Learning Android Game Programming brings together all the knowledge and sample code that even casual or "junior" Android developers need to develop low-budget 2D games with Java and XML. For the first time, it makes Android game development practical for thousands of developers who don't have the resources to build highly-complex 3D games. Rather than focusing on difficult, highly-optimized native C libraries, this book relies on the far more accessible And Engine framework and Java/Dalvik virtual machine.
Coverage includes: * Mobile game design principles, tools, and terminology * Using the AndEngine framework, Java/Dalvik, and the Android SDK together * Rendering images, using sprite sheets, and creating animations * Working with text, fonts, tile maps, particles, and sound * Supporting user input and creating an effective game interface * Working with the physics engine * Integrating, tuning, and testing the complete game * Publishing games on Android Market or downloading them directly to Android devices
Key Features:* Perfect for game developers who don't have huge resources, and want to quickly create successful low-budget 2D games for Android smartphones and tablets * Offers practical guidance for designing simple games that are ideally suited to Android mobile devices * Provides solutions and example code for all key elements of a game app, from user interface to physics engine
About the Author Rick Rogers has been developing software for more than thirty years and has been focused on software for mobile devices for the last twelve years. He is the author of numerous technical magazine articles and a previous book on introductory Android application development. He has developed mobile device software for large and small companies, and participated in international consortia that have shaped the evolution of mobile devices.
Table of Contents * Chapter 1: Mobile Games * Chapter 2: Game Elements and Tools * Chapter 3: The Game Loop and Menus * Chapter 4: Scenes, Layers, Transitions, and Modifiers * Chapter 5: Drawing and Sprites * Chapter 6: Animation * Chapter 7: Text * Chapter 8: User Input * Chapter 9: Tile Maps * Chapter 10: Particle Systems * Chapter 11: Sound * Chapter 12: Physics * Chapter 13: Artificial Intelligence * Chapter 14: Scoring and Collisions * Chapter 15: Multimedia Extensions * Chapter 16: Game Integration * Chapter 17: Testing and Publishing * Appendix: Exercise Solutions