Logic -- 3.2 Situation Calculus -- 3.3 D iscussion -- 3.4 Notes -- 4 Sensing -- 4.1 Knowledge Producing Actions. -- 4.2 Interval Arithmetic -- 4.3 Interval-valued Epistemic Fluents -- 4.4 Inaccurate Sensors -- 4.5 Sensing Changing Values -- 4.6 Correctness -- 4.7 Operators for Interval Arithmetic -- 4.8 Knowledge of Terms -- 4.9 Usefulness -- 4.10 Notes -- 5 Character Instruction -- 5.1 Predefined Behavior -- 5.2 Goal-directed Behavior -- 5.3 The Middle Ground -- 5.4 A Simple Tutorial Example: Maze Solving -- 5.5 D iscussion -- 5.6 Notes -- 6 Learning -- 6.1 Machine Learning -- 6.2 Creating a Training Set -- 6.3 Representation of the Learned Function -- 6.4 Learning Algorithm -- 6.5 D iscussion -- 6.6 Notes -- 7 Putting It All Together -- 7.1 A Predefined Behavior Layer -- 7.2 Interface. -- 7.3 Roiling Forward -- 7.4 Embedding Goal-directed Behavior -- 7.5 Intelligent Flocks -- 7.6 Notes -- 8 CML -- 8.1 Precondition and Effect Axioms -- 8.2 Complex A ctioNS -- 8.3 Discussion -- 8.4 Notes -- 9 Cinematography -- 9.1 Automated Cinematography -- 9.2 Implementation -- 9.3 Discussion -- 9.4 Notes -- 10 Prehistoric World -- 10.1 The Prehistoric World -- 10.2 Effect A xioms -- 10.3 Precondition A xiomS -- 10.4 Character Instruction -- 10.5 Implementation. -- 10.6 D iscussion -- 10.7 Notes -- 11 Undersea world -- 11.1 D iscussion -- 11.2 Overview -- 11.3 Evasion BehavioR -- 11.4 The Great Escape -- 11.5 Pet Protection -- 11.6 General Melee -- 11.7 Visibility Testing -- 11.8 Low-level System Implementation -- 11.9 Discussion -- ll.lONotes -- 12 Conclusion -- 12.1 AI Accelerator cards -- 12.2 R obotics. -- 12.3 Electronic Commerce and Web Avatars. -- 12.4 Other Applications. -- 12.5 Conclusion -- Bibliography -- Index.
£78.84
Taylor & Francis Inc Advanced Game Development with Programmable Graphics Hardware
Book SynopsisThis book addresses the new possibilities that are becoming available in games technology through the development of programmable hardware. It is helpful for students of game technology and established game programmers and developers who want to update their expertise to the new technology.Table of Contents1. Introduction and Cg Programming Overview 2. Light/Object Shaders 3. Texture Mapping 4. Rendering Shadows 5. Advanced Mapping Techniques and Ray Tracing on the GPU 6. Common Games Effects 7. Recorded Animation: Interpolation and Management 8. Real-Time Animation 9. Character Animation—Using MoCap and Skinning 10. Facial Animation 11. Managing Game Development
£123.50
Taylor & Francis Inc COLLADA: Sailing the Gulf of 3D Digital Content
Book SynopsisCOLLADA is a COLLAborative Design Activity for establishing an open standard Digital Asset schema for interactive 3D applications. This book explains in detail how to use the COLLADA technology in a project utilizing 3D assets, and ultimately how to create an effective content creation pipeline for the most complex development. Errata are posted at http://collada.org/mediawiki/index.php/COLLADA_book.Trade Review" book presents comprehensive and enlightening coverage of COLLADA from a practical perspective. NVIDIA is proud of the continuing collaboration on this project, and we look forward to seeing users fully utilize COLLADA to deploy next-generation 3D rendering content in future graphics applications."--Sebastien Domine, Director of Developer Technology Tools, NVIDIA Corporation, August 2006 compatible, reliable, and predictable communications between content creation applications in a tool chain has long been the dream of developers. At last there is a solution. The creators of COLLADA have come up with a schema, which is supported by Khronos, an independent standards body, that allows the applications to communicate in an open and efficient manner-an industry standard for 3D interchange is finally here." --Dr. Jon Peddie, President, Jon Peddie Research, August 2006 is redefining game development and promises, for once, to make it simpler and more fun to create 3D content. This authoritative book-detailed, engaging and written by the fathers of COLLADA-will enable game developers to better understand and benefit from this popular technology, so they can focus on creating bold new games instead of maintaining yet another proprietary file format." --Christian Laforte, President, Feeling Software, Inc., August 2006 book provides a first and comprehensive introduction to COLLADA, the digital asset exchange schema, which enables a standardized way for physics to be implemented into a variety of game development environments using a variety of creative tools. It will help the AGEIA mission of expanding the role of artists in the game development process through open physics standards." --Emmanuel Marquez Ageia, Worldwide Senior Producer, AGEIA Technologies, Inc., August 2006 "I highly recommend this book. If you are a programmer with a reasonable understanding of 3D graphics programming and/or authoring using 3D scene graphs, you will be able to learn the basics of Collada. If you are an experienced 3D toolmaker, Collada contains everything you need to get up and running to build your game, game engine or content pipeline tool. If you are a manager or decision maker, you get the added comfort of knowing that - finally - you just might be able to write that tool once and not over and over again." -Tony Parisi, Slashdot.org, December 2006 [The Authors] provide insight into the design of COLLADA so that readers can understand how design decisions were made and how this standard may evolve. The book will be useful to content developers interested in exchanging data between several tools, to application developers planning to use COLLADA, and to tool providers who want to add COLLADA compatibility. -Book News, December 2006 Jon Peddie gives us an interesting perspective on the games industry and the efforts being made to make asset exchange as easy as possible. --Jon Peddie, Hexus, September 2006 "COLLADA: SAILING THE GULF OF 3D DIGITAL CONTENT CREATION is for any game developer beyond the novice stage: it discusses the pros, cons, applications and future of a bold new technology for creating games, and comes from a joint industry effort focusing on effective 3D interaction in game developments. The Collada initiative surveys the history and especially the applications of the 3D industry tool, offering up a basic guide to the Collada 1.4 specifications and reviewing foundation concepts, tools, and applications and design. It's simply a must for any serious game developer." -California Bookwatch: The Computer Shelf, California Bookwatch, November 2006 book makes available the results of a joint industry effort, spearheaded by Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc., to create a standard for digital asset exchange that enables Playstation(R) 3 to bring more realistic content to life and into the home like never before." -Ken Kutaragi, President and CEO Sony Computer Entertainment -President and CEO Sony Computer Entertainment, August 2006 welcomes the publication of COLLADA: Sailing the Gulf of 3D Digital Content Creation, where the centerpiece of the digital asset tool chain for the 3D interactive industry is clearly explained and presented for the first time. Softimage is proud to have contributed to COLLADA since the beginning of its development, and to watch it grow into a powerful resource supported by the industry as a whole." --Gareth Morgan, Senior product manager for Softimage Co.,a subsidiary of Avid Technology, Inc., August 2006 COLLADA initiative is a demonstration of Sony's leadership and commitment to the games development industry. Autodesk is very supportive of this effort; it helps the games community become more productive as it tackles the requirements and opportunities of new generation consoles." --Marc Petit, VP Media & Entertainment, Autodesk, August 2006 book is an excellent first-hand account of the origins of COLLADA straight from the people that made it happen. These pages are much more then just an authoritative technical primer on enabling great content-they are also a glimpse into the passion and vision that bought COLLADA to life. The Khronos Group is honored to provide a good home to COLLADA-an open standard that is truly changing the 3D industry." -Neil Trevett, President, Khronos Group -President, Khronos Group, August 2006"Table of Contents1. Introduction to COLLADA 2. COLLADA Document 3. COLLADA Geometry 4. COLLADA Scenes 5. COLLADA Effects 6. COLLADA Animations 7. COLLADA Physics 8. COLLADA Content Pipeline
£63.64
Taylor & Francis Inc 3D Math Primer for Graphics and Game Development
Book SynopsisThis engaging book presents the essential mathematics needed to describe, simulate, and render a 3D world. Reflecting both academic and in-the-trenches practical experience, the authors teach you how to describe objects and their positions, orientations, and trajectories in 3D using mathematics. The text provides an introduction to mathematics for game designers, including the fundamentals of coordinate spaces, vectors, and matrices. It also covers orientation in three dimensions, calculus and dynamics, graphics, and parametric curves.Trade Review"With solid theory and references, along with practical advice borne from decades of experience, all presented in an informal and demystifying style, Dunn & Parberry provide an accessible and useful approach to the key mathematical operations needed in 3D computer graphics."—Eric Haines, author of Real-Time Rendering"The book describes the mathematics involved in game development in a very clear and easy to understand way, layered on the practical background of years of game engine programming experience."—Wolfgang Engel, editor of GPU ProTable of ContentsCartesian Coordinate Systems. Vectors. Multiple Coordinate Spaces. Introduction to Matrices. Matrices and Linear Transformations. More on Matrices. Polar Coordinate Systems. Rotation in Three Dimensions. Geometric Primitives. Mathematical Topics from 3D Graphics. Mechanics 1: Linear Kinematics and Calculus. Mechanics 2: Linear and Rotational Dynamics. Curves in 3D. Afterword. Appendices. Bibliography. Index.
£99.75
APress Beginning Game Development with Python and Pygame: From Novice to Professional
Book SynopsisThis book provides readers with an introductory resource for learning how to create compelling games using the open source Python programming language and Pygame games development library. Authored by industry veteran and Python expert Will McGugan, readers are treated to a comprehensive, practical introduction to games development using these popular technologies. They can also capitalize upon numerous tips and tricks the author has accumulated over his career creating games for some of the world's largest gaming developers.Table of ContentsA table of contents is not available for this title.
£52.24
Insight Editions XCOM 2: Resurrection
Book SynopsisIn the world of XCOM, the governments of Earth unite under threat of an alien invasion and form XCOM, an elite paramilitary organization tasked with repelling the extraterrestrial offensive and defending humanity. Woefully outgunned, XCOM’s only hope is to outsmart and outmaneuver the enemy by turning the aliens’ power against them. Making clever use of game elements, XCOM: Resurrection details the strategy and costs of war in a compelling narrative sure to delight sci-fi aficionados and fans of the game series.
£13.29
Manning Publications Hello Scratch!
Book SynopsisIn the future, there are going to be millions of jobs with no one to fill them if more kids don't learn how to code. So why aren't more kids learning to program? Some think it's too hard, and others don't have parents who can help them because they don't know programming themselves. Learning to code with a tool like Scratch, an open source programming platform maintained by MIT, and having fun goals, like writing games, just might make a difference. That's where this book comes in. Hello, Scratch! is a how-to book that helps parents and kids work together to learn programming skills by creating new versions of old retro-style arcade games with Scratch. By building games, readers not only create fun finished products, but they'll learn important programming skills along the way. By the time readers are done, they'll be able to create their own games and understand the basics of computer programming and game design. Key Features: · Introduction to Scratch · Easy to follow examples · Step-by-step guide This book is for kids and their parents who want to learn to program while creating games. No programming experience needed! About the Technology: Scratch is a drag-and-drop programming language created by the college Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). What can you make with Scratch? The short answer is anything.
£33.33
Manning Publications Unity in Action, Second Edition: Multiplatform
Book SynopsisWith a huge ecosystem of pre-built game assets, an enthusiastic community of fellow developers, and support for nearly every platform, Unity is a great choice to make your dream game a reality. Unity in Action, Second Edition teaches readers to write and deploy games with the Unity game development platform. Fully updated to include the latest changes to Unity, new best practices, and an entire chapter on building 2D platformers with Unity's expanded 2D toolkit, this book is essential for any aspiring game developer. Key features • Hands-on examples • Clear explanations • Excellent graphics Written for those who know how to program, in C# or a similar OO language. No previous Unity experience or game development knowledge is assumed. Unity is a professional-quality game engine used to create video games targeting a variety of platforms.
£35.99
Manning Publications Python Workout: 50 Essential Exercises
Book SynopsisPython Workout presents 50 exercises designed to deepen the reader’s skill with Python. Readers will not only tackle exercises using built-in data structures, but also more advanced techniques, such as functional programming, object-oriented programming, iterators, and generators. With each engaging challenge, readers will practice a new skill and learn how to apply it to everyday coding tasks. Key Features 50 hands-on exercises and solutions Basic Python sequence types Python dictionaries and sets Functional programming in Python Creating your own classes Working with Python objects Generator functions Intended for readers with basic Python skills. About the technology Python is a versatile, elegant, general purpose programming language. Essential for data analysis, web development, artificial intelligence, games, desktop apps, and more, Python skills are a hot commodity. Reuven M. Lerner, an independent consultant for more than two decades, teaches Python, data science, and Git to companies around the world. His Better developers newsletter and blog are read by thousands of Python developers each week. Reuven has written a monthly column, “At the Forge,” for Linux Journal since 1996 and is a panellist on the weekly Freelancers Show podcast. Reuven lives with his wife and three children in Modi’in, Israel, and can be reached at https://lerner.co.il/ or on Twitter at @reuvenmlerner.
£40.79
Morgan & Claypool Publishers A Framework for Scientific Discovery through
Book SynopsisAs science becomes increasingly computational, the limits of what is computationally tractable become a barrier to scientific progress. Many scientific problems, however, are amenable to human problem solving skills that complement computational power. By leveraging these skills on a larger scale---beyond the relatively few individuals currently engaged in scientific inquiry-there is the potential for new scientific discoveries. This book presents a framework for mapping open scientific problems into video games. The game framework combines computational power with human problem solving and creativity to work toward solving scientific problems that neither computers nor humans could previously solve alone. To maximize the potential contributors to scientific discovery, the framework designs a game to be played by people with no formal scientific background and incentivizes long-term engagement with a myriad of collaborative or competitive reward structures. The framework allows for the continual coevolution of the players and the game to each other: as players gain expertise through gameplay, the game changes to become a better tool. The framework is validated by being applied to proteomics problems with the video game Foldit. Foldit players have contributed to novel discoveries in protein structure prediction, protein design, and protein structure refinement algorithms. The coevolution of human problem solving and computer tools in an incentivized game framework is an exciting new scientific pathway that can lead to discoveries currently unreachable by other methods.
£42.46
Clanrye International The Art of Game Design
Book Synopsis
£96.98
Plunkett Research, Ltd Plunkett's Games, Apps & Social Media Industry
Book SynopsisThree of the most exciting areas in the world of information technology have tremendous synergies and are closely connected in the worlds of information and entertainment: electronic games, mobile apps and social media. Competition continues to heat up as mergers and acquisitions create international mega-firms, and hundreds of millions of people connect worldwide via online gaming platforms and social media such as Facebook. As social media grows more global, it is also being incorporated in virtually all online activities, from business collaboration to online retailing. Games are growing in two channels at once: online and offline. While multi-player games online are vastly popular, game machine manufacturers such as Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo continue to introduce big breakthroughs in handsets that keep players excited, including the new move towards 3D. Meanwhile, apps are changing the shape of the mobile and wireless industry. This carefully researched book is a complete market research and business intelligence tool--everything you need to know about the business of games, apps and social media. The book includes our analysis of games, apps and social media industry trends; dozens of statistical tables; an industry glossary; a database of industry associations and professional organizations; and our in-depth profiles of more than 200 of the world's leading companies, both in the U.S. and abroad. You'll find a complete overview, industry analysis and market research report in one superb, value-priced package.Table of Contents How To Use This Book Chapter 1: Major Trends Affecting the Games, Apps & Social Media Industry 1) Introduction to the Games, Apps and Social Media Industry 2) Overview of the Electronic Games Industry 3) Overview of the Mobile Apps Industry 4) Overview of the Social Media Industry 5) Social Media Rakes in Global Online and Mobile Ad Revenues 6) Streaming Apps Take Over TVs 7) New Video Game Console Technologies and Features Boost Sales 8) Online (Cloud Gaming) & Mobile Games Compete with Consoles 9) Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality and 3-D Technologies Create Opportunities for the Tech Industry/Immersion Games to Grow 10) The Metaverse Attracts Investment 11) Fantasy Sports Post Growth, with 60 Million Players 12) eSports: Electronic Games Become Spectator Sports 13) Virtual Worlds Provide Revenue for Games Publishers 14) Global Mobile Apps Revenues Hit $167 Billion Yearly 15) Embedded LTE Wi-Fi and Onboard Apps Incorporated by Auto Makers in New Car Infotainment Systems 16) Gamification: Games Technology Boosts Education and Training 17) Sports Equipment and Social Media Converge 18) Digital Assistants Include Amazon's Echo and Google's Home/Alexa and Similar Software Power Third-Party Developers 19) The Future of Games, Apps & Social Media Chapter 2: Games, Apps & Social Media Industry Statistics Games, Apps & Social Media Industry Statistics and Market Size Overview Internet Usage Demographics, U.S.: 2021 Use of Different Online Platforms: 2022 Social Media Usage Demographics, U.S.: 2021 Home Broadband Adoption Demographics, U.S.: 2021 Smartphone Adoption Demographics, U.S.: 2021 Number of Business & Residential High Speed Internet Lines, U.S.: 2018-2023 Software Publishing Industry, U.S.: Estimated Revenue, Inventories & Expenses: 2017-2022 Software Publishing Industry, U.S.: Estimated Selected Expenses: 2017-2022 Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite): Estimated Sources of Revenue & Expenses, U.S.: 2018-2021 Internet Publishing & Broadcasting & Web Search Portals: Estimated Revenue & Expenses, U.S.: 2017-2022 Estimated U.S. Information & Entertainment Sector Revenues by NAICS Code: 2017-2022 Internet Access Technologies Compared Chapter 3: Games, Apps & Social Media Industry Contacts Addresses, Telephone Numbers and Internet Sites Chapter 4: THE GAMES, APPS & SOCIAL MEDIA 200: Who They Are and How They Were Chosen Index of Companies Within Industry Groups Alphabetical Index Index of U.S. Headquarters Location by State Index of Non-U.S. Headquarters Location by Country Individual Profiles on each of THE GAMES, APPS & SOCIAL MEDIA 200 Additional Indexes Index of Hot Spots for Advancement for Women/Minorities Index by Subsidiaries, Brand Names and Affiliations A Short Games, Apps & Social Media Industry Glossary
£316.80
The Pragmatic Programmers Mazes for Programmers
Book SynopsisUnlock the secrets to creating random mazes! Whether you're a game developer, an algorithm connoisseur, or simply in search of a new puzzle, you're about to level up. Learn algorithms to randomly generate mazes in a variety of shapes, sizes, and dimensions. Bend them into Moebius strips, fold them into cubes, and wrap them around spheres. Stretch them into other dimensions, squeeze them into arbitrary outlines, and tile them in a dizzying variety of ways. From twelve little algorithms, you'll discover a vast reservoir of ideas and inspiration. From video games to movies, mazes are ubiquitous. Explore a dozen algorithms for generating these puzzles randomly, from Binary Tree to Eller's, each copiously illustrated and accompanied by working implementations in Ruby. You'll learn their pros and cons, and how to choose the right one for the job. You'll start by learning six maze algorithms and transition from making mazes on paper to writing programs that generate and draw them. You'll be introduced to Dijkstra's algorithm and see how it can help solve, analyze, and visualize mazes. Part 2 shows you how to constrain your mazes to different shapes and outlines, such as text, circles, hex and triangle grids, and more. You'll learn techniques for culling dead-ends, and for making your passages weave over and under each other. Part 3 looks at six more algorithms, taking it all to the next level. You'll learn how to build your mazes in multiple dimensions, and even on curved surfaces. Through it all, you'll discover yourself brimming with ideas, the best medicine for programmer's block, burn-out, and the grayest of days. By the time you're done, you'll be energized and full of maze-related possibilities! What You Need: The example code requires version 2 of the Ruby programming language. Some examples depend on the ChunkyPNG library to generate PNG images, and one chapter uses POV-Ray version 3.7 to render 3D graphics
£28.98
The Pragmatic Programmers 3D Game Programming for Kids 2e
Book SynopsisYou know what's even better than playing games? Programming your own! Make your own online games, even if you're an absolute beginner. Let your imagination come to 3D life as you learn real-world programming skills with the JavaScript programming language - the language used everywhere on the web. This new edition is completely revised, and takes advantage of new programming features to make game programming even easier to learn. Plus, new effects make your games even cooler. When you're done, you're going to be amazed at what you can create. Jump right in! Start programming cool stuff on page 1. Keep building new and different things until the very last page. This book wants you to play. Not just play games, but play with code. Play with programming. Because the best way to learn something is to have fun with it! This second edition is updated from start to finish to make it even easier to get started programming in JavaScript. Every example has been updated to make it easier, with new example games to explore and new 3D effects that make your games even more fun! Want a red donut? You can make hundreds of them, spinning around like mad. Want to create a star field? Make a hundred or a thousand stars. Make them red, green, or blue. Explosions? Fireworks? Planets? It's up to you. And, using a code editor created especially for this book, you'll program right in your web browser. You'll see the results of your work and imagination right away - right next to the code that you just typed! Along the way, you'll pick up a ton of programming knowledge, and dive in even deeper with some more advanced chapters. Whatever you want to do, this book has your back. Best of all, you get to create awesome games and say, I made this! What You Need: You need the latest version of the Google Chrome Web browser, available for free from https: //chrome.google.com. You also need an Internet connection to access the ICE Code Editor the first time. ICE Code Editor will be loaded onto your computer, so you won't need Internet access for later projects.
£32.72
The Pragmatic Programmers Apple Game Frameworks and Technologies: Build 2D
Book SynopsisDesign and develop sophisticated 2D games that are as much fun to make as they are to play. From particle effects and pathfinding to social integration and monetization, this complete tour of Apple's powerful suite of game technologies covers it all. Familiar with Swift but new to game development? No problem. Start with the basics and then layer in the complexity as you work your way through three exciting - and fully playable - games. In the end, you'll know everything you need to go off and create your own video game masterpiece for any Apple platform. Discover the power of Apple Game Frameworks, Xcode, and Swift by building three exciting games: Gloop Drop - a new twist on a classic arcade game, Val's Revenge - a roguelike dungeon crawler, and Hog - a social player vs. player mobile dice game. With Apple Game Frameworks, you can create high-performance, power-efficient games that work across all Apple platforms, including iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS. In this book, you'll discover how to... Design and develop rich 2D gaming experiences using Apple's built-in game frameworks. Harness the power of SpriteKit using Xcode and Swift to create engaging player experiences. Use the visual Scene Editor to build complete scenes. Unleash the power of the Particle Editor to create amazing effects. Use GameplayKit to add advanced features to your games like pathfinding, artificial intelligence, and complex rule systems. Build larger, more complex worlds with tile maps and Xcode's visual Tile Map editor. Bring people together using GameKit and Game Center, Apple's social gaming network. Increase revenue with third-party banner ads and rewarded ads using Google AdMob (TM). Monetize your games with StoreKit and in-app purchases. So, grab your gear and get your game on - it's time to level up your skills. What You Need: macOS Mojave 10.14.6 or newer Xcode 11.3 or newer Basic knowledge of Swift 5.1.4 or newer
£39.42
The Pragmatic Programmers Hands-on Rust: Effective Learning through 2D Game
Book SynopsisRust is an exciting new programming language combining the power of C with memory safety, fearless concurrency, and productivity boosters - and what better way to learn than by making games. Each chapter in this book presents hands-on, practical projects ranging from "Hello, World" to building a full dungeon crawler game. With this book, you'll learn game development skills applicable to other engines, including Unity and Unreal. Rust is an exciting programming language combining the power of C with memory safety, fearless concurrency, and productivity boosters. With Rust, you have a shiny new playground where your game ideas can flourish. Each chapter in this book presents hands-on, practical projects that take you on a journey from "Hello, World" to building a full dungeon crawler game. Start by setting up Rust and getting comfortable with your development environment. Learn the language basics with practical examples as you make your own version of Flappy Bird. Discover what it takes to randomly generate dungeons and populate them with monsters as you build a complete dungeon crawl game. Run game systems concurrently for high-performance and fast game-play, while retaining the ability to debug your program. Unleash your creativity with magical items, tougher monsters, and intricate dungeon design. Add layered graphics and polish your game with style. What You Need: A computer running Windows 10, Linux, or Mac OS X. A text editor, such as Visual Studio Code. A video card and drivers capable of running OpenGL 3.2.
£36.57
No Starch Press,US Python Playground, 2nd Edition: Geeky Projects
Book SynopsisPython is a powerful programming language that's easy to learn and fun to play with. But once you've gotten a handle on the basics, what's next? Python Playground, 2nd Edition is a collection of imaginative programming projects that will inspire readers to use Python for making art and music, simulating real-world phenomena, and interacting with hardware. This second edition is fully updated to be even more user friendly and features five brand-new projects, like transforming a Raspberry Pi Pico into a playable instrument, creating an IoT system to monitor your garden, and using machine learning to develop a speech-recognition system. Programming shouldn't be a chore, so have some geeky fun with Python Playground, 2nd Edition!Trade Review"Python Playground has excellent projects for the science-minded programmer, the programming-minded science enthusiast, and everyone in between."—Al Sweigart, author of Automate the Boring Stuff with PythonReviews of the first edition:"If you want to become adept at doing clever things with Python, I doubt you'll find a better group of projects or more useful help for understanding how the language works."—Network World "This is a book that belongs in every Python programmer's library."—Full Circle Magazine"Packed with interesting projects."—iProgrammer"Python Playground targets programmers who want to further improve their skills and knowledge of the language. The book does a good job of explaining all relevant details and makes sure that readers get a clear picture of what is going on."—InfoQ"As an intermediate coder and educator, I appreciate how this book pushes boundaries with Python, inviting those who enjoy a rigorous coding puzzle. It's a solid pick for developers and coders looking to level up."—Kelly Schuster-Paredes, co-host of The Teaching Python podcast
£32.24
University of Alberta Press The Creation of iGiselle: Classical Ballet Meets
Book SynopsisThe unusual marriage of Romantic ballet and artificial intelligence is an intriguing idea that led a team of interdisciplinary researchers to design iGiselle, a video game prototype. Scholars in the fields of literature, physical education, music, design, and computer science collaborated to revise the tragic narrative of the nineteenth-century ballet Giselle, allowing players to empower the heroine for possible ”feminine endings.” The eight interrelated chapters chronicle the origin, development, and fruition of the project. Dancers, gamers, and computer specialists will all find something original that will stimulate their respective interests. Contributors: Vadim Bulitko, Wayne DeFehr, Christina Gier, Pirkko Markula, Mark Morris, Sergio Poo Hernandez, Emilie St. Hilaire, Nora Foster Stovel, Laura SydoraTrade Review# 4 on Edmonton Non-Fiction Bestsellers list, March 10, 2019Table of ContentsPreface Revisioning Giselle as the Video Game iGiselle // Nora Foster Stovel Acknowledgements Introduction Recreating Giselle for the Twenty-First Century // Nora Foster Stovel I An Interdisciplinary Approach to Giselle 1 | The Creation of the Romantic Ballet Giselle The Ballerina’s Hamlet // Nora Foster Stovel 2 | “No Feminine Endings” Adolphe Adam’s Musical Score for Giselle // Christina Gier 3 | The Other Giselles Moncrieff’s Giselle; or, The Phantom Night Dancers, Loder’s The Night Dancers, and Puccini’s Le Villi // Mark Morris 4 | (Re)creating Giselle Narrative and the Ballerina // Laura Sydora II Creating iGiselle 5 | Artificial Intelligence for Managing the Interactive Ballet Video Game, iGiselle // Sergio Poo Hernandez & Vadim Bulitko 6 | Re-playing iGiselle Dance, Technology, and Interdisciplinary Creation // Emilie St. Hilaire 7 | Renewing Adolphe Adam’s Score Creating the Music for iGiselle // Wayne DeFehr 8 | The Ballet Body and Video Games A Feminist Perspective // Pirkko Markula Contributors 189 Index 193
£26.99
Packt Publishing Limited Learning Game AI Programming with Lua
£35.99
Unbound Region Locked
Book SynopsisNot all games are released equal.The barriers of language and culture can leave our world divided, and this includes the video games that we get the chance to play. Matt Barnes, Dazz Brown and Greg Seago-Curl of DidYouKnowGaming? created the YouTube series Region Locked to offer an insight into the weird and wonderful titles that never left their home countries, and now they bring their expertise to you, the gaming reader.Encounter masterpieces you never knew existed from your favourite series and developers, as well as some utterly bizarre creations that seem so outlandish you might wonder how on earth they were released in the first place, from the trippy, meandering dreamscapes of 1998’s LSD: Dream Emulator to The Mysterious Murasame Castle, released in 1986 by Nintendo, and the intergalactic adventures of Crime Crackers (1994). The authors explore what it’s like to play these games, and investigate the fascinating characters and maverick designers behind them to discover why such remarkable creations never enjoyed international exposure.For the casual gamer, keen developer, intrigued reader and hardcore fan alike, Region Locked is the key to a surreal and adventurous journey through the lost world of video games.
£19.00
Packt Publishing Limited Unity 2D Game Development Cookbook
£27.99
Packt Publishing Limited Learning Unity 2D Game Development by Example
£27.99
Packt Publishing Limited Mastering Unity Scripting Learn advanced C tips and techniques to make professionalgrade games with Unity
£46.75