Books

The Art of the App Store: The Business of Apple Development

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:58:37 +0000

Your one-stop shop for planning, creating, marketing, and maintaining your applications

It takes more than a great idea to succeed at iPhone and iPad app development.This indispensible guide provides an in-depth look into the perils and potential of the iPhone and iPad app landscape. The Art of the App Store presents tried and tested methods for competitive research, finding your niche, understanding customer expectations, setting goals and milestones, and managing app development from concept to post-launch. You will find guidelines for developing and pricing your app using the most up-to-date trends, a plan for viral marketing using social networks, metric tracking, taking advantage of feedback, and much more.

The Art of the App Store:

Shows how the App Store has evolved and how to take advantage of the changes
Helps you identify potential costs and decide where to invest your time and money
Analyzes successful and unsuccessful apps, examines existing niches, and shows how to create successful hybrids
Compares the risks and rewards of free, freemium, and premium apps
Explains how to advertise and market your free and lite apps
Offers tried-and-true advice on marketing your apps through social networks
Demonstrates post-launch update strategies to maintain app awareness

Wrox books are crafted to make learning programming languages and technologies easier than you think, providing a structured, tutorial format that will guide you through all the techniques involved.

Cocos2d for iPhone 1 Game Development Cookbook

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:57:49 +0000

Cocos2d for iPhone is a robust but simple-to-use 2D game framework for iPhone. It is easy to use, fast, flexible, free, and Appstore approved. More than 2500 AppStore games already use it, including many best-seller games. Do you want to take your cocos2d game development skills to the next level and become more professional in cocos2d game design?

Cocos2d for iPhone 1 Game Development Cookbook will help you reach that next level. You will find over 100 recipes here that explain everything from the drawing of a single sprite to AI pathfinding and advanced networking. Full working examples are emphasized.

Starting with the first chapter, Graphics, you will be taken through every major topic of game development. You will find both simple and complex recipes in the book.

Each recipe is either a solution to a common problem (playing video files, accelerometer steering) or a cool advanced technique (3D rendering, textured polygons).

This cookbook will have you creating professional quality iOS games quickly with its breadth of working example code.

Android NDK Beginner's Guide

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:55:23 +0000

Android NDK is all about injecting high performance into your apps. Exploit the maximum power of these mobile devices using high-performance and portable code.

This book will show you how to create C/C++ enabled applications and integrate them with Java. You will learn how to access native API and port libraries used in some of the most successful Android applications.

Using this practical step-by-step tutorial, highlighted with comments and tricks, discover how to run C/C++ code embedded in a Java application or in a standalone application. You will create a real native application starting from project creation through to full implementation of native API and the porting of existing third-party libraries. You will discover OpenGL ES and OpenSL ES, which are becoming the new standard in mobility. You will also understand how to access keyboard and input peripherals and how to read accelerometer or orientation sensors. Finally, you will dive into more advanced topics such as debugging and troubleshooting applications. By the end of the book, you should know the key elements to enable you to start exploiting the power and portability of native code.

Android 3.0 Animations: Beginner's Guide

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:52:31 +0000

An enjoyable, understandable, and eye-catching user interface is a key part of getting users to love your app. Users today expect a polished multimedia experience on their mobile device, and animation is a core part of that. The Android operating system is at the forefront of tablet and smartphone technology, and there is a plethora of opportunities for developing exciting applications with animation.

Android 3.0 Animations Beginner’s Guide will introduce each of the most popular animation techniques to you. Using step-by-step instructions, you will learn how to create interactive dynamic forms, moving graphics, and 3D motion.

You will be taken on a journey from simple stop motion animations and fades, through to moving input forms, then on to 3D motion and game graphics.

In this book, you will create standalone animated graphics, three-dimensional lifts, fades, and spins. You will become adept at moving and transforming form data to bring boring old input forms and displays to life. Learn how game programmers create fast animations on the fly, and also build live wallpapers to liven up your users’ home-screens!

If you are tired of writing lifeless interfaces and want to add some animated excitement, this is the book for you!

XNA 4.0 Game Development by Example: Beginner's Guide - Visual Basic Edition

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:50:53 +0000

XNA Game Studio enables hobbyists and independent game developers to easily create video games, and now gives that power to Visual Basic developers. XNA lets you bring your creations to life on Windows, the Xbox 360 and the Windows Phone platforms. The latest release of XNA has added support to Visual Basic and therefore, Visual Basic developers now have the power to give life to their creativity with XNA.

This book covers both the concepts and the implementations necessary to get you started on bringing your own creations to life with XNA. It presents four different games, including a puzzler, space shooter, multi-axis shoot 'em up, and a jump-and-run platformer. Each game introduces new concepts and techniques to build a solid foundation for your own ideas and creativity.

This book details the creation of four games, all in different styles, from start to finish using Visual Basic and the Microsoft XNA framework. Beginning with the basics of drawing images to the screen, the book then incrementally introduces sprite animation, particles, sound effects, tile-based maps, and path finding. It then explores combining XNA with Windows Forms to build an interactive map editor, and builds a platform-style game using the editor-generated maps. Finally, the book covers the considerations necessary for deploying your games to the Xbox 360 platform.

By the end of the book, you will have a solid foundation of game development concepts and techniques as well as working sample games to extend and innovate upon. You will have the knowledge necessary to create games that you can complete without an army of fellow game developers at your back.

A step-by-step tutorial for using Visual Basic with Microsoft XNA to create four different styles of video games.

Flash Development for Android Cookbook

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 21:36:07 +0000

Flash has now arrived to Android — the fastest growing smartphone platform. This offers massive opportunities for Flash developers who want to get into mobile development. At the same time, working on smartphones will introduce new challenges and issues that Flash developers may not be familiar with.

The Flash Development for Android Cookbook enables Flash developers to branch out into Android mobile applications through a set of essential, easily demonstrable recipes. It takes you through the entire development workflow: from setting up a local development environment, to developing and testing your application, to compiling for distribution to the ever-growing Android Market.

The Flash Development for Android Cookbook starts off with recipes that cover development environment configuration as well as mobile project creation and conversion. It then moves on to exciting topics such as the use of touch and gestures, responding to device movement in 3D space, working with multimedia, and handling application layout. Essential tasks such as tapping into native processes and manipulating the file system are also covered. We then move on to some cool advanced stuff such as Android-specific device permissions, application debugging and optimization techniques, and the packaging and distribution options available on the mobile Android platform.

In a nutshell, this cookbook enables you to get quickly up to speed with mobile Android development using the Flash Platform in ways that are meaningful and immediately applicable to the rapidly growing area of mobile application development.

Take your Flash applications beyond the desktop and into the emerging world of mobile application development.

Game Development Essentials: Mobile Game Development

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 19:31:16 +0000

Explore a comprehensive examination of the art and technology of one of the fastest-growing segments of the game industry with GAME DEVELOPMENT ESSENTIALS: MOBILE GAME DEVELOPMENT. This ground breaking text walks students through the overall process of designing videogames and applications for mobile and handheld hardware. Through coverage of team building, production, QA and a look at the black box of the publication process both for independent and publisher backed studios; students learn the entire development process from initial concept to game design. Utilizing real-life examples, interviews and advice from developers already well established in the mobile industry, MOBILE GAME DEVELOPMENT serves as the 'how to' guide for students looking to break into the mobile game development industry.

Beginning iOS 3D Unreal Games Development

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 14:56:15 +0000

The Unreal UDK features Epic's award-winning Unreal Engine 3, used to create bestselling games such as Infinity Blade for iOS, and popular console games like Borderlands and Bioshock. Now, you can build your own Unreal game for the iOS platform.

Beginning iOS 3D Unreal Games Development covers using the Unreal UDK game creation system to create 3D games for the iOS platform, which includes the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.

Specifically, this book covers:

UnrealScript programming language, going beyond the limitations of the visual Kismet scripting language
The Unreal UDK code framework, basic UDK tools and other UDK items needed to build a game
Various author-created game frameworks are presented and are used to illustrate the UnrealScript programming language and user input methods specific to the iOS mobile platform

What you’ll learn

What the UnrealScript programming language is and does
The basic Unreal UDK base code framework
What the basic Unreal tools used to make a game
What the key parts of the Unreal engine such as the physics engine
How to do the fundamentals of 3D games programming, including basic 3D math
What are the the basic frameworks of many different types of games
How to use the provided source code to build your own games using the frameworks as a reference

Who this book is for

Game programmers, both professional and hobbyists, interested in developing 3D games for the iOS platform using the Unreal UDK. Additionally, students using the Unreal UDK in their coursework. Finally, game designers who are not experienced programmers but are interested in learning enough about UnrealScript and the Unreal UDK to make small changes to game code created by contracted programmers (For example: changing code to increase the health of a player or change the message displayed when a player dies).

XNA 4.0 Game Development by Example: Beginner's Guide

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 14:36:24 +0000

This book is a step-by-step tutorial that includes complete source code for all of the games covered. It adopts an engaging style to teach all the game development concepts. Each block of code is explained, and game development concepts are diagrammed and covered in detail. Each game begins with a concept description and concludes with suggestions for expanding on the finished game. If you are an aspiring game developer who wants to take a shot at creating games for the Microsoft Windows platform with the XNA Framework, then this book is for you. Using this book, you can get started with creating games without any game development experience. A basic knowledge of C# would be helpful to kick-start your game development, but it's not essential.

Video Game Optimization

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 14:18:43 +0000

"Video Game Optimization" describes a process for increasing the performance of a video game for better gameplay and visual experience. Very few game developers understand the process of optimizing an entire video game, yet learning the process is surprisingly simple and applicable to a broad audience. The book tackles the process of optimization by first describing how to determine where a game is limited and then providing detailed solutions and examples to solving this limitation. All the examples covered in the book can be applied to a variety of game types and coverage of how to optimize system memory, CPU processing, graphics, and shaders is included.

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 14:16:17 +0000

Multi-Threaded Game Engine Design

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 14:15:18 +0000

Multi-Threaded Game Engine Design shows experienced game developers how to apply multi-thread techniques to game programming technology to improve game performance. Using Direct3D and C++, a sample game engine is created step-by-step throughout the course of the book, and numerous examples illustrate the concepts presented. Detailed screenshots and well documented source code help readers understand the techniques being presented throughout the book. Multi-threading is one of the hottest game development topics today and this book will show students how to apply advanced, cutting edge techniques to their game programming skill set.

Threading Experiment: Sample Images

Beginning C++ Through Game Programming

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 14:14:09 +0000

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.

XNA Game Studio 4.0 Programming: Developing for Windows Phone 7 and Xbox 360 (Developer's Library)

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 14:12:44 +0000

Get Started Fast with XNA Game Studio 4.0–and Build Great Games for Both Windows® Phone 7 and Xbox 360®

This is the industry’s best reference and tutorial for all aspects of XNA Game Studio 4.0 programming on all supported platforms, from Xbox 360 to Windows Phone 7 and Windows PCs. The only game development book authored by Microsoft XNA development team members, it offers deep insider insights you won’t get anywhere else–including thorough coverage of new Windows Phone APIs for mobile game development.

You’ll quickly build simple games and get comfortable with Microsoft’s powerful XNA Game Studio 4.0 toolset. Next, you’ll drill down into every area of XNA, including graphics, input, audio, video, storage, GamerServices, and networking. Miller and Johnson present especially thorough coverage of 3D graphics, from Reach and HiDef to textures, effects, and avatars. Throughout, they introduce new concepts with downloadable code examples designed to help you jumpstart your own projects. Coverage includes

Downloading, installing, and getting started with XNA Game Studio 4
Building on capabilities provided in the default game template
Using 2D sprites, textures, sprite operations, blending, and SpriteFonts
Creating high-performance 3D graphics with XNA’s newly simplified APIs
Loading, generating, recording, and playing audio
Supporting keyboards, mice, Xbox 360 controllers, Touch, accelerometer, and GPS inputs
Managing all types of XNA storage
Using avatars as characters in your games
Utilizing gamer types, player profiles, presence information, and other GamerServices
Supporting Xbox LIVE and networked games
Creating higher-level input systems that seamlessly manage cross-platform issues

From Windows Phone 7 mobile gaming to Xbox 360, XNA Game Studio 4.0 creates huge new opportunities for experienced Microsoft developers. This book helps you build on skills you already have, to create the compelling games millions of users are searching for.

GPU Pro 2

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 14:11:38 +0000

This book focuses on advanced rendering techniques that run on the DirectX and/or OpenGL run-time with any shader language available. It includes articles on the latest and greatest techniques in real-time rendering, including MLAA, adaptive volumetric shadow maps, light propagation volumes, wrinkle animations, and much more. The book emphasizes techniques for handheld programming to reflect the increased importance of graphics on mobile devices. It covers geometry manipulation, effects in image space, shadows, 3D engine design, GPGPU, and graphics-related tools.

Game Engine Gems 2

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 14:10:31 +0000

This book, the second volume in the popular Game Engine Gems series, contains short articles that focus on a particular technique, describe a clever trick, or offer practical advice within the subject of game engine development. The 31 chapters cover three broad categories--graphics and rendering, game engine design, and systems programming. Professional game developers, students of game development and computer science, and anyone interested in learning how the pros tackle specific problems that arise during game engine development will find useful gems in this collection.

Supplementary materials, including demos, source code, examples, specifications, and more can be found at gameenginegems.net.

XNA Game Studio 4.0 for Xbox 360 Developers

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 14:09:33 +0000

Discover how to create exciting and challenging games for the Xbox 360 using XNA Game Studio 4.0 and the Visual C# programming language. XNA Game Studio 4.0 for Xbox 360 Developers provides experienced game developers with a comprehensive overview of the XNA Framework, providing all the tools, source code, and information you need to develop Windows and Xbox 360 games. You’ll find an introduction to programming in XNA, the XNA Framework, and all the new features included in XNA 4.0 to get you started. The bulk of the book focuses on the XNA Framework, in particular the features of the Xbox 360, including the controller, playing audio, and creating graphics. The final part of the book covers the major features of Xbox Live, including creating and rendering an avatar, 3D programming, loading and rendering a mesh using a basic shader, and networking via system link and online. You’ll tie together all the skills you’ve learned in a final game project that demonstrates the networking capabilities of XNA and acts as a rudimentary, sprite-based networked game engine for your own projects.
Source code and artwork from the book as well as Visual C# 2010 projects for Windows and Xbox 360 are available as accompanying downloads.

Real-Time Shadows

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 14:03:01 +0000

Important elements of games, movies, and other computer-generated content, shadows are crucial for enhancing realism and providing important visual cues. In recent years, there have been notable improvements in visual quality and speed, making high-quality realistic real-time shadows a reachable goal.

Real-Time Shadows is a comprehensive guide to the theory and practice of real-time shadow techniques. It covers a large variety of different effects, including hard, soft, volumetric, and semi-transparent shadows.

The book explains the basics as well as many advanced aspects related to the domain of shadow computation. It presents interactive solutions and practical details on shadow computation. The authors compare various algorithms for creating real-time shadows and illustrate how they are used in different situations. They explore the limitations and failure cases, advantages and disadvantages, and suitability of the algorithms in several applications. Source code, videos, tutorials, and more are available on the book’s website.

Introduction to 3D Game Programming with DirectX 10

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 14:01:33 +0000

Introduction to 3D Game Programming with DirectX 10 provides an introduction to programming interactive computer graphics, with an emphasis on game development, using DirectX 10. The book is divided into three main parts. Part I explores basic mathematical tools, Part II shows how to implement fundamental tasks in Direct3D, and Part III demonstrates a variety of techniques and special effects. With this book: Understand how vectors, matrices, and transfomations are used in the creation of computer games. Discover how to implement lighting, texture mapping, blending, and stenciling to increase the realism of your scenes. Explore techniques for creating special effects, including terrain rendering, shadow mapping, particle systems, and reflections. Learn about new Direct3D 10 features such as geometry shaders, the stream out pipeline stage, texture arrays, and primitive IDs. Test your knowledge and programming skills with the end-of-chapter exercises.

Practical Rendering and Computation with Direct3D 11

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 14:00:04 +0000

Direct3D 11 offers such a wealth of capabilities that users can sometimes get lost in the details of specific APIs and their implementation. While there is a great deal of low-level information available about how each API function should be used, there is little documentation that shows how best to leverage these capabilities. Written by active members of the Direct3D community, Practical Rendering and Computation with Direct3D 11 provides a deep understanding of both the high and low level concepts related to using Direct3D 11.

The first part of the book presents a conceptual introduction to Direct3D 11, including an overview of the Direct3D 11 rendering and computation pipelines and how they map to the underlying hardware. It also provides a detailed look at all of the major components of the library, covering resources, pipeline details, and multithreaded rendering. Building upon this material, the second part of the text includes detailed examples of how to use Direct3D 11 in common rendering scenarios. The authors describe sample algorithms in-depth and discuss how the features of Direct3D 11 can be used to your advantage.

All of the source code from the book is accessible on an actively maintained open source rendering framework. The sample applications and the framework itself can be downloaded from http://hieroglyph3.codeplex.com

By analyzing when to use various tools and the tradeoffs between different implementations, this book helps you understand the best way to accomplish a given task and thereby fully leverage the potential capabilities of Direct3D 11.