Learn C++ from scratch and get started building your very own games
About This Book
- This book offers a fun way to learn modern C++ programming while building exciting 2D games
- This beginner-friendly guide offers a fast-paced but engaging approach to game development
- Dive headfirst into building a wide variety of desktop games that gradually increase in complexity
- It is packed with many suggestions to expand your finished games that will make you think critically, technically, and creatively
Who This Book Is For
This book is perfect for you if any of the following describes you: You have no C++ programming knowledge whatsoever or need a beginner level refresher course, if you want to learn to build games or just use games as an engaging way to learn C++, if you have aspirations to publish a game one day, perhaps on Steam, or if you just want to have loads of fun and impress friends with your creations.
What You Will Learn
- Get to know C++ from scratch while simultaneously learning game building
- Learn the basics of C++, such as variables, loops, and functions to animate game objects, respond to collisions, keep score, play sound effects, and build your first playable game.
- Use more advanced C++ topics such as classes, inheritance, and references to spawn and control thousands of enemies, shoot with a rapid fire machine gun, and realize random scrolling game-worlds
- Stretch your C++ knowledge beyond the beginner level and use concepts such as pointers, references, and the Standard Template Library to add features like split-screen coop, immersive directional sound, and custom levels loaded from level-design files
- Get ready to go and build your own unique games!
In Detail
This book is all about offering you a fun introduction to the world of game programming, C++, and the OpenGL-powered SFML using three fun, fully-playable games. These games are an addictive frantic two-button tapper, a multi-level zombie survival shooter, and a split-screen multiplayer puzzle-platformer.
We will start with the very basics of programming, such as variables, loops, and conditions and you will become more skillful with each game as you move through the key C++ topics, such as OOP (Object-Orientated Programming), C++ pointers, and an introduction to the Standard Template Library. While building these games, you will also learn exciting game programming concepts like particle effects, directional sound (spatialization), OpenGL programmable Shaders, spawning thousands of objects, and more.
Style and approach
This book offers a fun, example-driven approach to learning game development and C++. In addition to explaining game development techniques in an engaging style, the games are built in a way that introduces the key C++ topics in a practical and not theory-based way, with multiple runnable/playable stages in each chapter.
John Horton is a coding and gaming enthusiast based in the UK. He has a passion for writing apps, games, books, and blog articles about coding, especially for beginners.
He is the founder of Game Code School, http://www.gamecodeschool.com, which is dedicated to helping complete beginners to get started with coding, using the language and platform that suits them best.
John sincerely believes that anyone can learn to code and that everybody has a game or an app inside their mind, but they just need to do enough work to bring it out.
He has authored around a dozen technology books, most recently, the following:
Android Programming for Beginners: https://www.packtpub.com/application-development/android-programming-beginners
Android Game Programming by Example: https://www.packtpub.com/game-development/android-game-programming-example
Learning Java Building Android Games: https://www.packtpub.com/game-development/learning-java-building-android-games
