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LibGDX Game Development By Example

LibGDX Game Development By Example

By : James Cook
4 (15)
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LibGDX Game Development By Example

LibGDX Game Development By Example

4 (15)
By: James Cook

Overview of this book

LibGDX is a cross-platform game development framework in Java that makes game programming easier and fun to do. It currently supports Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, Android, and HTML5. With a vast feature set on offer, there isn't a game that can’t be made using libGDX. It allows you to write your code once and deploy it to multiple platforms without modification. With cross-platform delivery at its heart, a game can be made to target the major markets quickly and cost effectively. This book starts with a simple game through which the game update cycle is explained, including loading textures onto your screen, moving them around, and responding to input. From there you’ll move on to more advanced concepts such as creating a formal game structure with a menu screen, adding a game screen and loading screen, sprite sheets, and animations. You’ll explore how to introduce a font to optimize text, and with the help of a game that you’ll create, you’ll familiarise yourself with the 2D tile map API to create worlds that scroll as the characters move. In the final sample game of the book, you’ll implement a basic version of an Angry Birds clone, which will allow you to use the physic library box2D that libGDX provides access to. An overview of exporting games to different platforms is then provided. Finally, you will discover how to integrate third-party services into games and take a sneak peak at the Social Media API to get a basic understanding of how it fits into the libGDX ecosystem.
Table of Contents (13 chapters)
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12
Index

Chapter 1. Getting to Know LibGDX

Creating games is fun, and that is why I like to do it. The process of having an idea for a game to actually delivering it has changed over the years. Back in the 1980s, it was quite common that the top games around were created by either a single person or a very small team. However, anyone who is lucky enough (in my opinion) to see games grow from being quite a simplistic affair to the complex beast that the now AAA titles are, must have also seen the resources needed for these grow with them. The advent of mobile gaming reduced the barrier for entry; once again, the smaller teams could produce a game that could be a worldwide hit! Now, there are games of all genres and complexities available across major gaming platforms.

Due to this explosion in the number of games being made, new general-purpose game-making tools appeared in the community. Previously, the in-house teams built and maintained very specific game engines for their games; however, this would have led to a lot of reinventing the wheel. I hate to think how much time I would have lost if for each of my games, I had to start from scratch.

Now, instead of worrying about how to display a 2D image on the screen, I can focus on creating that fun player experience I have in my head. My tool of choice? LibGDX.

CONTINUE READING
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