Design and build cutting-edge video games with help from video game expert Scott Rogers!If you want to design and build cutting-edge video games but aren’t sure where to start, then this is the book for you. Written by leading video game expert Scott Rogers, who has designed the hits Pac Man World, Maxim vs. Army of Zin, and SpongeBob Squarepants, this book is full of Rogers's wit and imaginative style that demonstrates everything you need to know about designing great video games.Features an approachable writing style that considers game designers from all levels of expertise and experienceCovers the entire video game creation process, including developing marketable ideas, understanding what gamers want, working with player actions, and moreOffers techniques for creating non-human characters and using the camera as a characterShares helpful insight on the business of design and how to create design documentsSo, put your game face on and start creating memorable, creative, and unique video games with this book!

This detailed, hands-on guide provides the technical and conceptual information you need to build cool applications with Microsoft’s Kinect, the amazing motion-sensing device that enables computers to see. Through half a dozen meaty projects, you’ll learn how to create gestural interfaces for software, use motion capture for easy 3D character animation, 3D scanning for custom fabrication, and many other applications. Perfect for hobbyists, makers, artists, and gamers, Making Things See shows you how to build every project with inexpensive off-the-shelf components, including the open source Processing programming language and the Arduino microcontroller. You’ll learn basic skills that will enable you to pursue your own creative applications with Kinect.Create Kinect applications on Mac OS X, Windows, or Linux Track people with pose detection and skeletonization, and use blob tracking to detect objects Analyze and manipulate point clouds Make models for design and fabrication, using 3D scanning technology Use MakerBot, RepRap, or Shapeways to print 3D objects Delve into motion tracking for animation and games Build a simple robot arm that can imitate your arm movements Discover how skilled artists have used Kinect to build fascinating projects

BEGINNING C++ THROUGH GAME PROGRAMMING, THIRD EDITION approaches learning C++ from the unique and fun perspective of games. Written for the beginning game developer or programmer, the book assumes no previous programming experience and each new skill and concept is taught using simple language and step-by-step instructions. Readers will complete small projects in each chapter to reinforce what they've learned and a final project at the end combines all of the major topics covered in the book. Featuring twenty five percent new material, this third edition covers all the latest technology and advances.

A Theory of Fun for Game Design is not your typical how-to book. It features a novel way of teaching interactive designers how to create and improve their designs to incorporate the highest degree of fun. As the book shows, designing for fun is all about making interactive products like games highly entertaining, engaging, and addictive. The book's unique approach of providing a highly visual storyboard approach combined with a narrative on the art and practice of designing for fun is sure to be a hit with game and interactive designers, At first glance A Theory of Fun for Game Design is a book that will truly inspire and challenge game designers to think in new was; however, its universal message will influence designers from all walks of life. This book captures the real essence of what drives us to seek out products and experiences that are truly fun and entertaining. The author masterfully presents his engaging theory by showing readers how many designs are lacking because they are predictable and not engaging enough. He then explains how great designers use different types of elements in new ways to make designs more fun and compelling. Anyone who is interested in design will enjoy how the book works on two levels--as a quick inspiration guide to game design, or as an informative discussion that details the insightful thinking from a great mind in the game industry.

Game Development with C# and JavaScript Build fully functional, professional 3D games with realistic environments, sound, dynamic effects, and more! Kick start your game development, and build ready-to-play 3D games with ease. Understand key concepts in game design including scripting, physics, instantiation, particle effects, and more. Test&optimize your game to perfection with essential tips-and-tricks. Written in clear, plain English, this book takes you from a simple prototype through to a complete 3D game with concepts you'll reuse throughout your new career as a game developer. Learn game development in Unity version 3 and above, and learn scripting in either C# or JavaScript In Detail Game Engines such as Unity are the power-tools behind the games we know and love. Unity is one of the most widely-used and best loved packages for game development and is used by everyone, from hobbyists to large studios, to create games and interactive experiences for the web, desktop, mobile, and console. With Unity's intuitive, easy to learn toolset and this book - it's never been easier to become a game developer. Taking a practical approach, this book will introduce you to the concepts of developing 3D games, before getting to grips with development in Unity itself - prototyping a simple scenario, and then creating a larger game. From creating 3D worlds to scripting and creating game mechanics you will learn everything you'll need to get started with game development. This book is designed to cover a set of easy-to-follow examples, which culminate in the production of a First Person 3D game, complete with an interactive island environment. All of the concepts taught in this book are applicable to other types of game, however, by introducing common concepts of game and 3D production, you'll explore Unity to make a character interact with the game world, and build puzzles for the player to solve, in order to complete the game. At the end of the book, you will have a fully working 3D game and all the skills required to extend the game further, giving your end-user, the player, the best experience possible. Soon you will be creating your own 3D games with ease! What you will learn from this book An understanding of the Unity 3D Engine and game development Write code for game development in either C# or JavaScript Build a 3D island and set of mini-games for your players Incorporate terrains and externally produced 3D models to get your game environment up and running Create player character interactions Combine scripting and animation to transform your static objects into dynamic interactive game elements Add realistic effects to your games by using particle systems Create a stylish and efficient menu, and animate other interface elements Use Lightmapping to make your game environments look more professional Deploy your game to the web and desktop and share it with the wider world for testing and feedback. Approach This book follows an informal, demystifying approach to the world of game development with the Unity game engine. With no prior knowledge of game development or 3D required, you will learn from scratch, taking each concept at a time working up to a full 3D mini-game. You'll learn scripting with C# or JavaScript and master the Unity development environment with easy-to-follow stepwise tasks. Who this book is written for If you're a designer or animator who wishes to take their first steps into game development or prototyping, or if you've simply spent many hours sitting in front of video games, with ideas bubbling away in the back of your mind, Unity and this book should be your starting point. No prior knowledge of game production is required, inviting you to simply bring with you a passion for making great games.

Discover new opportunities for building 2D and 3D games with HTML5The newest iteration of HTML, HTML5 can be used with JavaScript, CSS3, and WebGL to create beautiful, unique, engaging games that can be played on the web or mobile devices like the iPad or Android phones. Gone are the days where games were only possible with plugin technologies such as Flash and this cutting-edge book shows you how to utilize the latest open web technologies to create a game from scratch using Canvas, HTML5 Audio, WebGL, and WebSockets. You'll discover how to build a framework on which you will create your HTML5 game. Then each successive chapter covers a new aspect of the game, including user input, sound, multiplayer functionality, 2D and 3D graphics, and more. Aims directly at a new way to develop games for the web through the use of HTML5Demonstrates how to make iOS and Android web apps Explains how to capture player input; create 3D graphics; and incorporate textures, lighting, and soundGuides you through the process of creating a game from scratch using Canvas, HTML5 Audio, WebGL, and WebSocketsBy the end of this invaluable book, you will have created a fully functional game that can be played in any compatible browser or on any mobile device that supports HTML5.

What do Foursquare, Zynga, Nike+, and Groupon have in common? These and many other brands use gamification to deliver a sticky, viral, and engaging experience to their customers. This book provides the design strategy and tactics you need to integrate game mechanics into any kind of consumer-facing website or mobile app. Learn how to use core game concepts, design patterns, and meaningful code samples to a create fun and captivating social environment.Whether you're an executive, developer, producer, or product specialist, Gamification by Design will show you how game mechanics can help you build customer loyalty.Discover the motivational framework game designers use to segment and engage consumers Understand core game mechanics such as points, badges, levels, challenges, and leaderboards Engage your consumers with reward structures, positive reinforcement, and feedback loops Combine game mechanics with social interaction for activities such as collecting, gifting, heroism, and status Dive into case studies on Nike and Yahoo!, and analyze interactions at Google, Facebook, and Zynga Get the architecture and code to gamify a basic consumer site, and learn how to use mainstream gamification APIs from Badgeville "Turning applications into games is a huge trend. This book does a great job of identifying the core lasting principals you need to inspire your users to visit again and again." —Adam Loving Freelance Social Game Developer and founder of Twibes Twitter Groups

Although the number of commercial Java games is still small compared to those written in C or C++, the market is expanding rapidly. Recent updates to Java make it faster and easier to create powerful gaming applications-particularly Java 3D-is fueling an explosive growth in Java games. Java games like Puzzle Pirates, Chrome, Star Wars Galaxies, Runescape, Alien Flux, Kingdom of Wars, Law and Order II, Roboforge, Tom Clancy's Politika, and scores of others have earned awards and become bestsellers. Java developers new to graphics and game programming, as well as game developers new to Java 3D, will find Killer Game Programming in Java invaluable. This new book is a practical introduction to the latest Java graphics and game programming technologies and techniques. It is the first book to thoroughly cover Java's 3D capabilities for all types of graphics and game development projects. Killer Game Programming in Java is a comprehensive guide to everything you need to know to program cool, testosterone-drenched Java games. It will give you reusable techniques to create everything from fast, full-screen action games to multiplayer 3D games. In addition to the most thorough coverage of Java 3D available, Killer Game Programming in Java also clearly details the older, better-known 2D APIs, 3D sprites, animated 3D sprites, first-person shooter programming, sound, fractals, and networked games. Killer Game Programming in Java is a must-have for anyone who wants to create adrenaline-fueled games in Java.

Beginning Android Games offers everything you need to join the ranks of successful Android game developers. You'll start with game design fundamentals and programming basics, and then progress towards creating your own basic game engine and playable games. This will give you everything you need to branch out and write your own Android games. The potential user base and the wide array of available high-performance devices makes Android an attractive target for aspiring game developers. Do you have an awesome idea for the next break-through mobile gaming title? Beginning Android Games will help you kick-start your project. The book will guide you through the process of making several example games for the Android platform, and involves a wide range of topics: The fundamentals of game development The Android platform basics to apply those fundamentals in the context of making a game The design of 2D and 3D games and their successful implementation on the Android platform For those looking to learn about Android tablet game app development or want Android 4 SDK specific coverage, check out Beginning Android 4 Games Development, now available from Apress. What you’ll learn How to set up and use the development tools for developing your first Android application The fundamentals of game programming in the context of the Android platform How to use the Android's APIs for graphics (Canvas, OpenGL ES 1.0/1.1), audio, and user input to reflect those fundamentals How to develop two 2D games from scratch, based on the Canvas API and OpenGL ES. How to create a full-featured 3D game How to publish your games, get crash reports, and support your users How to complete your own playable 2D OpenGL games Who this book is for This book is for people with a basic knowledge of Java who want to write games on the Android platform. It also offers information for experienced game developers about the pitfalls and peculiarities of the platform. Table of Contents Android, the New Kid on the Block First Steps with the Android SDK Game Development 101 Android for Game Developers An Android Game Development Framework Mr. Nom Invades Android OpenGL ES: A Gentle Introduction 2D Game Programming Tricks Super Jumper: A 2D OpenGL ES Game OpenGL ES: Going 3D 3D Programming Tricks Droid Invaders: the Grand Finale Publishing Your Game What’s Next?