Beginning C++ Game Programming

Book Image

Beginning C++ Game Programming

Book Image

Beginning C++ Game Programming

Overview of this book

This book is all about offering you a fun introduction to the world of game programming, C++, and the OpenGL-powered SFML using three fun, fully-playable games. These games are an addictive frantic two-button tapper, a multi-level zombie survival shooter, and a split-screen multiplayer puzzle-platformer. We will start with the very basics of programming, such as variables, loops, and conditions and you will become more skillful with each game as you move through the key C++ topics, such as OOP (Object-Orientated Programming), C++ pointers, and an introduction to the Standard Template Library. While building these games, you will also learn exciting game programming concepts like particle effects, directional sound (spatialization), OpenGL programmable Shaders, spawning thousands of objects, and more.

Beginning C++ Game Programming

Beginning C++ Game Programming

Credits

About the Author

About the Author

About the Reviewer

About the Reviewer

www.PacktPub.com

www.PacktPub.com

Dedication

Preface

Free Chapter

C++, SFML, Visual Studio, and Starting the First Game

C++, SFML, Visual Studio, and Starting the First Game

Microsoft Visual Studio

Setting up the development environment

Planning Timber!!!

Creating a project from the template

Understanding screen and internal coordinates

Starting to code the game

Opening a window using SFML

The main game loop

Drawing the game background

Handling errors

Variables, Operators, and Decisions – Animating Sprites

Variables, Operators, and Decisions – Animating Sprites

Manipulating variables

Adding clouds, a tree, and a buzzing bee

Making decisions with if and else

Moving the clouds and the bee

C++ Strings, SFML Time, Player Input, and HUD

C++ Strings, SFML Time, Player Input, and HUD

Pausing and restarting the game

SFML Text and Font

Adding a score and a message

Adding a time bar

Loops, Arrays, Switch, Enumerations, and Functions – Implementing Game Mechanics

Loops, Arrays, Switch, Enumerations, and Functions – Implementing Game Mechanics

Making decisions with switch

Class enumerations

Getting started with functions

Growing the branches

Collisions, Sound, and End Conditions – Making the Game Playable

Collisions, Sound, and End Conditions – Making the Game Playable

Preparing the player (and other sprites)

Drawing the player and other sprites

Handling the player's input

Simple sound FX

Improving the game and the code

Object-Oriented Programming, Classes, and SFML Views

Object-Oriented Programming, Classes, and SFML Views

Planning and starting the Zombie Arena game

Building the Player-the first class

Controlling the game camera with SFML View

Starting the Zombie Arena game engine

Managing the code files

Starting coding the main game loop

C++ References, Sprite Sheets, and Vertex Arrays

C++ References, Sprite Sheets, and Vertex Arrays

SFML vertex arrays and sprite sheets

Creating a randomly generated scrolling background

Using the background

Pointers, the Standard Template Library, and Texture Management

Pointers, the Standard Template Library, and Texture Management

The Standard Template Library

The TextureHolder Class

Building a horde of zombies

Using the TextureHolder class for all textures

Collision Detection, Pickups, and Bullets

Collision Detection, Pickups, and Bullets

Coding the Bullet class

Making the bullets fly

Giving the player a crosshair

Coding a class for pickups

Using the Pickup class

Detecting collisions

Layering Views and Implementing the HUD

Layering Views and Implementing the HUD

Adding all the Text and HUD objects

Updating the HUD each frame

Drawing the HUD, and the home and level up screens

Sound Effects, File I/O, and Finishing the Game

Sound Effects, File I/O, and Finishing the Game

Saving and loading the high-score

Preparing sound effects

Restarting the game

Playing the rest of the sounds

Abstraction and Code Management – Making Better Use of OOP

Abstraction and Code Management – Making Better Use of OOP

The Thomas Was Late game

Structuring the Thomas Was Late code

Building the game engine

Coding the main function

Advanced OOP – Inheritance and Polymorphism

Advanced OOP – Inheritance and Polymorphism

Abstract classes - virtual and pure virtual functions

Building the PlayableCharacter class

Building the Thomas and Bob classes

Updating the game engine to use Thomas and Bob

Building Playable Levels and Collision Detection

Building Playable Levels and Collision Detection

Designing some levels

Building the LevelManager class

Coding the loadLevel function

Updating the engine

Collision detection

Sound Spatialization and HUD

Sound Spatialization and HUD

What is Spatialization?

How SFML handles spatialization

Building the SoundManager class

Adding SoundManager to the game engine

Populating the sound emitters

Using the HUD class

Extending SFML Classes, Particle Systems, and Shaders

Extending SFML Classes, Particle Systems, and Shaders

The SFML Drawable class

Building a particle system

OpenGL, shaders, and GLSL

Before you go...

Before you go...

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FAQ

Here are some questions that might be on your mind:

Q) Despite using classes, I am finding that the code is getting really long and unmanageable, again.

A) One of the biggest issues is the structure of our code. As we learn more C++, we will also learn ways to make the code more manageable and generally less lengthy.

Q) The sound effects seem a bit flat and unrealistic. How can they be improved?

A) One way to significantly improve the feeling the player gets from sound is to make the sound directional, as well as change the volume based on the distance from the sound source to the player character. We will use SFML's advanced sound features in the next project.