Customer Reviews

Programming Video Games for the Evil Genius

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is a great book if you know what you are getting - a text that teaches you the basics of Java in parallel with simple game programming. In that sense it is somewhat mislabeled. This is great for high schoolers and up who are interested in both subjects, and is particularly good for people who don't have the patience to go through Core Java(TM), Volume I--Fundamentals (8th Edition) (Sun Core Series), which is the best book on Java programming on the market, in my opinion. The games are pretty simple, so you won't get bored with the details, but there is enough meat here that you will learn something. However, don't expect to get excited by the results of the simple games that you write either. When you're through, you'll have some idea of how to think like a game programmer and have a basic understanding of Java. Once you do understand Core Java and this book, you might want to check out Killer Game Programming in Java, which is the best book out there on game programming specifically in the Java language, even three years after it was published.

Praise to Programming Video Games for the Evil Genius!

This is the only Christmas gift that my boys (a junior and freshman) are still using. For the life of me I could never understand the inner workings of Java, but I know the results of this book have created a great deal of excitement about computer programming for both of them. My oldest is even considering a major in this field.

This is proof positive that a single book can have a very big influence.

(In case anyone is wondering, it does work on a Mac)

This is a great book for parents to share with their kids who love video games and have an interest in computer programing. The design of the book is perfect and the conent is easy to apply, even for a computer programing novice. In fact, schools would do well to incorporate it into their computer curriculum as I never met a kid who didn't want to beat the game. I "used" the book with my son and we had a lot of fun developing a program together.

We've had this book for about 6 weeks. First off, I must say that the projects within it are completely satisfying. My two boys have loved the end result.

The book is written in a nice conversational tone with plenty of written information. My guess is that it is an excellent book for people who have a very easy time extracting information from reading. Some of us have this gift. Some of us need more pictures, and perhaps some sidebar explanations with more visual features and more basic information.

Having programmed HTML, I was familiar with the finicky nature of code. However, I have had a very hard time understanding the information in the book and applying it to code without totally cheating and looking at the way it should be written.

My son and I, as kinesthetic learners are having the same difficulty. However, he has a sponge-like brain and can remember bits and pieces of code. He is starting to stray from the projects and create his own. (Thank you Ian Cinnamon!) I, on the other hand, have swiss cheese for brains, and nearly everything I read leaks out.

In closing, I believe this is a good book. I am just going to need to read a few other books on the same subject to pull it all together in order to offer assistance to my children when they get stuck.

I cannot stress enough how helpful this book is. Since I got my first copy I have used I have learned a lot from it and used it for reference more times than I can count. Even if you do not know how to program, this book will let you create video games that you will have hours of fun writing and playing.

I have dreams of going to MIT someday. I want to be a computer scientist and am self-taught in C++ and Java. My parents got me this book after I heard about it. It's the best Java book ever and it's not easy.. It took me 5 weeks to get through Radical Racing but I stuck with it and it works!!! The book made me go through everything I learned about programming and put it to use in a fun way that really made me learn. I am inspired by the author who is only 15! If you want to be a programmer start here.

I choose my words carefully so when I say I am awed by the accomplishment of this young author, I mean it.

I have an 11 year old son who is very advanced in science and math. He has progressed from Legos to robot models to building his own computers to engineering his own model engines. He has now embarked on programming after attending a sophisticated computer camp.

The difficulty for me is feeding this receptive young mind. The material needs to be accessible but challenging enough to complete stretch goals. For most books of this nature, this is VERY tall order.

My son heard about Ian Cinnamon (a science prodigy) through his instructor... and an article in the New York Times about his iPhone development. He checked out his book and asked if we could purchase Programming Video Games for the Evil Genius and I, naturally, agreed.

The short of it is this: my son is wowed. He has not stopped working on this book. I use the term "working on" because the material is both academic and experiential. It contains several "games" which are broken down into discrete projects. The user follows along as he/she develops his/her code.

Actually, games are not the point here. Not at all. Learning Java is the goal. Learning Java and going beyond what is given, is the hope.

I have always felt the having knowledge is not enough. It's the application of knowledge that gives flight to scientific progress. I believe Ian Cinnamon, through this book, has provided us with such a stepping stone.

I am one of those who adults who loves learning for learning's sake. I started programming a while ago and am becoming more and more proficient at Java. I've bought several texts - some okay, some very useful and two absolutely outstanding. This is one of those. I am thoroughly engaged in making these basic (but challenging), retro- style games while honing my programming skills. First, it's great fun. The projects are very well thought out and the end results are a blast! Second, the author's clear presentation of code and graphics provides me with the confidence I need to move forward. In short, Programming Video Games for the Evil Genius is something special. That's it - I'm going back to programming my game.

Hoping for more editions!

Making something from nothing. If this is the definition of creative programming this book nails it. I wanted a fairly basic Java book that took me to the next level. Programming Video Games for the Evil Genius did that for me. I have finished all the games and almost every one presented big challenges (more than one time I have stayed up until the middle of the night figuring out how to program various functions). After three months of work I may not be a genius but I am definitely a better programmer. Simply, it is a great book.

This programming book is fantastic! Honestly. I started with Screen Skier (one of the 8 games/projects). The code Dr. Cinnamon gives is easy to follow and then I began to modifying it. This is the first time I've put all my programming skills and knowledge together. The results were so good (forgive me for bragging) that my professor has accepted it as an independent class project and will be including it in a school presentation! Not that many books motivate you to lean more. "Programming Video Games" has done that for me.