The Game Maker's Apprentice: Game Development for Beginners and over 400,000 other books are available for Amazon Kindle – Amazon’s new wireless reading device. Learn more

 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
 
Express Checkout with PayPhrase
What's this? | Create PayPhrase
More Buying Choices
57 used & new from $16.00
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
or
Get a $6.05 Amazon.com Gift Card
 
   
The Game Maker's Apprentice: Game Development for Beginners (Technology in Action)
 
 
Share your own customer images
Search inside this book
Start reading The Game Maker's Apprentice: Game Development for Beginners on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don’t have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here.
 
  

The Game Maker's Apprentice: Game Development for Beginners (Technology in Action) (Paperback)

~ (Author), Mark Overmars (Author), Phil Wilson (Foreword)
Key Phrases: global game settings, sprite properties, bounding box, Game Maker, Set Variable, Destroy Instance (more...)
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (50 customer reviews)
List Price: $39.99
Price: $26.39 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. Details
You Save: $13.60 (34%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

30 new from $25.07 27 used from $16.00

Formats

 Amazon Price New from Used from
Kindle Edition $17.59   -- --
Paperback $26.39   $25.07 $16.00

Frequently Bought Together

The Game Maker's Apprentice: Game Development for Beginners (Technology in Action) + The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design + Beginning C++ Through Game Programming
Price For All Three: $59.75

Show availability and shipping details

  • This item: The Game Maker's Apprentice: Game Development for Beginners (Technology in Action) by Jacob Habgood

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    This item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. Details

  • The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design by Flint Dille

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

  • Beginning C++ Through Game Programming by Mike Dawson

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design

The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design

by Flint Dille
4.6 out of 5 stars (25)  $13.57
Beginning C++ Through Game Programming

Beginning C++ Through Game Programming

by Mike Dawson
4.0 out of 5 stars (62)  $19.79
Hello World! Computer Programming for Kids and Other Beginners

Hello World! Computer Programming for Kids and Other Beginners

by Warren Sande
4.9 out of 5 stars (14)  $23.09
Game Development Essentials: An Introduction

Game Development Essentials: An Introduction

by Jeannie Novak
4.4 out of 5 stars (25)  $52.89
Game Programming for Teens, Third Edition

Game Programming for Teens, Third Edition

by Maneesh Sethi
4.6 out of 5 stars (56)  $19.79
› Explore similar items

Editorial Reviews

Review

From the reviews:

"The desire to create computer games attracts many young people to computing. This book meets the needs of this group of readers and students very well. It is also a fine introduction to the making of computer games for the experienced software developer who always wondered how games were made. … There are excellent software development lessons that can be learned using this book … . the book provides a superb introduction to programming as well as to game construction." (Anthony J. Duben, ACM Computing Reviews, Vol. 49 (5), May, 2008)

Product Description

The Game Makers Apprentice shows you how to create nine exciting games using the wildly popular Game Maker game creation tool. This book covers a range of genres, including action, adventure, and puzzle games complete with professional quality sound effects and visuals. It discusses game design theory and features practical examples of how this can be applied to making games that are more fun to play.

Game Maker allows games to be created using a simple drag-and-drop interface, so you don't need to have any prior coding experience. It includes an optional programming language for adding advanced features to your games, when you feel ready to do so. You can obtain more information by visiting book.gamemaker.nl.

The authors include the creator of the Game Maker tool and a former professional game programmer, so you'll glean understanding from their expertise. The book also includes a DVD containing Game Maker software and all of the game projects that are created in the bookplus a host of professional-quality graphics and sound effects that you can use in your own games.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

More About the Authors

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Jacob Habgood
Jacob Habgood
Mark H. Overmars
Mark H. Overmars

Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:
Inside This Book (learn more)
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
global game settings, sprite properties, bounding box, restart game, solid jump, exit event, koala object, mainl tab, rocket sprite, precise collision checking, close the properties form, object properties form, sprite action, correct sprite, switch sprite, fireball object, resources for this game, wall sprite, dragon sprite, rocket object, dragon object, title sprite, boss object, searching mummy, mummy object
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Game Maker, Set Variable, Destroy Instance, Create Instance, Key Press, Execute Code, Move Fixed, Object Properties, Change Sprite, Test Variable, Set Score, Play Sound, End Block, Left Pressed, Cancel Figure, Self Other Object, Set Alarm, Change Instance, Evil Clutches, Add the Step, End Step, Execute Script, Enable the Solid, Test Instance Count, Begin Step
New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:

Books on Related Topics (learn more)
 
 

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

The Game Maker's Apprentice: Game Development for Beginners (Technology in Action)
67% buy the item featured on this page:
The Game Maker's Apprentice: Game Development for Beginners (Technology in Action) 4.7 out of 5 stars (50)
$26.39
The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design
15% buy
The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design 4.6 out of 5 stars (25)
$13.57
Beginning C++ Through Game Programming
8% buy
Beginning C++ Through Game Programming 4.0 out of 5 stars (62)
$19.79
Hello World! Computer Programming for Kids and Other Beginners
7% buy
Hello World! Computer Programming for Kids and Other Beginners 4.9 out of 5 stars (14)
$23.09
Explore similar items

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 
(18)
(9)
(7)
(7)
(6)
(4)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(2)
Agree with these tags?

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags
 

Customer Reviews

50 Reviews
5 star:
 (39)
4 star:
 (8)
3 star:
 (2)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:
 (1)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.7 out of 5 stars (50 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
58 of 62 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book for children interested in programming, March 19, 2007
My 12 year old son got interested in how computers work and especially how computer games get written. Being a software developer myself, I however could not explain him well these topics in a language that would be easily understood by a kid. And I am not a game programming expert, so I simply don't know how this stuff is written.

When I first saw this book, I was not sure if it would be suitable for a kid. But I decided to take a risk, since the book had a lot of illustrations and language did not seem to be very technical. I gave it to my son two days ago, and I can see alredy now that this was an excellent gift: he used all weekend on reading chapters from the book, trying making his first games, calling his parents all the time to show us his achievement. He even found a forum for game development, asked questions, received answers and made improvements in his first programs based on discussion results! And by the way - English is a foreign language for him.

I wish all books for beginners was written in a such entertaining way.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


 
25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Have for Game Developer Wannabe's!, April 11, 2007
The title should be The Game Maker's Master Teacher! This book is very well written with clear, step by step instructions and visual images for reference. After completing a section, the authors provide a graphic of what your computer screen should look like if you followed directions correctly. My son, 9, and I worked through the first chapter over a 2 day period (about 3 hours total) and created our first game. He was thrilled! He immediately had ideas on how to "tweak" the game to make it even better. The great thing with this book and accompanying software is that you have the freedom to do so! The disc provides many images to use in game development or you can create your own. Each chapter adds new skills and details to make more interesting and complex games. However, even the first game is fun!

I would highly reccommend this book to anyone interested in creating your own video games. It is extremely user friendly and perfect for the beginner. My son is able to read through and understand it on his own, but it's more fun to work on it together. (Also, he was more apt to use the visuals to take him through the process but not read the supporting information along the way!) By the end of the first chapter he understood the process fairly well and was able to remember (more than me!) most of the steps as he started creating his own new game. The only improvement I could see is having a "quick reference" page outlining the major steps. With it's user-friendly format, however, it has been pretty easy to flip back through the chapter for reference.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


 
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Game Making Simplicity and Strength at its Best !, July 24, 2006
By Alexander Aris "Alex" (Oxford, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
The Game Maker's Apprentice has to be one of my most eagerly awaited Computer Book purchases for quite sometime. The fabulous presentation and great use of terminology, really makes it a joy to read. Each chapter guides you through gently, in order to achieve more confidence into creating your own game or project. Each page is colourful and the beautiful illustrations brings things to life.

The book is accompanied by a great CD with all of the examples, resources and Game Maker itself, which is really easy to get into. Within no time at all, you'll get used to it's interface and workings. The tutorials start you off with the basics and progressively bring you to the wonderfully powerful Game Maker Language (GML). So not only can you create games using a Drag 'n' Drop interface, you can also use a powerful programming language as well. All of this is included in the unregistered version, but by paying an ever so reasonable registration fee, you unlock the full potential of Game Maker.

I used Game Maker to create my first ever PC game, Bugsy. The Game Maker Forum helped me out when I came across a problem or a bug I couldn't resolve. There a lots of games and projects created with this wonderful program. You will also find many other sites across the Internet that provide helpful advice and tutorials. Not forgetting the official Game Maker site run and hosted by Mark Overmars.

The books co-writer, Jacob Habgood, has made a marvellous job along side Mark, to make this a very interesting book indeed.

You might also be interested to know, that another book covering the Game Maker theme, Basic Game Design and Creation by Namu Swamy is available as well. This also brings you to the Game Maker stable to learn some very easy steps into the basics of game design without it appearing too boring or tiresome.

Your gaming ideas and projects start here !
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Rookie Designer / Pro Game Player
This is a good start on learning how to design and create video games. I love to play them, now I get a chance to make them. Read more
Published 2 months ago by iRod

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
My son is 11 and very interested in computer programming and making games. He is working on making a game for his little brothers to play for Christmas. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Educating Mommy

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Start
My 11 yr old likes it. Has step by step instructions. We started working together at the beginning of the lessons. Read more
Published 2 months ago by J. Hart

1.0 out of 5 stars The Disc Was Broke ..
The Disc Was Broke And Could Not Get Any One To Respond.
When We Went To Where Is My Stuff It Was Not There Like
I Never Bought it. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Gary Tim Otterbeck

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book. The kids love it!
Great book and service. I ordered the book for a student who wants to learn how to make video games and couldn't do it from scratch. Read more
Published 4 months ago by A.n.

5.0 out of 5 stars 5 Stars Is Not Enough!!!!
I have been an educator and professional software developer for over 20 years now and can say that this is the most well crafted instructional book of any kind that I have ever... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Bruce Kirkpatrick

4.0 out of 5 stars Great for kids of all ages!
I bought this book for my 9 year-old nephew who is wanting to learn how to do video game programming and he loves it. Read more
Published 8 months ago by S. Hansen

4.0 out of 5 stars Easy read but tough concept to master....
After purchasing this book I was a bit suprised how easy it was to create my first game. As I read on I really got into the concept of Drag & Drop programming. But... Read more
Published 9 months ago by kingspud

5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELENT INTRODUCTION TO PROGRAMMING FOR KIDS AND BEGINNERS THROUGH VIDEOGAMES APPROACH
This book and samples in the CD, are an incredible good introduction to programming computers via videogames, for beginners. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Rosa Kaufman

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for young, wanna-be, gamemakers
I purchased this to use with my 5th grade home-schooled son who expressed an interest in learning to program games. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Cynthia J. Lamgo

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   

Listmania!


Create a Listmania! list

So You'd Like to...


Create a guide

Product Information from the Amapedia Community

Beta (What's this?)

Look for Similar Items by Category

Look for Similar Items by Subject

Search Books by subject:





















i.e., each book must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...
 

Feedback

If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.
 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Is there any other feedback you would like to provide?

Your comments can help make our site better for everyone.


Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.