Visual Basic Game Programming for Teens

VISUAL BASIC GAME PROGRAMMING FOR TEENS, THIRD EDITION teaches teens and other beginners how to create their own 2D role-playing game (RPG) using the free-to-download and easy-to-use Visual Basic 2008 Express. You will learn step-by-step how to construct each part of the game engine using Windows Forms and GDI+, including a tiled scroller, game editors, and scripting. If you like playing RPGs, you'll love learning how to create your own because you have complete control over the game world. You'll gain a basic understanding of Visual Basic, giving you a game programming foundation, and the ability to use the tools and source code you create for other custom games. In each chapter you'll study short examples of code to help you build the different components of the game, including the foundational elements, the game engine, and all the gameplay components. You'll build the sample game from chapter to chapter, adding new elements and features as you learn them. And by the end of the book you'll have created a working RPG from scratch! With the tools, code, and skills you learn you'll be able to start creating your very own game adventures in no time.

Age Range: 12 - 17 years

Grade Level: 7 - 12

Series: For Teens

Paperback: 512 pages

Publisher: Cengage Learning PTR; 3 edition (December 23, 2010)

Language: English

Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 1.2 x 9.1 inches

Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds

Features of Visual Basic Game Programming for Teens (Third Edition)

Covers Visual Basic 2008, and is compatible with Visual Basic 2010.

Shows teens and beginners how to create their own 2D role-playing game.

Teaches game programming using Visual Basic Express, which is free to download.

Uses clear and easy-to-understand instructions.

"Note," "Tip," "Hint," and "Definition" boxes throughout the text offer additional info from the author.

Book Contents

The book is divided into three major parts.

"Part I, Building Blocks" includes eight chapters that form the foundation of the role-playing game that is developed in the book. These chapters cover subjects like Windows Forms, bitmaps, sprite animation, user input, collision detection, and similar core subjects.

"Part II, Game World" includes five chapters devoted to building the game engine components needed to manage and render the game world in which the player will live. The core of this game world is a tiled scroller and a level editor.

"Part III, Gameplay" includes seven chapters that develop all of the gameplay components of the role-playing game that make the game truly playable. This part offers additional game editors and classes that make it possible to fight monsters, pick up treasure, manage the player's inventory and equipped gear, gain experience and level up, talk with NPCs, and go on quests. The final game demo in the last chapter shows how the reader may build his own custom RPG using all of the tools and source code.

About The Author

Jonathan S. Harbour holds a Master's in Information Systems, with a focus in software project management. He spent five years as a college professor where he taught computer science, and has written extensively on game development. His background and fascination with AI and human behavior and physics fuels his fiction and he worked for years on database and web development while writing in his spare time.