Beginning Java Game Development with LibGDX

✍ Scribed by Stemkoski, Lee

• Publisher: Apress
• Year: 2015
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 284
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Design and create video games using Java, with the LibGDX software library. By readingBeginning Java Game Development with LibGDX, you will learn how to design video game programs and how to build them in Java. You will be able to create your own 2D games, using various hardware for input (keyboard/mouse, gamepad controllers, or touchscreen), and create executable versions of your games. The LibGDX library facilitates the game development process by providing pre-built functionality for common tasks. It is a free, open source library that includes full cross-platform compatibility, so programs written using this library can be compiled to run on desktop computers (Windows/MacOS), web browsers, and smartphones/tablets (both Android and iOS).
Beginning Java Game Development with LibGDXteaches by example with many game case study projects that you will build throughout the book. This ensures that you will see all of the APIs that are encountered in the book in action and learn to incorporate them into your own projects. The book also focuses on teaching core Java programming concepts and applying them to game development.

What You Will Learn
How to use the LibGDX framework to create a host of 2D arcade game case studies


How to compile your game to run on multiple platforms, such as iOS, Android, Windows, and MacOS


How to incorporate different control schemes, such as touchscreen, gamepad, and keyboard

Who This Book Is ForReaders should have an introductory level knowledge of basic Java programming. In particular, you should be familiar with: variables, conditional statements, loops, and be able to write methods and classes to accomplish simple tasks. This background is equivalent to having taken a first-semester college course in Java programming.

✦ Table of Contents

Contents at a Glance......Page 4
Contents......Page 5
About the Author......Page 10
About the Technical Reviewer......Page 11
Acknowledgments......Page 12
Introduction......Page 13
Choosing a Development Environment......Page 14
Using BlueJ......Page 15
Setting Up LibGDX......Page 18
Creating a “Hello, World!” Program with LibGDX......Page 19
Summary......Page 24
Chapter 2: The LibGDX Framework......Page 25
Understanding the Life Cycle of a Game......Page 26
Working with User Input......Page 29
The Sprite Class......Page 33
The Actor Class......Page 35
Value-Based Animations......Page 41
Image-Based Animations......Page 42
Introducing User Interfaces......Page 44
Labels and Bitmap Fonts......Page 45
Layering with Stage Objects......Page 46
Cameras and Scrolling......Page 47
Handling Multiple Screens......Page 49
Summary......Page 58
Discrete Input......Page 59
Abstract Class Design......Page 60
Refactoring the Project......Page 62
Balloon Buster: A Mouse-Driven Game......Page 71
Balloons......Page 73
Adding Interactivity......Page 76
Starfish Collector: A Game with Improved Actor Classes......Page 80
The BaseActor Class......Page 82
The AnimatedActor Class......Page 87
The PhysicsActor Class......Page 89
Creating the Game......Page 92
Summary......Page 98
Audio......Page 99
Advanced User-Interface Design......Page 101
Arranging UI Elements......Page 103
Managing Resources......Page 106
Using Customized Bitmap Fonts......Page 108
Creating Buttons......Page 111
Setting Up the Start Screen......Page 112
Creating an Overlay Menu......Page 117
Summary......Page 121
Gamepad Controllers......Page 122
Continuous Input......Page 124
Discrete Input......Page 126
Touch-Screen Controls......Page 128
Working with a Touch Pad......Page 131
Redesigning the User Interface......Page 132
Summary......Page 135
Chapter 6: Additional Game Case Studies......Page 136
Space Rocks......Page 137
The Spaceship......Page 139
Lasers......Page 142
Rocks and Explosions......Page 146
Plane Dodger......Page 149
Infinite Scrolling Effects......Page 151
Player Plane......Page 153
Stars and Sparkles......Page 155
Enemy Planes......Page 157
Rectangle Destroyer......Page 159
The Brick......Page 161
The Ball......Page 162
The Power-up......Page 167
Setting Up the Game......Page 168
52-Card Pickup......Page 172
Cards and Piles......Page 173
Setting Up the Game......Page 175
Providing Visual Hints......Page 180
Next Steps......Page 181
Summary......Page 182
The LibGDX Particle Editor......Page 183
Rocket-Thruster Effect......Page 186
Explosion Effect......Page 187
The ParticleActor Class......Page 188
Starscape: An Interactive Visual Demo......Page 189
Using Tiled for Level Design......Page 192
Creating Tilemaps......Page 193
Treasure Quest: An Adventure-Style Exploration Game......Page 199
Creating Four-Directional Character Animations......Page 205
Simulating Advanced Physics with Box2D......Page 209
Physics Primer......Page 211
The Box2DActor Class......Page 212
Jumping Jack: A Physics-Based Sandbox Game......Page 217
Integrating Multiple Components......Page 225
Preliminary Setup......Page 226
Jumping Jack 2: Even More Coins......Page 228
Summary......Page 235
Exploring 3D Concepts and Classes......Page 236
Creating a Minimal 3D Demo......Page 239
The BaseActor3D Class......Page 242
The Stage3D Class......Page 246
Creating an Interactive 3D Demo......Page 249
Pirate Cruiser: Navigating the Sea in 3D......Page 255
Summary......Page 263
Working on Projects......Page 264
Obtaining Art Resources......Page 265
Overcoming Difficulties......Page 266
Playing Different Games......Page 267
Recommended Reading......Page 268
Packaging for Desktop Computers......Page 269
Compiling for Other Platforms......Page 270
Finding Distribution Outlets......Page 272
Data Types and Operators......Page 273
Conditional Statements......Page 274
Repetition Statements......Page 276
Methods......Page 277
Objects and Classes......Page 278
Summary......Page 280
Index......Page 281