Java Game Programming for Dummies [With Includes Soundforge Xp 4.0b, JDK, Goldwave...]

by Wayne Holder and Doug Bell

This reference guide provides information on how to create games, add graphics and sound and more using the properties of the programming language Java. As well as technical information, the book also... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0764501682
• ISBN13: 9780764501685
• Release Date: March 1998
• Publisher: For Dummies
• Length: 359 Pages
• Weight: 1.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 7.5" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Java GAME programming for dummies.

This book doesnt teach you java.However if you know some java but not how to create a game, you will find this book usefull. Thou the games described are simple, they do teach you the basics of 2D (and some 3D) game programming.If you remember some mathematics it helps but is not needed.Most of the formulas used are well explained.This makes it easy to write the same games in other languages like C,C++,basic.... I am a litle disapointed since the book didn't show how to create a scrolling game, like Super Mario Brothers or Sonic , but if you understand the other games in the book writing such a game yourself should be possible I give this book a 5 star rank because it was usefull to me who didn't know very much about game programming. However you will not learn java from this. Try Teach yourself java in 21 days instead.

Nice Job!

Most game programming books focus on teaching experienced game programmers the advanced tricks of the trade. This book fills a gap. A variety of game types are explained with small easy to digest code examples. It's not the authors' purpose to teach you Java; something they make clear from the start. The focus of the book is game design. Those who program in other languages can benefit from the book after familiarizing themselves with Java syntax. The book nicely covers animation, game design, modeling the world with basic physics, etc. The writing is straightforward and concise.Also appreciated is, unlike many other 'For Dummies' writers, these authors don't waste half the book auditioning as comedy writers.

A great introduction to the principles of game programming

This book was exactly what I hoped it would be. I've been learning Java for the last couple months in my spare time and was looking for something interesting to do with my new skills. The numerous examples in the book are well written and thoroughly explained. But the real bonus was the straight-forward explanations of game design and techniques. I even gained some better insight into how to structure an object-oriented program. So not only did I get a clear and concise book on game programming, but I also got some of the best examples of object-oriented programming in Java. I highly recommend this book!

Great for those with some basic Java knowledge...

Now, this is one of those books that I can say I'm glad to have in my collection of game programming books. I'll just put it next to my Black Art Of VB Game Programming, excellent. An excellent resource for game programming since it goes deep into the explaination of game design, game development, and down-to-earth explainations of the example code. The only gripe about this book is that you really do need some basic Java knowledge to start. I'm familiar with c++ and vb, but knew nothing about Java. The 5 bonus chapters on the cd were a great help, but not good enough. It did, however, recommend getting the Java Programming For Dummies since this book wasn't meant to teach Java from scratch anyway. So that's the only problem with this book, if it actually is a problem. Hehe.

Not bad...

The book covers standard topics from computer science connected with Game Programming (physics modelling, 3D geometry...) and their Java/object oriented implementations. The book is well organized and has lots of examples and instant code on the CD. However, this book doesn't fit in standard "for Dummies" concept since previous Java knowledge/experience is a must. The authors tried to help a little bit putting additional 5 chapters on the CD. Those chapters are quick introduction to Java/applet concept.