Programming Games with Java

PROGRAMMING GAMES WITH JAVA uses Java GUI (Graphic User Interface) Swing programming concepts while providing detailed step-by-step instructions for building many fun 2D games. The tutorial is appropriate for teens and adults. The games built are non-violent and teach logical thinking skills. To grasp the concepts presented in PROGRAMMING GAMES WITH JAVA, you should have experience with building Java projects and be acquainted with using the Swing control library. We offer a Java Swing GUI programming tutorial, LEARN JAVA GUI APPLICATIONS, that would help you gain this needed exposure. If you don't have any Java programming experience at all, you should start with one of our beginning Java tutorials, BEGINNING JAVA or JAVA FOR KIDS.

PROGRAMMING GAMES WITH JAVA explains (in simple, easy-to-follow terms) how to build a Java game project. Students learn about project design, the Java Swing controls, many elements of the Java language, and how to distribute finished projects. Game skills learned include handling multiple players, scoring, graphics, animation, and sounds. The game projects built include, in increasing complexity:

Safecracker - Decipher a secret combination using clues from the computer.
Tic Tac Toe - The classic game!
Match Game - Find matching pairs of hidden photos - use your own photos!
Pizza Delivery - A business simulation where you manage a small pizza shop for a night.
Moon Landing - Land a lunar module on the surface of the moon.
Leap Frog - A fun arcade game where you get a frog through traffic and across a raging river.

PROGRAMMING GAMES WITH JAVA requires a Microsoft Windows XP-SP2, Vista, or Windows 7 operating system and the Java Development Kit. The book includes over 900 pages of color self-study notes. The Java source code and all needed multimedia files are available for download from the publisher's website (KidwareSoftware.com) after book registration.