Description

Games software has its roots in a "cottage" industry, ignoring formal methodologies, instead leaving the programmers to find homespun solutions to the technical problems faced. The picture has now changed: the scale of the problems faced by programmers means that more methodical techniques must be applied to game development to prevent projects spiralling out of control, both in terms of technical complexity and cost. The book addresses how program teams can develop ever more complex entertainment software within the constraints of deadlines, budgets and changing technologies. It establishes a set of best practices tempered with real-world pragmatism, understanding that there is no "one size fits all" solution. No member of the game development team should be working in isolation and the book will be useful to producers, designers and artists as well as the programmers themselves. In addition, the book addresses the needs of the growing number of Game Development courses offered in academia, giving students a much-needed insight into the real world of object-oriented game design. 

Features

• Practical OO design methodologies with examples drawn from commercial code
• Design patterns that work in practice
• How to write "reusable" code that will actually be reused
• How to write games using component technology
• The ability to develop multi-platform titles efficiently
• The use of iterative techniques in programming and schedule development

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements 1.   Introduction
2.   The game development process
3.   Software engineering for games
4.   Object-oriented design for games
5.   The component model for game development
6.   Cross-platform development
7.   Game objects
8.   Design-driven control
9.   Iterative development techniques 10. Game development roles 11. Case study: Cordite Appendix: coding conventions used in this book Bibliography Web resources Index

Back Cover

"I love this book."

Liam Hislop, Full Sail Real World Education, Florida, USA

"Game developers can learn a lot from this book."

Eric Le, Ubisoft, Canada

"I would wholeheartedly recommend it to my students."

Paul Parry, Sheffield Hallam University, UK

 

No member of the game development team should work in isolation. Whether you're a producer, designer, artist or programmer this book will help you develop today's ever more complex entertainment software within the constraints of deadlines, budgets and changing technologies.

If you're a student taking a games degree or module, the balance of best practice meets real-world know-how will give you the understanding you need to begin your career with confidence.

• Practical OO design methodologies with examples from real commercial code.
• Design patterns that work in practice.
• Write reusable code that will be reused.
• Write games using component technology.
• Develop multi-platform games efficiently.
• Use iterative techniques in program and schedule development.

Julian Gold is a software engineer at Microsoft Research in Cambridge investigating advanced machine learning for videogames. As Senior Programmer for Sony Computer Entertainment Europe he developed the visually stunning Colony Wars: Red Sun (BAFTA Nominee). At Six By Nine he worked on the best-selling soccer management game LMA Manager 2002 and his experience also includes time with Sega and Argonaut.

Perfect the art of game development - read this book today!