SFML
SFML is the Simple Fast Media Library. It is not the only C++ library for games and multimedia. It is possible to make an argument to use other libraries, but SFML seems to come through for me every time. Firstly, it is written using object-oriented C++. The benefits of object-oriented C++ are numerous, and you will experience them as you progress through this book.
SFML is also easy to get started with and is therefore a good choice if you are a beginner, yet at the same time it has the potential to build the highest-quality 2D games if you are a professional. So, a beginner can get started using SFML and not worry about having to start again with a new language/library as their experience grows.
Perhaps the biggest benefit is that most modern C++ programming uses OOP. Every C++ beginner’s guide I have ever read uses and teaches OOP. OOP is the future (and the now) of coding in almost all languages, in fact. So why, if you’re learning C++ from the beginning, would you want to do it any other way?
SFML has a module (code) for just about anything you would ever want to do in a 2D game. SFML works using OpenGL, which can also make 3D games. OpenGL is the de facto free-to-use graphics library for games when you want it to run on more than one platform. When you use SFML, you are automatically using OpenGL.
SFML allows you to create the following:
- 2D graphics and animations, including scrolling game worlds.
- Sound effects and music playback, including high-quality directional sound.
- Input handling with a keyboard, mouse, and gamepad.
- Online multiplayer features.
- The same code can be compiled and linked on all major desktop operating systems, and mobile as well!.
Extensive research has not uncovered any more suitable ways to build 2D games for PC, even for expert developers and especially if you are a beginner and want to learn C++ in a fun gaming environment.
In the sections that follow, we will set up the development environment, beginning with a discussion on what to do if you are using Mac or Linux operating systems.