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The Beginner's Guide to Android Game Development
Android Game Development Made Easy. If you've always wanted to make Android games but didn't know where to start, this book is for you. Whether you are an absolute beginner with no programming experience or an experienced Java developer wanting to get started with game development, this comprehensive book will help you accomplish your goals and teach you how to build your own games from scratch-no game engines needed. In this beginner-friendly guide, you will find focused, step-by-step approaches designed to help you learn and practice one fundamental concept at a time. You will study Java and write object-oriented applications. You will experiment with the building blocks of Android and create fun, interactive 2D games with touch controls. You will even learn how to integrate social features such as a global leaderboard and publish your game to be shared with the billion Android users across the world. This book provides access to an extensive library of sample Java and Android game projects via its companion website so that you can continue learning on your own and grow as a game programmer. With this up-to-date guide in your hand, you will be able to successfully navigate common pitfalls and get up and running with your own projects in no time. Tested on Android Lollipop. All the code in the book has been tested on the Android Lollipop SDK (5.0), and is available under the open source MIT license at the book s companion site. Table of *Unit 1: Java Basics *Chapter 1: The Fundamentals of Programming, *Chapter 2: Beginning Java, *Chapter 3: Designing Better Objects, *Unit 2: Java Game Development, *Chapter 4: Laying the Foundations, *Chapter 5: Keeping It Simple, *Chapter 6: The Next Level, *Unit 3: Android Game Development, *Chapter 7: Beginning Android Development, *Chapter 8: The Android Game Framework, *Chapter 9: Building the Game, *Unit 4: Finishing Touches, * Chapter 10: Releasing Your Game, *Chapter 11: Continuing the Journey"
438 pages, Paperback
First published July 28, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 11, 2018
The book was great, and by the end of it you will have a working Desktop + Android game.
It firstly introduces you to the Java programming language in two chapter in which the author presents you only the details you will need to know. The rest of the details that are necessary, but you can't really explain their usefulness without an example are presented through the rest of the book, such as the ?: operator.
However, it has a flaw: there are rows and rows of code, and it just clutters the book. I have to mention, though, that before you are presented a code chunk, you will be told what is the purpose of it (what does it do), and after the code chunk the non-obvious lines will be explained. The problem is just that you will make two games, which clearly means a lot of code. In my opinion, it could have been better if the book taught you how to make only one game, but explain everything thoroughly (not just the non-obvious lines since this is subjective), than teaching you how to make two games.
Also, I don't think that this book is really targeted to somebody, it just has some bits of everything. The beginners may read the first two-three chapters and then abandon it because let's face it, if you are a newbie you shouldn't be making games (that big, at least), and the ones that know how to program will just skip the first chapters.
What you will learn in this book is what you will need to know to use frameworks, such as LibGDX (for example, the States class you will make is the equivalent of the Screen class from LibGDX). You are not taught anything useless.
It firstly introduces you to the Java programming language in two chapter in which the author presents you only the details you will need to know. The rest of the details that are necessary, but you can't really explain their usefulness without an example are presented through the rest of the book, such as the ?: operator.
However, it has a flaw: there are rows and rows of code, and it just clutters the book. I have to mention, though, that before you are presented a code chunk, you will be told what is the purpose of it (what does it do), and after the code chunk the non-obvious lines will be explained. The problem is just that you will make two games, which clearly means a lot of code. In my opinion, it could have been better if the book taught you how to make only one game, but explain everything thoroughly (not just the non-obvious lines since this is subjective), than teaching you how to make two games.
Also, I don't think that this book is really targeted to somebody, it just has some bits of everything. The beginners may read the first two-three chapters and then abandon it because let's face it, if you are a newbie you shouldn't be making games (that big, at least), and the ones that know how to program will just skip the first chapters.
What you will learn in this book is what you will need to know to use frameworks, such as LibGDX (for example, the States class you will make is the equivalent of the Screen class from LibGDX). You are not taught anything useless.
March 27, 2022
Great book. It is written in plain language for a person without a specialized education. I have no computer education, but was able to create the simplest games. By the way, I started reading the book to create a site with games, but it turned out to be difficult. I turned to the professionals http://nuxgame.com . Guys created my site on a turnkey basis for 48 hours. So I did not finish the book)) I stopped in the middle.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 7, 2016
Fantastic book for beginner's of game development. Also helps for the learning of the Java language with several concepts incorporated in live examples. Fantastic!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews