Master Game Programming with Game Coding Complete, Fourth Edition

Game Coding Complete, Fourth Edition: A Comprehensive Guide for Game Developers

If you are interested in learning how to create commercial-quality games using professional techniques and best practices, you might want to check out Game Coding Complete, Fourth Edition, a book written by two veteran game programmers, Mike McShaffry and David "Rez" Graham. In this article, we will give you an overview of what this book is about, who are the authors, what are the main features of the book, and what are the topics covered in each chapter.

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Introduction

What is Game Coding Complete?

Game Coding Complete is a book that examines the entire game development process and all the unique challenges associated with creating a game. It is not a beginner's guide to game programming, but rather a comprehensive guide for game developers who want to improve their skills and learn from the experience of industry experts. The book covers topics such as game architecture, engine design, graphics programming, scripting, networking, AI, sound, user interface, debugging, optimization, and more.

Who are the authors?

The authors of Game Coding Complete are Mike McShaffry and David "Rez" Graham. Mike McShaffry has been making games since 1990, working on titles such as Wing Commander, Thief, Deus Ex, and Dishonored. He is also the founder of MumboJumbo Games and Tornado Alley Games. David "Rez" Graham has been making games since 1999, working on titles such as Dungeon Siege, Gears of War, BioShock Infinite, and Halo Wars 2. He is also the founder of Resin Entertainment and Rezli.

What are the main features of the book?

Game Coding Complete has several features that make it a valuable resource for game developers. Some of them are:

• The book uses the latest versions of DirectX and Visual Studio, and it includes expanded chapter coverage of game actors, AI, shader programming, LUA scripting, the C# editor, and other important updates to every chapter.

• The book provides code examples and sample projects that have been tested and used in commercial video games. The code is written in C++, but it can be easily adapted to other languages.

• The book includes Teapot Wars, a game created specifically for this book that demonstrates how to apply the concepts and techniques discussed in each chapter. Teapot Wars is a multiplayer shooter game that features physics-based gameplay, dynamic lighting and shadows, particle effects, sound effects, and more.

• The book offers invaluable best practices, professional tips and tricks, and cautionary advice from the authors and other game industry veterans. The book also includes interviews with game developers such as John Romero, Tim Sweeney, Mark Rein, and others.

• The book is written in a conversational style that is easy to read and engaging. The authors use humor, anecdotes, and analogies to explain complex topics and make them more accessible.

Chapter Overview

Game Coding Complete consists of 28 chapters divided into six parts. Here is a brief summary of what each part and chapter covers:

Part I: Game Programming Fundamentals

This part introduces the basics of game programming, such as what is a game, what are the main components of a game engine, what are the common coding challenges and pitfalls, and what are the best practices for coding style and organization.

Chapter 1: What Is Game Programming Really Like?

This chapter gives an overview of what game programming entails, what are the skills and tools required, what are the roles and responsibilities of a game programmer, what are the stages of game development, and what are the pros and cons of working in the game industry.

Chapter 2: What's in a Game?

This chapter defines what a game is and what are the essential elements of a game, such as gameplay, graphics, sound, story, user interface, etc. It also explains how games are different from other software applications and how they can be classified into genres and categories.

Chapter 3: Coding Tidbits and Style That Will Save You

This chapter provides some useful tips and tricks for writing clean, efficient, and maintainable code. It covers topics such as naming conventions, commenting, formatting, debugging macros, error handling, memory management, data structures, algorithms, design patterns, etc.

Part II: Game Initialization and Shutdown

This part covers the process of setting up and tearing down a game application. It explains how to create a project using Visual Studio, how to initialize DirectX and other libraries, how to create a window and handle messages, how to control the main loop and timing, how to manage resources and configuration files, etc.

Chapter 4: Building Your Game

This chapter shows how to create a basic game project using Visual Studio. It covers topics such as project settings, precompiled headers, linking libraries, compiling options, debugging tools, etc.

Chapter 5: Game Initialization and Shutdown

This chapter shows how to initialize DirectX and other libraries that are needed for creating a game. It covers topics such as Direct3D initialization, DirectInput initialization, DirectSound initialization, LUA initialization, etc.

Chapter 6: Controlling the Main Loop

This chapter shows how to create a window and handle messages using Win32 API. It also explains how to control the main loop and timing of the game using various methods such as fixed time step, variable time step, interpolation, etc.

Part III: Game Coding Toolbox

This part covers some of the common tools and techniques that are used in game programming. It covers topics such as memory management, data structures, debugging tools 71b2f0854b