ISBN:159200587XBook Description
Get ready to create your first complete 2D-based role-playing game using Visual Basic 6.0. If you have experience using Visual Basic, you already have the essential skills that you need. You will learn, step by step, how to construct each part of an RPG game using DirectX components such as Direct3D. As you work your way through the book, you will write short programs that demonstrate the major topics in each chapter. Dive into the exciting world of game programming, learn how to write your own code, and take complete creative control over how your game operates. Let your imagination loose as you create amazing new adventures! /p>
Reviews From AMAZON.COM
Book information
From the publishers Web site:
Features
# Full of hands-on practice with quality source code
# An excellent addition to the "For Teens" line as Visual Basic is a popular, easy programming language making it ideal for the teens audience
# Has dual appeal to the up and coming young game enthusiast who wants to get into game programming, as well as the beginning computer programmer who wants to learn how to write games
# Focuses on beginning topics, but does delve lightly into advanced subjects in such as manner that a complete beginner will be able to understand it.
Table of Contents
PART I: INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED WITH VISUAL BASIC
CHAPTER 2: YOUR FIRST DIRECTX PROGRAM
CHAPTER 3: DESIGNING THE GAME
PART II: CREATING AN INTERACTIVE GAME WORLD
CHAPTER 4: CORE TECHNIQUE: DRAWING BITMAPS
CHAPTER 5: LEVEL EDITING WITH MAPPY
CHAPTER 6: THE BASICS OF TILE-BASED SCROLLING
CHAPTER 7: SCROLLING THE GAME WORLD
CHAPTER 8: ADVANCED SCROLLING TECHNIQUES
PART III: THE PLAYER'S CHARACTER (PC)
CHAPTER 9: CORE TECHNIQUE: DRAWING SPRITES
CHAPTER 10: CORE TECHNIQUE: ANIMATING SPRITES
CHAPTER 11: CORE TECHNIQUE: USER INPUT
CHAPTER 12: WALKING AROUND IN THE GAME WORLD
CHAPTER 13: CORE TECHNIQUE: DRAWING TEXT
CHAPTER 14: CORE TECHNIQUE: COLLISION DETECTION
PART IV: NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS (NPCS)
CHAPTER 15: CREATING THE CHARACTER CLASSES
CHAPTER 16: ADDING NPCS TO THE GAME WORLD
CHAPTER 17: TALKING WITH NPCS
CHAPTER 18: ENGAGING IN COMBAT WITH NPCS
PART V: FINISHING TOUCHES
CHAPTER 19: ADDING SCENERY TO THE GAME WORLD
CHAPTER 20: CORE TECHNIQUE: SOUND EFFECTS
CHAPTER 21: CORE TECHNIQUE: BACKGROUND MUSIC
APPENDIX A: USING THE CD-ROM
Learn VB and then Use This Book to Build a Game
There are quite a number of books on game programming. Most of these are on more advanced topics, covering the design of much more complex characters, much more complex games. Instead this book is aimed at the teen who has an interest in game programming.
It makes the presumption that you know at least the fundamentals of Visual Basic. What the author says is: Read the first couple of chapters. Try what the book says do, and if you're not lost you know enough. If you are lost, then go back and read one of the more introductory books on VB.
The emphasis here is to use the rather high level VB programming language and get a game created. This way the teen reader is made productive almost immediately and is much less likely to lose interest. The game being programmed is a 2-D Role Playing Game involving the invasion of England by Vikings. This is significantly less complex than a 3D game, but the resulting game is still fun to play.
Because of the need to know VB, this book has to be classed as intermediate level, but the game programming aspects are aimed at the beginner.