Building JavaScript Games for Phones Tablets and Desktop by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Format: epub
Tags: Programming, Games, Web, Web Programming
ISBN: 9781430265382

Foreword

When I first learned programming in the 1970s you would typically write rather boring programs; for example to print the first 100 prime numbers. A lot has changed since then, and learning to program has become much more exciting. And what is more exciting than creating your own computer games? Playing games is fun, but creating them is a lot more fun. Now it is you who decide on the complexity of the puzzles, the behavior of the enemies, and the power of the weapons.

I have developed many games during the past 30 years in many different languages. I created games that ran on programmable calculators, on text terminals, on mainframe computers, and more recently on mobile devices and in web browsers. Each time, it has been hugely satisfying to make the computer do what I wanted it to do and to engage players in demanding challenges. It is a pleasure that this book will bestow on you.

The book will teach you how to program in JavaScript, the most important language for the Web. It provides a thorough treatment of the language and the programming paradigms. There are of course many other books that try to do the same. But what makes this book unique is that it does so in the most exciting way possible: while creating games. And not just prototype games, but full games that look beautiful and are actually fun to play.

The book is structured around important game-development concepts, which you immediately apply to the games you create. You learn about game loops, sprites and animations, player interaction, levels, high scores, and even some basic game physics. And while doing so, you are gradually introduced to all the major language concepts of JavaScript.

The book uses HTML5 (the canvas, to be precise) to run the games. HTML5 is the new web standard that is supported by all modern browsers on PCs, tablets, and smartphones. As a result, you can put the games you create on any web site so all your friends (and the rest of the world) can play and enjoy them. Once you’ve created the examples in the book, you can start varying them and then move on to designing and programming your own original games.

And once your games are of sufficient quality, you can distribute them throughout the world and even sell them. The book contains some chapters on producing and publishing your own games, to get you started. Don’t forget, though, that game development is a multidisciplinary activity. In addition to a programmer (you), you might need an artist to create the visuals and somebody to do the audio for the game. But such people can easily be found on the Web. And when you have a strong team, you can form your own game company. Many successful companies have started this way.

So, reading this book could be your first step on a career path in game development. Surprise yourself and the game community with the games you produce. Enjoy the ride.

—Mark Overmars

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