To even try to keep pace with the rapid evolution of game development,
you need a strong foundation in core programming techniques-not a hefty
volume on one narrow topic or one that devotes itself to API-specific
implementations. Finally, there’s a guide that delivers! As a professor
at the Spanish university that offered that country’s first master’s
degree in video game creation, author Daniel Sanchez-Crespo
recognizes that there’s a core programming curriculum every game
designer should be well versed in-and he’s outlined it in these pages!
By focusing on time-tested coding techniques-and providing code samples
that use C++, and the OpenGL and DirectX APIs-Daniel has
produced a guide whose shelf life will extend long beyond the latest
industry trend. Code design, data structures, design patterns, AI,
scripting engines, 3D pipelines, texture mapping, and more: They’re all
covered here-in clear, coherent fashion and with a focus on the
essentials that will have you referring back to this volume for years
to come.

If you thought Angelina Jolie was responsible for Lara Croft’s
curves, think again! Long before the Hollywood actress brought the Tomb
Raider heroine to life, Alias’ 3D modeling software Maya was used to
create the lovely Lara; Ms. Jolie simply filled in her curves! When
you’re ready to start creating equally compelling characters of your
own, you need this comprehensive volume! In these pages,
gaming-industry veteran Antony Ward uses a combination of informative
narrative, hands-on tutorials, and a slew of illustrations and screen
shots to show you how to use Maya to address the most complex element
of game creation-developing great characters! As you follow along,
Antony uses the development of two diverse characters-a female figure
and a fantastical character with outrageous proportions, wings, and a
demon-like face-to demonstrate the techniques involved in modeling
detailing, optimizing, texturing, rigging, binding, and animating
characters with Maya. The companion CD includes lesson files, scripts,
an automatic rigging tool, demo software, and more!

Learn the essential skills needed to demystify game programming and
harness the power of Windows� and DirectX�. “Beginning Game
Programming” teaches you everything you need to know to write 2D and 3D
games with C and DirectX 9 without any complex mathematics. Ease your
way into this exciting new world by learning to write simple Windows
programs, and then tap into the power of Direct3D! Each chapter teaches
important new skills (such as basic 3D programming with vertices,
polygons, and textures), culminating in a simple DirectX game
library?great for your own game projects! Learn the basics of 3D
modeling with the Anim8or modeling program and then learn how to load
and use 3D models in your own games. The complete game project in this
book runs in fullscreen or windowed mode, and features mouse support,
sound effects, 3D models, texture-based sprites, and 3D collision
detection. Brace yourself for an exciting introduction to game
programming!

Get ready to conquer the basics of building a strong level or mod for
your games. “Beginning Game Level Design” covers everything from
putting your ideas down on paper, to creating spaces and architecture,
through placing units and scripting their behavior. You?ll cover each
important area of expertise that goes into creating a great level. As
you cover each new topic, use the end-of-chapter projects to test your
newfound skills. “Beginning Game Level Design” gives you a step-by-step
look into the tasks a successful designer goes through in order to
create levels that keep players coming back for more.

No matter how exciting the game and how realistic the visual effects,
without catchy audio in the background it�s obvious that something is
missing. New developments in technology enable you to do things with
audio that weren�t possible before, but they also make it necessary to
find a guide that walks you through the technical hurdles. “Beginning
Game Audio Programming” covers the challenges that you will face as you
create sound effects and music for your games and gives you the
information you need to face these challenges head-on. You�ll learn how
to compose dynamic music and program 3D sound. There�s even coverage of
using DirectPlay Voice for real- time voice chat in your games! If you
are comfortable with C++ and DirectX, then you�re ready to dive into
the exciting world of audio with “Beginning Game Audio Programming”.

Learn how to add realistic AI characters to your games developed in C++
as well as commercial games, such as Quake 2 or Unreal. AI Game
Development introduces a variety of AI techniques, such as neural
networks, decision trees, genetic classifiers, and reinforcement
learning. It also builds a complete bot step by step, providing
practical demos and example code within an AI library freely available
on the web site. Offering AI tips and tricks from one of the leading
game AI researchers and developers AI Game Development outlines a
variety of popular AI techniques applicable to game development, with
novel insights into the design process. These techniques model
characteristics from human intelligence, applied as algorithms that the
computer can understand. The book is broken into sections, each
offering detailed descriptions of the process of creatingautonomous
synthetic creatures, beyond the level of intelligence of those found in
current computer games. The focus is placed on the design of individual
creatures, each with unique abilities and skills. Each chapter tackles
a specific problem, supported by demos and examples coded within an
open source game AI project named FEAR (fear.sourceforge/). Techniques
used to solve each problem are described from a more generic point of
view, so various theoretical concepts can be understood and
successfully applied in different situations. The author also
emphasizes key concepts that arise in the creation of any form of
intelligence, and presents tips and tricks to deal with these issues.
You will be equipped to design and experiment with AI techniques on
their own,applying them to new problems as they see fit.

How often have you heard “anyone can design a game?” While it seems
likean easy job, game ideas are cheap and plentiful. Advancing those
ideasinto games that people want to play is one of the hardest, and
mostunder-appreciated, tasks in the game development cycle. Andrew Rollingsand Ernest Adams on Game Design
introduces both students and experienced developers to the craft of
designing computer and video games for the retail market. The first
half of the book is a detailed analysis of thekey game design elements:
examining game concepts and worlds,storytelling, character and user
interface design, core mechanics andbalance. The second half discusses
each of the major game genres(action, adventure, role-playing,
strategy, puzzle, and so on) andidentifies the design patterns and
unique creative challenges thatcharacterize them. Filled with examples
and worksheets, this book takesan accessible, practical approach to
creating fun, innovative, andhighly playable games.

After reviewing the brief history of micro-device software development, this guide shows how to code games using Java 2 micro edition (J2ME), particularly for mobile phones. The author describes the APIs provided as part of Sun’s J2ME SDK and some features available with device-specific libraries, then walks through the development of a full-scale