20 Best Books For Game Development (2023 Update)

The practical guide to building reliable networked multiplayer games networked multiplayer games are a multibillion dollar business: some games now attract tens of millions of players. in this practical, code-rich guide, joshua glazer and sanjay madhav guide you through every aspect of engineering them. drawing on their immense experience as both game developers and instructors, the authors lead you through building a robust multiplayer architecture, and creating every engine-level system. you'll learn through in-depth working code examples for two complete games: an action game and a real time strategy (rts) game. first, madhav and glazer review the essentials of networking and network programming from the standpoint of game developers. next, they walk through managing game data transmission, updating game objects across the network, and organizing the devices that join your game. you'll learn how to ensure reliable performance despite the internet's inherent inconsistencies, and how to design game code for maximum security and scalability. the authors conclude by addressing two increasingly crucial issues: incorporating gamer services and hosting your games in the cloud. this guide's content has been extensively tested through the authors' multiplayer game programming courses at usc. it is equally valuable both to students and to working game programmers moving into networked games. instructors will also find a full set of powerpoint slides and a sample syllabus.

The video games textbook takes the history of video games to another level, with visually-stimulating, comprehensive, and chronological chapters that are relevant and easy to read for a variety of students. every chapter is a journey into a different era or area of gaming, where readers emerge with a strong sense of how video games evolved, why they succeeded or failed, and the impact they had on the industry and human culture. written to capture the attention and interest of both domestic and international college students, each chapter contains a list of objectives and key terms, illustrative timelines, arcade summaries, images and technical specifications of all major consoles. key features explores the history of video games, including the social, political, and economic motivations facilitates learning of material with illustrative timelines, arcade summaries and images highlights the technical specifications of all major consoles illustrates the breakthroughs and trends of the gaming market

Like movies, television, and other preceding forms of media, video games are undergoing a dynamic shift in its content and perception. while the medium can still be considered in its infancy, the mark of true artistry and conceptual depth is detectable in the evolving styles, various genres and game themes. rusch's, making deep games, combines this insight along with the discussion of the expressive nature of games, various case studies, and hands-on design exercises. this book offers a perspective into how to make games that tackle the whole bandwidth of the human experience; games that teach us something about ourselves, enable thought-provoking, emotionally rich experiences and promote personal and social change. grounded in cognitive linguistics, game studies and the reflective practice of game design, making deep games explores systematic approaches for how to approach complex abstract concepts, inner processes, and emotions through the specific means of the medium. it aims to shed light on how to make the multifaceted aspects of the human condition tangible through gameplay experiences.

Get started creating video games using unreal engine 4 (ue4) and learning the fundamentals of game development. through hands-on, step-by-step tutorials, you will learn to design engaging environments and a build solid foundation for more complex games. discover how to utilize the 3d game design software behind the development of immensely popular games for pc, console, and mobile. beginning unreal game development steers you through the fundamentals of game development with ue4 to design environments that both engage the player and are aesthetically pleasing. author david nixon shows you how to script logic, define behaviors, store data, and create characters. you will learn to create user interfaces, such as menus, load screens, and head-up displays (huds), and manipulate audio to add music, sound effects, and dialogue to your game. the book covers level editors, actor types, blueprints, character creation and control, and much more. throughout the book, you’ll put theory into practice and create an actual game using a series of step-by-step tutorials. with a clear, step-by-step approach, beginning unreal game development builds up your knowledge of unreal engine 4 so you can start creating and deploying your own 3d video games in no time. what you will learn learn the fundamentals of game designunderstand how to use unreal engine 4design amazing levels for your characters to play inscript logic to control the behavior of the world you create who this book is forthis book is for beginners with no prior game design or programming experience. it is also intended for video game enthusiasts who are brand-new to the world of game development and want to learn how to design a game from scratch using ue4.

Beginning python games development, second edition teaches you how to create compelling games using python and the pygame games development library. it will teach you how to create visuals, do event handling, create 3d games, add media elements, and integrate open – gl into your python game. – in this update to the first ever book to cover the popular open source pygame games development library, you'll stand to gain valuable technical insights and follow along with the creation of a real-world, freely downloadable video game. written by industry veterans and python experts will mcgugan and harrison kinsley, this is a comprehensive, practical introduction to games development in python. you can also capitalize upon numerous tips and tricks the authors have accumulated over their careers creating games for some of the world's largest game developers. – what you’ll learn – how to use pygame with python for game development – how to create visuals; do event handling; and more – how to do 3d game development using python – how to add media elements – how to create visually dynamic backgrounds by integrating some open – gl and more into your python-based game – how to build a game project step by step – who this book is for this book is for python coders wanting to learn how to build their first games. game developers who may be new to python and pygame can use this book; a python primer is included. table of contents1. introducing python2. exploring python3. introducing pygame4. creating visuals5. making things move6. accepting user input7. take me to your leader8. moving into the third dimension9. exploring the third dimension10. making things go boom11. lights, camera, action! 12. setting the scene with open – glappendix a: game object reference – appendix b: packaging your game

A project based guides to learn animation, advanced shaders, environments, particle rendering, and networked games with godot 3.0 key features learn the art of developing cross-platform games leverage godot's node and scene system to design robust, reusable game objects integrate blender easily and efficiently with godot to create powerful 3d games book description godot engine game development projects is an introduction to the godot game engine and its new 3.0 version. godot 3.0 brings a large number of new features and capabilities that make it a strong alternative to expensive commercial game engines. for beginners, godot offers a friendly way to learn game development techniques, while for experienced developers it is a powerful, customizable tool that can bring your visions to life. this book consists of five projects that will help developers achieve a sound understanding of the engine when it comes to building games. game development is complex and involves a wide spectrum of knowledge and skills. this book can help you build on your foundation level skills by showing you how to create a number of small-scale game projects. along the way, you will learn how godot works and discover important game development techniques that you can apply to your projects. using a straightforward, step-by-step approach and practical examples, the book will take you from the absolute basics through to sophisticated game physics, animations, and other techniques. upon completing the final project, you will have a strong foundation for future success with godot 3.0. what you will learn get started with the godot game engine and editor organize a game project import graphical and audio assets use godot's node and scene system to design robust, reusable game objects write code in gdscript to capture input and build complex behaviors implement user interfaces to display information create visual effects to spice up your game learn techniques that you can apply to your own game projects who this book is for godot engine game development projects is for both new users and experienced developers, who want to learn to make games using a modern game engine. some prior programming experience in c and c++ is recommended.

Key features: get to grips with the user interface of unreal engine 4 and find out more about its various robust features – create dream video games with the help of the different tools unreal engine 4 offers – create video-games and fully utilize the power of unreal engine 4 to bring games to life through this step-by-step guide – book description: unreal engine 4 is a complete suite of game development tools that gives you power to develop your game and seamlessly deploy it to i – os and android devices. it can be used for the development of simple 2d games or even stunning high-end visuals. unreal engine features a high degree of portability and is a tool used by many game developers today. – this book will introduce you to the most popular game development tool called unreal engine 4 with hands-on instructions for building stunning video games. you will begin by creating a new project or prototype by learning the essentials of unreal engine by getting familiar with the ui and content browser. – what you will learn: download both the binary and source version of unreal engine 4 and get familiar with the uiget to know more about the material editor and how it works – add a post process to the scene and alter it to get a unique look for your scene – acquaint yourself with the unique and exclusive feature of unreal engine 4-blueprints – find out more about static and dynamic lighting and the difference between various lights – use matinee to create cut scenes – create a health bar for the player with the use of unreal motion graphics (umg)get familiar with cascade particle editor – who this book is for: if you have a basic understanding of working on a 3d environment and you are interested in video game development, then this book is for you. a solid knowledge of c++ will come in handy.

Level design connects the player to the game through challenges, experiences, and emotions. this book is an invaluable introduction to the evolving practices of level designers across the games industry. the increasingly complex role of the level designer requires technical and creative skill as it brings together architecture, art, player psychology, interaction design, usability, and experience design. this book explores in detail the principles designers employ when planning levels and building engaging spaces for the player. as well as practical approaches to level design, the book delves into the theoretical underpinnings of the processes and charts a path towards thinking like a level designer. a series of interviews with designers and case studies from game studios examine the application of industry-wide expertise used to create triple-a and indie game titles. by the end of this book you will have gained valuable insight into the role of a level designer and be able to devise, plan, and build your own engaging and entertaining game levels.

"video games have captivated us for over 50 years, giving us entire worlds to explore, new ways to connect with friends, thought-provoking stories, or just a fun way to pass the time. creating games is a dream for many, but making great games is challenging. the game designer's playbook (italics) is about that challenge. more specifically, it's a book about game interaction design-in other words, shaping what players can do and how they do it to make a game satisfying and memorable. our time with a game is built on interaction, from basic things like pushing buttons on a controller, to making complicated strategic decisions and engaging with its narrative. if you've ever felt the adrenaline rush from beating a perfectly tuned boss fight or been delighted by the fanfare of picking up that last collectible, you've experienced good interaction design firsthand. the game designer's playbook (italics) is about learning what makes for great (or terrible!) interaction design in games, exploring things like controls, feedback, story, and tutorial design by analyzing existing games.

An updated version of the bestselling game testing all in one, second edition, this book equips the reader with the rationale for vigorous testing of game software, how game testing and the tester fit into the game development process, practical knowledge of tools to apply to game testing, game tester roles and responsibilities, and the measurements to determine game quality and testing progress. the reader is taken step-by-step through test design and other qa methods, using real game situations. the book includes content for the latest console games and the new crop of touch, mobile, and social games that have recently emerged. a companion dvd contains the tools used for the examples in the book and additional resources such as test table templates and generic flow diagrams to get started quickly with any game test project.

Leading with sound is the must-have companion guide to working on video game projects. focused on the creative, collaborative, philosophical and organizational skills behind game sound and eschewing the technical, this book celebrates the subjects most essential to leading with sound in video game development at any level. refuting the traditional optics of sound as a service in favour of sound as a pro-active visionary department, this book examines each of the four food-groups of dialogue, sound design, music and mix, not through the usual technical and production lenses of 'how' and 'when', but the essential lens of 'why' that enables leadership with sound. leading with sound is essential reading for aspiring sound designers, inside and outside of the classroom, as well as experienced professionals in the game industry.

Understand how to use one of the most popular 3d modeling software and advanced game engines to create a seamless workflow between the two and produce dynamic games – key features: learn how to create, rig, and animate 3d low-poly models in blender – discover the 3d workflow of godot engine and understand how to enhance your models – use modeling and game design skills to create a dynamic point-and-click game – book description: game development with blender and godot is a comprehensive introduction for those new to building 3d models and games, allowing you to leverage the abilities of these two technologies to create dynamic, interactive, and engaging games. – this book will start by focusing on what low-poly modeling is, before showing you how to use blender to create, rig, and animate your models. you will also polish these assets until they're game-ready, making it easy for you to import them into godot and use them effectively and efficiently. next, you will use the game engine to design scenes, work with light and shadows, and transform your 3d models into interactive, controllable assets. – by the end of this book, you will have a seamless workflow between blender and godot which is specifically geared toward game development. alongside, you'll also be building a point-and-click adventure game following the instructions and guidance in the book. finishing this game will help you take these newly acquired skills and create your own 3d games from conception to completion. – what you will learn: discover what low-poly modeling is and why it matters – understand how to use materials, shaders, and textures in your models – explore how to render and animate a scene in blender – focus on how to export blender assets and import them into godot – use 3d low-poly models in godot to create fun games – design a dynamic and easy-to-navigate game world – explore how to interact with the game via interfaces – understand how to export your game for windows – who this book is for: this book is for game developers who are looking to make the transition from 2d to 3d games. readers should have a basic understanding of godot, being able to navigate the ui, understand the inspector panel, create scenes, add scripts to game objects, and more. previous experience with blender is helpful but not required.

Your kids will be building computer games and learning code in no-time with coding computer games for kids.kids can enter the world of programming in this illustrated guide- packed with step-by-step explanations showing kids how to build all types of games, from puzzles and racers to 3d action games. the perfect way to introduce a reluctant child to coding, coding computer games for kids shows kids how to have fun with scratch by creating games. simple instructions and graphics breakdown coding with scratch so kids learn all the code they need to build, play and share their favourite games with friends.

Back a few years ago i had an idea. what if i could make the power of the directx api available to the developers who were going to be using the new set of languages and common language runtime that microsoft was developing? the idea was intriguing, and opening up a larger portion of the world to directx was a goal i was only happy to endorse. · besides, what developer doesn't want to write games? it seems that at least once a week i am answering questions directly regard ing the performance of managed code, and managed directx in particular. one of the more common questions i hear is some paraphrase of "is it as fast as unmanaged code?" obviously in a general sense it isn't. regardless of the quality of the managed directxapi, the fact remains that it still has to run through the same directxapi that the unmanaged code does. there is naturally going to be a slight overhead for this, but does it have a large negative impact on the majority of applications? of course it doesn't. no one is suggesting that one of the top-of-the-line polygon pushing games coming out today (say, half life 2 or doom 3) should be written in managed directx. , but that doesn't mean that there isn't a whole slew of games that could be. i'll get more to that in just a few moments.

Back a few years ago i had an idea. what if i could make the power of the directx api available to the developers who were going to be using the new set of languages and common language runtime that microsoft was developing? the idea was intriguing, and opening up a larger portion of the world to directx was a goal i was only happy to endorse. · besides, what developer doesn't want to write games? it seems that at least once a week i am answering questions directly regard ing the performance of managed code, and managed directx in particular. one of the more common questions i hear is some paraphrase of "is it as fast as unmanaged code?" obviously in a general sense it isn't. regardless of the quality of the managed directxapi, the fact remains that it still has to run through the same directxapi that the unmanaged code does. there is naturally going to be a slight overhead for this, but does it have a large negative impact on the majority of applications? of course it doesn't. no one is suggesting that one of the top-of-the-line polygon pushing games coming out today (say, half life 2 or doom 3) should be written in managed directx. , but that doesn't mean that there isn't a whole slew of games that could be. i'll get more to that in just a few moments.

"predominantly aimed at hobbyist developers, students or people otherwise curious and thinking about making a living from computer games, this is a unique book. its greatest benefit is that it offers readers a clear idea of where and how to proceed in their learning and development. in short, this introduction offers a broad range of information covering all aspects of computer gaming.teach yourself computer game development discusses the technical development of computer games but also examines the pros and cons of employment in the game industry and covers the history of computer games, the tools required for making games, game design, programming, graphics, art, sound and music. as it does not focus on particular gaming software it will appeal to any reader." – product description.

"predominantly aimed at hobbyist developers, students or people otherwise curious and thinking about making a living from computer games, this is a unique book. its greatest benefit is that it offers readers a clear idea of where and how to proceed in their learning and development. in short, this introduction offers a broad range of information covering all aspects of computer gaming.teach yourself computer game development discusses the technical development of computer games but also examines the pros and cons of employment in the game industry and covers the history of computer games, the tools required for making games, game design, programming, graphics, art, sound and music. as it does not focus on particular gaming software it will appeal to any reader." – product description.

The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. the spine remains undamaged.

Book is in used-good condition. pages and cover are clean and intact. used items may not include supplementary materials such as cds or access codes. may show signs of minor shelf wear and contain limited notes and highlighting.

Product type: subjects > computers & technology > programming > game programming