Learn C++ By Making Games (Charles River Media Programming) 1st Edition

by Erik Yuzwa (Author), Francois Dominic Laramee (Author)

9 ratings

ISBN-13: 978-1584504559

ISBN-10: 1584504552

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Learn C++ by Making Games teaches the fundamentals of C++ from a unique and fun perspective. Using game specific code and examples, the book helps anyone wanting to learn C++ progress from the basics to more advanced topics. As you learn C++, you'll be putting the code and techniques into practice by programming a game project in each part of the book. The book begins with an introduction to the fundamentals of the C++ language, including the basic data types of the language. It then progresses further into creating and defining variables, basic mathematical operators, and the various loop structures at your disposal. Next, you'll learn how to use functions to make code more readable and maintainable, along with techniques for breaking up source code into several files for readability. From there you'll move to data structures and explore concepts such as using collections to store multiple copies of a data type. With these foundations of C++ firmly applied, you'll be ready to learn the basics of pointers that you'll need for all of your C++ programming. Next comes an introduction to object-oriented programming (OOP) concepts, including classes, objects, inheritance, virtual methods, and polymorphism. From there, reading and writing data files (serialization) are covered. The book concludes with an exploration of how to use the Simple DirectMedia Layer to display graphics and handle basic input, sound, linked lists, templates, along with a variety of more advanced topics, including using SDL to create a simple demo. This book is ideal for an introductory C++ course, or for anyone wanting to teach themselves C++ through the creation of game projects!

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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Erik Yuzwa (Calgary, AB) has been a professional computer programmer for over seven years. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. In 1995, he founded Wazoo Enterprises Inc. to pursue creating game programming related tutorials and articles. Concurrently, he holds a position at EnCana Corporation as a Web Systems Architect, where he uses his Java, ASP/Cold Fusion, C#/C++, and other programming skills to create real solutions with various clients. Since 2001, he has been teaching in the game development process at the University of Calgary Continuing Education.

Fran?ois Dominic Laramee (Verdun, QC) has designed, programmed, and/or produced over 20 games for consoles, personal computers, interactive television, and online networks over the last decade. He is a prolific writer and the holder of graduate degrees in computer science and business administration. He is also the editor of Game Design Perspectives and Secrets of the Game Business, second edition, as well as a contributor to the Game Programming Gems and AI Game Programming Wisdom series.

Product details

Publisher : Charles River Media; 1st edition (August 4, 2006)
Language : English
Paperback : 450 pages
ISBN-10 : 1584504552
ISBN-13 : 978-1584504559
Item Weight : 1.9 pounds
Dimensions : 7.5 x 1.25 x 9.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #3,107,995 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #2,342 in Game Programming
- #2,402 in Computer Graphics
- #6,168 in Computer Programming Languages

Customer Reviews:
9 ratings

Customer reviews

5 star		47%
4 star		14%
3 star		8%
2 star		17%
1 star		15%

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Daviangel

Could've been great

Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2006

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Book is good if you need a C++ refresher since it covers all the necessary C++ you need to build a simple 2D games in C++ in bite sized chapters and are looking to build a cross-platform games.

Writing is clear and to the point.

Focusing on single battleship game through several chapters helps keep you interested in finishing the book.

Still last few chapters a big letdown when you are supposed to have graphical version of simple text based version you started with.

This book is pretty good until you get to the later chapters which is missing code.

It seems as though the last chapter was rushed to press and author forgot to include some necessary files ie images to get code to work.

I'm giving 4 stars so maybe author can provide updated files for last several chapters.

7 people found this helpful

Helpful

Riccardo Audano

PATHETIC

Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2009

Verified Purchase

A good idea gone bad, very bad.
Teaching computer programming is a great technique, it has lots of potential for making the learning (and teaching) experience more fun pleasurable and by consequence, more effective. Unfortunately this pathetic excuse for a book does a terribly poor job in accomplishing this task.
It starts out nicely for the first easy chapters but it quickly degenerates in an unbelievably superficial mess. Snippets of code are thrown in randomly with no clue about where they fit in a real application, and the chapters and explanations become unbelievably thin , short and superficial. Want an easy laugh? The chapter on templates is 3 pages long. I AM NOT KIDDING, you read well.. 3 pages long. To inheritance and polymorphism instead are devoted a full SIX pages.
They should be ashamed of publishing this bs.
As for the "game" part.. all you get are a few simple text based games like single player blackjack and a pathetic couple of simple SDL based games at the end.
Ah, I forgot, the author avoid carefully to discuss to the games code in the text, you will just have to dig in the source code CD and understand it by yourself.
Bottom line, for the potential reader AVOID LIKE PLAGUE and if you are looking for a game based intro to C++ wait for this, which has good chances of being good:
Starting Out with Games and Graphics in C++ , for the publishing company shame on you for publishing this bs, and get a real editor.

3 people found this helpful

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G. Munster

Half assed

Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2013

Verified Purchase

This author may know what he's doing, but he certainly doesn't show that in this book. Some of the examples are missing. The CD is missing most of the samples and starter code. When visiting the website, it's unorganized and unhelpful. This guy seems to have made his quick buck putting this (obviously unedited) book out there and then just abandoned the thing.

The only good thing is that sometimes I can get a different description for how certain code works.

Would NEVER recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn to program.

Helpful

nejnadusho

Easy to understand.

Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2009

Verified Purchase

Very good book. Everything so clear inside.
You can learn even without taking a class.

One person found this helpful

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A. Eassa

It had potential

Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2008

Since I'm pretty experienced with C++, I was able to wade through the skimpy explanations of C++'s most advanced concepts without too much difficulty, but I fear that a reader new to C++ (the intended audience), will have a fair amount of difficulty.

The book starts out well -- in the beginning chapters all the code is there, it's explained, and the examples are simple enough that a beginner can easily follow. However, as the book progresses and covers more advanced topics, the explanations become increasingly brief and almost cursory! Operator overloading, one of C++'s central features, for instance,is given a few pages of explanations and code, one poor example, and then it's off to the next topic which is covered in the same amount of detail.

The main problem with this book is that it attempted to cover too much in too little space. Clearly, you're NOT going to go from a C++ neophyte to a 2D game programer in one book, in 500 or so pages. It's just impossible.

So, I give this book a 3 star rating because while it may be useful to newbies and weathered programmers alike, the later chapters will invariably prove to be extremely difficult to understand for the newbies because while code is shown and examples are shown, the *theory* and explanations behind the workings of given features are simply not present, which makes this a sub par learning tool.

9 people found this helpful

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Gregory C. Bryan

Good book bad CD

Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2008

The book is well written and good examples. However the CD has many errors in the examples and is incomplete.

4 people found this helpful

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Jared James Isaak

For Beginners ONLY

Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2007

Ok this book can be a very helpful tool for a beginner, but some of the software doesn't work with vista so be careful. Also I don't like the compiler that much, but it gets the job done.

One person found this helpful

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Learn C++ By Making Games (Charles River Media Programming) 1st Edition

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