Customer Reviews

C# and Game Programming: A Beginner's Guide, Second Edition (Book & CD-ROM)

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

This book was a bittersweet experience for me. The book is basically devided into three sections. The first is the basics of C#, the second basics of Game Programming, and the third more advanced C# using OOP methodology.

A quick rundown of the sections:
1: Ultra Simplistic - 2 stars
2: Brilliant! Worth buying the book for 5 stars
3: Rushed, Too Concise, doesnt explain anything and useless- terrible : 1 star

(hence my rating of 3 stars - interger average of these values)

I was glad that I had read C# The Complete Reference by Herb Schildt before reading this book. The first section on programming basics is VERY basic - teaching very beginner concepts such as loops, descisions etc that most people reading this book would already know. As someone who must read a book cover to cover I read all this, resisting the strong temptation to skim to the next section. It provides a simple introduction to C#, but not particularly useful,

The second section concerns itself with game creation using Windows Forms and GDI+. The first example in this section, Paddle Tennis, is quite good, and probably worth buying the book for this one example, if you have never done any windows forms or GDI+ programming in C# before (as I hadnt). On the accompanying CD there are all these application files you need to add to your project, which is not explicitly stated in the book, and left me scratching my head when I entered all the source code, compiled and got about 200 errors. Actually mentioning that these prewritten classes needed to be added would have been of tremendous help.

But these prewritten classes are the downfall of the book. Basically the example teaches you how to display images, initialize a form, override the OnPaint & OnKeyPress methods - but thats it. All the code for collision detection is prewritten for you with only very oblique references to it in the text. I built a version of Pong and Arkanoid from what I learnt from this book, but most of what I learnt came from analyzing the source code on the CD...

Unfortunately its downhill from here. There are about 7 more games in the book however there is a very brief introduction with very vague descriptions of the new features in the games followed by source code (that again uses the prewritten classes) - basically the text doesnt really teach you how the games were made, you have to read the code and work it out.

The final section on OOP is a very condensed coverage of all 77 keywords in the C# language. This section is utterly useless - it describes the entire language in 100 pages - meaning there is a very brief introduction on the topic (such as overloading or constructors) a single example and then its next topic! If I already didnt know the language I would be completely lost...

I said however this was a Dichotomous Book as I believe I would still have bought it knowing what I do now. It is worth it for the middle section, which is excellent. I recommend strongly that you analyze the source code on the cd (and remember to add it to your projects!!!) - this taught me more than the book. The very final part of section 3 goes over the classes in these prewritten functions (attempting to save grace)- but in the style of the latter half of the book is ultra condensed and basically mirrors the code - teaching you no more than the code itself does - there is no reasoning as to why the code is written in that way.

Something must have gone into my head however because within a week of reading I could make fairly complicated Forms/GDI+ applications - the book works for a good introduction.

In conclusion, dont buy it to learn the language (I recommend reading C# the Complete Reference - it is excellent), but buy it if you want to know something about GDI+ and Windows Forms - it teaches this well. Just skip sections 1 and 3 and read section 2 (which is brilliant by the way).

Deon Poncini

Whatever gaming material is encountered in this book is minimal and irrelevant. This book is merely an introduction to C#, plus a superfluous discussion about games. It is my conviction that this book has no redeeming value unless all you want to get out of it is an introduction to C#.

If you want to write videogames in C#, I strongly recommend Managed DirectX 9 Kick Start : Graphics and Game.

I hope this helps.

This is a fantastic book for learning both C# and Game Programming. It covers the entire C# language, breaking down each keyword, so as to make learning a new language as simple as possible. But, it doesn't stop there. Next, it introduces game programming, taking the keywords that you've already studied and using them to create arcade style games. The games are actually object-oriented models built off a single set of classes, but you don't know this yet, since you're only in chapter three. Building the games also means that you'll have to master both graphic and sound programming, but the CD also includes pre-assembled projects, so beginners can skip these steps, studying them after they completed the language. The games are also built using Windows not console settings, so you'll be well into event driven thinking. Once you've mastered those games, its back to work with new keywords and concepts being introduced in every section. There is no documentation that explains; "Why you want to program..." or "How to think of ideas" You know why you want to program and you don't need to read another book that suggests that you watch Japanese cartoons. Progressing through the chapters means progressing through sorts, statistics, file storage, database, and object-oriented design, but each chapter ends with two new games, and interesting enough, all those little topics, seem too also play a role in those games. There is a little bit of algebra and a small doze of calculus, but these concepts can also be skipped without a problem. There is a tinny taste of primitive 3D programming, but the book is action packed 2D. Finally, as you work through the last set of game classes you are inspired to do one of two things. One, design a few new games using those classes. Or two, to design your own set of classes and use those to create whatever you'd like. The appendix also includes additional information on Windows Forms, Algorithms...

I purchased this book to evaluate it for a university course I am teaching in the spring. I am planning on teaching game design using the C# language and thus this book seemed right along the right lines.

It is not.

A brief summery of the book would be: Intro to C# with some game examples. The problems is that the C# topics are spread, somewhat haphazardly, through out the book, and the examples are LONG. There really is no reason why complete programs need to be printed, especially after describing methods used in them. I'd say that of the 550 pages about 300 is simply code. Combined with the fact that formatting is not perfect makes the book a difficult read.

Another complaint is the horrible quality of the games provided. The look bad, and play even worse. The fact that all of them run without crashing maybe seen as an improvement over some other books. Typically the reader should be impressed or at least inspired with what you can do with the knowledge in the book, this is almost the opposite, I know that I won't show any of these demos simply because it could drive people away.

Finally there is almost no actual Game design. All games are one or two files with limited number of classes. The book tries to focus on object oriented design, however it is poorly done with little thought given to non-player objects, such as program structure. Program structure, or lack there of, is simply the Windows.Forms model with its event model driving the game. Unmodified this model is unsuitable for actual game creation.

Conclusion.

You might be able to learn C# from this book, however it will take you a while. You also might be able to make a game however you won't learn how real games are designed and made, also you won't find this book useful as a reference as once basic knowledge is acquired nearly anyone should be able to surpass this content.

I won't be using this as a textbook, probably stick with a tried and true classic like LaMothe's TWGPG which does a much better job in all categories.

When I initially purchased this book from Amazon, there were no reviews on it. Being as this was the only Game Programming book specific to C# I decided to take a risk.

I am shocked at the number of good reviews here. This book was awful. There was little coherent coverage of the language and almost no valuable discussion of game design. One of the previous posters mentioned the fact that the majority of the book is printed code. I would conservatively say 70% of this book is printed code. If my estimate is correct, that means out of 592 pages 414 are code. This is ridiculous. I paid for a book, not code samples. I want the author to tell/teach me something. If I need code samples, make them available as a download or on a CD! It is a ridiculous waste, and shows the fact that the author has very little to say when such a huge portion of the book is code. This book would have been about 100 pages long if the samples were removed from it. I could author a book like this. I'm sure I've written enough code in my life to fill 414 pages.

This book exists because someone wanted to rush a game book to market and make some cash.

Do yourself a favor. Buy a book dedicated to C# and then search the web for examples of games that others have written in C#. They are out there. You will learn a great deal more and your money will go farther.

Short simple and to the point.

If you have never ever programmed before in any language but basic, then this is the book for you.

Total chapters 5

Chapter 1 (programming basics) bascially teaches how to write a hello world program.

Chapter 2 Branches loops and functions.

Chapter 3 (called chapter 2 in the Table of contents) Basic game programming (write pong)

etc etc etc..

If you know what any of the following terms means, than the first 75% of this book is way beneath you. Variables, arrays(chapt 4), While loops(ch 4), if then (Ch 4).

If you know what the following terms mean, than the entire book is beneath you.

Structs, classes, static keyword, Object oriented design (Ch 5)
Using keyword.

That's it, that's the whole book... there is a dusting of game progamming stuff in it to keep it interesting to total novices.
But anyone who knows anything about programming will find this book way way way beneath them.

On the other hand, if you don't know _anything_ about programming and think learning it in terms of games will make it more fun, then this might be an ok book. I'd suggest one of the WROX beginning c# books as well, as they are much better at teaching the fundmentals.

I've gone through half of this book and will not be completing it.

Despite this being a "beginner" book the author quickly overwhelms the user with advanced examples while providing nearly zero explaination of what he is doing or why he is doing it.

Only the simpliest of concepts (data types, casting, etc) are discussed before getting to some of the first extremely long and extremely complex examples.

From the beginning there is no discussion of code and very little in the way of explainatory comments. After 200 pages the author STILL has only mentioned "using" a few times and hasn't even brought up a discussion of namespaces. Yet these items are included in every sample.

Many of the items being used are never explained, there is no step by step process that tells the reader what any particular command does or why he's using it.

My criteria for a "good" book is that by the time the author starts an example he/she should have previously explained what the purpose the example serves. Is this an example that will re-enforce the graphic manipulation discussion of the most recent chapter? Is this an example that will show me in practice the simple coding practices the author explained in the last 100 pages? None of this is there. The author jumps from talking about datatypes to using some advanced C# libraries in a sample without any explaination ever provided.

This book expects you to type in dozens of pages of code (or get it off the included CD) and learn by osmosis the point of the sample; why it works; and what the key elements/procedures are.

Maybe some people can somehow mystically connect to the authors train of thought and understand unexplained code through this method, but I am unfortunate to not be one of them.

If you really want to learn C# and are a true beginner than Petzolds Programming in the Key of C# is probably the best book I've read to this point (I have high hopes for Murach's C# but am just starting that one).

Unfortunately I haven't found any acceptable books that link C# and games programming yet that discuss the subject at a newcomer level.

I'm amazed at the good reviews for this book. The only reason I can give for that is that perhaps the good reviews are all from the publisher, author and their many aliases.

This book's spelling, grammar, and coding errors make it impossible to use. I'm surprised that the code included on a CD even compiles. I was so frustrated after the first two chapters that I wanted to animate the book, just so I could choke it to death.

Do yourself a favor, if you want to buy this book just slap yourself in the face and save $30.

I'm guessing I should of paid more attention to the title, but "C# and Game Programming : A Beginner's Guide" is exactly what this book is. It is totally for beginners. The book does do a fairly good run down of the C# language before getting into any serious game development. And with each game, a new topic is dealt with. The first game you go through "Tennis" is perfect for the beginner because it was nothing more but a version of the legendary "Pong". Each game does get a become a little more complicated as you go on - but I did get the sense that the author is more focused on the C# language than actual game designing. Before beginning any game, the author runs you through a wordy algorythm so you can get an understanding of what you're suppose to do. Somehow, the author actually dicusses animation although I found it kinda funny since animation looks horrible in Windows Forms.

There are several games that comes with the book. The author wanted to use old arcade action games as an example. Most of them are reminence of Pong, Asteroid, Bezerk, and BreakOut. Keep in mind, they are very simple and is entirely Windows Form-Based. Although the author does not go into detail of Form design(nearly everything is code based) each of these games can definately be built using the Forms GUI , which I think can be a little easier to work with but with the same result.

The back cover states that the included CD contains Windows and DirectX version of the game. I already understood forms but was eager to learn DirectX. The problem with Forms is that real time game play is horrifyingly slow. The demo games listed in the book seems to run really jerky and choppy(which can be fixed). So my interest was more in DirectX. The DirectX folder was in the CD - but the folder was completely blank. Did I miss something here?

Anyways, this book is perfect for beginners who are still learning the language and for those who want to learn how to build simple games. If you're already decently familiar with C# and is looking for intense high speed graphics(like me), then this is not for you. Check out "Managed DirectX 9" by Tom Miller for more advance stuff.

UPDATE : If you email the author, he will respond quickly and send you the missing DirectX sources.

This is a fantastic book for learning both C# and Game Programming. It covers the entire C# language, breaking down each keyword, so as to make learning a new language as simple as possible. But, it doesn't stop there. Next, it introduces game programming, taking the keywords that you've already studied and using them to create arcade style games. The games are actually object-oriented models built off a single set of classes, but you don't know this yet, since you're only in chapter three. Building the games also means that you'll have to master both graphic and sound programming, but the CD also includes pre-assembled projects, so beginners can skip these steps, studying them after they completed the language. The games are also built using Windows not console settings, so you'll be well into event driven thinking. Once you've mastered those games, its back to work with new keywords and concepts being introduced in every section. There is no documentation that explains; "Why you want to program..." or "How to think of ideas" You know why you want to program and you don't need to read another book that suggests that you watch Japanese cartoons. Progressing through the chapters means progressing through sorts, statistics, file storage, database, and object-oriented design, but each chapter ends with two new games, and interesting enough, all those little topics, seem too also play a role in those games. There is a little bit of algebra and a small doze of calculus, but these concepts can also be skipped without a problem. There is a tinny taste of primitive 3D programming, but the book is action packed 2D. Finally, as you work through the last set of game classes you are inspired to do one of two things. One, design a few new games using those classes. Or two, to design your own set of classes and use those to create whatever you'd like. The appendix also includes additional information on Windows Forms, Algorithms...
Update: There is also an email address included with the text, and the author does email you updates, patches...