Hi there, and welcome to the world of Android game development. You came here to learn about game development on Android, and we hope to be the people who enable you to realize your ideas.
Together we’ll cover quite a range of materials and topics: Android basics, audio and
graphics programming, a little math and physics, and a scary thing called OpenGL ES. Based on
all this knowledge, we’ll develop three different games, one even being 3D.
Game programming can be easy if you know what you’re doing. Therefore, we’ve tried to
present the material in a way that not only gives you helpful code snippets to reuse, but actually
shows you the big picture of game development. Understanding the underlying principles is the
key to tackling ever more complex game ideas. You’ll not only be able to write games similar to
the ones developed over the course of this book, but you’ll also be equipped with enough
knowledge to go to the Web or the bookstore and take on new areas of game development on
your own.
Beginning Android 4 Games Development offers everything you need to join the ranks of successful Android game developers. You'll start with game design fundamentals and programming basics, and then progress toward creating your own basic game engine and playable game that works on Android 4.0 and earlier devices. This will give you everything you need to branch out and write your own Android games.
The potential user base and the wide array of available high-performance devices makes Android an attractive target for aspiring game developers. Do you have an awesome idea for the next break-through mobile gaming title? Beginning Android 4 Games Development will help you kick-start your project.
The book will guide you through the process of making several example games for the Android platform, and involves a wide range of topics:
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The fundamentals of Android game development targeting Android 1.5-4.0+ devices
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The Android platform basics to apply those fundamentals in the context of making a game
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The design of 2D and 3D games and their successful implementation on the Android platform
What you’ll learn
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How to set up and use the development tools for developing your first Android 4 or earlier version game app
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The fundamentals of game programming in the context of the Android platform
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How to use the Android's APIs for graphics, audio, and user input to reflect those fundamentals
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How to develop two 2D games from scratch, based on the Canvas API and OpenGL ES
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How to create a full-featured 3D game
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How to publish your games, get crash reports, and support your users
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How to complete your own playable 2D OpenGL games
Who this book is for
This book is for people with a basic knowledge of Java who want to write games on the Android platform. It also offers information for experienced game developers about the pitfalls and peculiarities of the platform.
Table of Contents
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Android, the New Kid on the Block
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First Steps with the Android SDK
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Game Development 101
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Android for Game Developers
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An Android Game Development Framework
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Mr. Nom Invades Android
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OpenGL ES: A Gentle Introduction
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2D Game Programming Tricks
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Super Jumper: A 2D OpenGL ES Game
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OpenGL ES: Going 3D
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3D Programming Tricks
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Droid Invaders: the Grand Finale
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Advanced Techniques from Latest SDK
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Publishing Your Game