Android: Game Programming. A Developer's Guide

Raul Portales, John Horton

Gaming has historically been a strong driver of technology, whether we’re talking about hardware or software performance, the variety of input methods, or graphics support and the Android game platform is no different. Android is a mature, yet still growing, platform that many game developers have embraced as it provides tools, APIs, and services to help bootstrap Android projects and ensure their success, many of which are specially designed to help game developers.Since Android uses one of the most popular programming languages, Java, as the primary language to build apps of all types, you will start this course by first obtaining a solid grasp of the Java language and its foundation APIs. This will improve your chances of succeeding as an Android app developer. We will show you how to get your Android development environment set up and you will soon have your first working game.The course covers all the aspects of game development through various engrossing and insightful game projects. You will learn all about frame-by-frame animations and resource animations using a space shooter game, create beautiful and responsive menus and dialogs, and explore the different options to play sound effects and music in Android. You will also learn the basics of creating a particle system and will see how to use the Leonids library. By the end of the course, you will be able to configure and use Google Play Services on the developer console and port your game to the big screen.This Learning Path combines some of the best that Packt has to offer in one complete, curated package. It includes content from the following Packt products:? Learning Java by Building Android Games by John Horton? Android Game Programming by Example by John Horton? Mastering Android Game Development by Raul Portales

Android Game Programming by Example. Harness the power of the Android SDK by building three immersive and captivating games

John Horton

Android Programming for Beginners. Build in-depth, full-featured Android 9 Pie apps starting from zero programming experience - Second Edition

John Horton

Are you trying to start a career in programming, but haven't found the right way in? Do you have a great idea for an app, but don't know how to make it a reality? Or maybe you're just frustrated that in order to learn Android, you must know Java. If so, then this book is for you. This new and expanded second edition of Android Programming for Beginners will be your companion to create Android Pie applications from scratch. We will introduce you to all the fundamental concepts of programming in an Android context, from the basics of Java to working with the Android API. All examples use the up-to-date API classes, and are created from within Android Studio, the official Android development environment that helps supercharge your application development process. After this crash course, we'll dive deeper into Android programming and you'll learn how to create applications with a professional-standard UI through fragments and store your user's data with SQLite. In addition, you'll see how to make your apps multilingual, draw to the screen with a finger, and work with graphics, sound, and animations too. By the end of this book, you'll be ready to start building your own custom applications in Android and Java.

Android Programming for Beginners. Build in-depth, full-featured Android apps starting from zero programming experience - Third Edition

John Horton

Do you want to make a career in programming but don’t know where to start? Do you have a great idea for an app but don't know how to make it a reality? Or are you worried that you’ll have to learn Java programming to become an Android developer? Look no further! This new and expanded third edition of Android Programming for Beginners will be your guide to creating Android applications from scratch.The book starts by introducing you to all the fundamental concepts of programming in an Android context, from the basics of Java to working with the Android API. You’ll learn with the help of examples that use up-to-date API classes and are created within Android Studio, the official Android development environment that helps supercharge your mobile application development process. After a crash course on the key programming concepts, you’ll explore Android programming and get to grips with creating applications with a professional-standard UI using fragments and storing user data with SQLite. This Android Java book also shows you how you can make your apps multilingual, draw on the screen with a finger, and work with graphics, sound, and animations.By the end of this Android programming book, you'll be ready to start building your own custom applications in Android and Java.

Android Programming for Beginners. Learn all the Java and Android skills you need to start making powerful mobile applications

John Horton

Android is the most popular OS in the world. There are millions of devices accessing tens of thousands of applications. It is many people's entry point into the world of technology; it is an operating system for everyone. Despite this, the entry-fee to actually make Android applications is usually a computer science degree, or five years’ worth of Java experience.Android Programming for Beginners will be your companion to create Android applications from scratch—whether you’re looking to start your programming career, make an application for work, be reintroduced to mobile development, or are just looking to program for fun. We will introduce you to all the fundamental concepts of programming in an Android context, from the Java basics to working with the Android API. All examples are created from within Android Studio, the official Android development environment that helps supercharge your application development process.After this crash-course, we’ll dive deeper into Android programming and you’ll learn how to create applications with a professional-standard UI through fragments, make location-aware apps with Google Maps integration, and store your user’s data with SQLite. In addition, you’ll see how to make your apps multilingual, capture images from a device’s camera, and work with graphics, sound, and animations too.By the end of this book, you’ll be ready to start building your own custom applications in Android and Java.

Android Programming with Kotlin for Beginners. Build Android apps starting from zero programming experience with the new Kotlin programming language

John Horton

Android is the most popular mobile operating system in the world and Kotlin has been declared by Google as a first-class programming language to build Android apps. With the imminent arrival of the most anticipated Android update, Android 10 (Q), this book gets you started building apps compatible with the latest version of Android.It adopts a project-style approach, where we focus on teaching the fundamentals of Android app development and the essentials of Kotlin by building three real-world apps and more than a dozen mini-apps. The book begins by giving you a strong grasp of how Kotlin and Android work together before gradually moving onto exploring the various Android APIs for building stunning apps for Android with ease. You will learn to make your apps more presentable using different layouts. You will dive deep into Kotlin programming concepts such as variables, functions, data structures, Object-Oriented code, and how to connect your Kotlin code to the UI. You will learn to add multilingual text so that your app is accessible to millions of more potential users. You will learn how animation, graphics, and sound effects work and are implemented in your Android app.By the end of the book, you will have sound knowledge about significant Kotlin programming concepts and start building your own fully featured Android apps.

Beginning C++ Game Programming. Learn C++ from scratch and get started building your very own games

John Horton

This book is all about offering you a fun introduction to the world of game programming, C++, and the OpenGL-powered SFML using three fun, fully-playable games. These games are an addictive frantic two-button tapper, a multi-level zombie survival shooter, and a split-screen multiplayer puzzle-platformer.We will start with the very basics of programming, such as variables, loops, and conditions and you will become more skillful with each game as you move through the key C++ topics, such as OOP (Object-Orientated Programming), C++ pointers, and an introduction to the Standard Template Library. While building these games, you will also learn exciting game programming concepts like particle effects, directional sound (spatialization), OpenGL programmable Shaders, spawning thousands of objects, and more.

Beginning C++ Game Programming. Learn C++ from scratch by building fun games - Third Edition

John Horton

Always dreamed of creating your own games? With the third edition of Beginning C++ Game Programming, you can turn that dream into reality! This beginner-friendly guide is updated and improved to include the latest features of VS 2022, SFML, and modern C++20 programming techniques. You'll get a fun introduction to game programming by building four fully playable games of increasing complexity. You'll build clones of popular games such as Timberman, Pong, a Zombie survival shooter, and an endless runner.The book starts by covering the basics of programming. You'll study key C++ topics, such as object-oriented programming (OOP) and C++ pointers and get acquainted with the Standard Template Library (STL). The book helps you learn about collision detection techniques and game physics by building a Pong game. As you build games, you'll also learn exciting game programming concepts such as vertex arrays, directional sound (spatialization), OpenGL programmable shaders, spawning objects, and much more. You’ll dive deep into game mechanics and implement input handling, levelling up a character, and simple enemy AI. Finally, you'll explore game design patterns to enhance your C++ game programming skills.By the end of the book, you'll have gained the knowledge you need to build your own games with exciting features from scratch.

Beginning C++ Game Programming. Learn to program with C++ by building fun games - Second Edition

John Horton

The second edition of Beginning C++ Game Programming is updated and improved to include the latest features of Visual Studio 2019, SFML, and modern C++ programming techniques. With this book, you’ll get a fun introduction to game programming by building five fully playable games of increasing complexity. You’ll learn to build clones of popular games such as Timberman, Pong, a Zombie survival shooter, a coop puzzle platformer and Space Invaders.The book starts by covering the basics of programming. You’ll study key C++ topics, such as object-oriented programming (OOP) and C++ pointers, and get acquainted with the Standard Template Library (STL). The book helps you learn about collision detection techniques and game physics by building a Pong game. As you build games, you’ll also learn exciting game programming concepts such as particle effects, directional sound (spatialization), OpenGL programmable shaders, spawning objects, and much more. Finally, you’ll explore game design patterns to enhance your C++ game programming skills.By the end of the book, you’ll have gained the knowledge you need to build your own games with exciting features from scratch

Building E-commerce Sites with VirtueMart Cookbook. This brilliantly accessible book is the perfect introduction to using all the key features of VirtueMart to set up and install a fully-functioning e-commerce store. From the basics to customization, it's simply indispensable

John Horton

VirtueMart is a premier eCommerce solution powered by Joomla!In Building E-commerce Sites with VirtueMart Cookbook you will learn how to create a full-functioning and attractive eCommerce solution with VirtueMart. You will be shown how to install and configure VirtueMart, how to set-up and run your store day-to-day as well as configure and customize the look and feel of your store. With this book by your side, you will be able to overcome as problems setting up, administrating and customizing your eCommerce store! This book finishes with blueprint projects meaning that getting started with VirtueMart is even easier for the novice and aspiring site builder or developer. If you have always wanted to create a professional-looking store, but are worried about the complexity and difficulty involved, then this book is for you! With numerous recipes, practical tips and solutions Building E-commerce Sites with VirtueMart Cookbook will take you through every step required to achieve eCommerce success.

Learning Java by Building Android Games. Extend your game development skills while learning Java – follow this book and learn Java for Android to enter the world of Android games development with greater confidence

John Horton

Learning Java by Building Android Games. Learn Java and Android from scratch by building five exciting games - Third Edition

John Horton

Android is one of the most popular mobile operating systems today. It uses the most popular programming language, Java, as one of the primary languages for building apps of all types. Unlike most other Android books, this book doesn’t assume that you have any prior knowledge of Java programming, instead helps you get started with building Android games as a beginner.This new, improved, and updated third edition of Learning Java by Building Android Games helps you to build Android games from scratch. Once you've got to grips with the fundamentals, the difficulty level increases steadily as you explore key Java topics, such as variables, loops, methods, object-oriented programming (OOP), and design patterns while working with up-to-date code and supporting examples. At each stage, you'll be able to test your understanding by implementing the concepts that you’ve learned to develop a game. Toward the end, you’ll build games such as Sub Hunter, Retro Pong, Bullet Hell, Classic Snake, and Scrolling Shooter.By the end of this Java book, you'll not only have a solid understanding of Java and Android basics but will also have developed five cool games for the Android platform.

Learning Java by Building Android Games. Learn Java and Android from scratch by building six exciting games - Second Edition

John Horton

Android is one of the most popular mobile operating systems presently. It uses the most popular programming language, Java, as the primary language for building apps of all types. However, this book is unlike other Android books in that it doesn’t assume that you already have Java proficiency.This new and expanded second edition of Learning Java by Building Android Games shows you how to start building Android games from scratch. The difficulty level will grow steadily as you explore key Java topics, such as variables, loops, methods, object oriented programming, and design patterns, including code and examples that are written for Java 9 and Android P. At each stage, you will put what you’ve learned into practice by developing a game. You will build games such as Minesweeper, Retro Pong, Bullet Hell, and Classic Snake and Scrolling Shooter games. In the later chapters, you will create a time-trial, open-world platform game. By the end of the book, you will not only have grasped Java and Android but will also have developed six cool games for the Android platform.

PrestaShop 1.3 Beginner's Guide. Build and customize your online store with this speedy, lightweight e-commerce solution

John Horton, Igor Schlumberger

PrestaShop is a hidden gem. There are many much more widely known online shopping cart solutions that have nothing like the features, potential, and ease of use that this open source, completely free-to-use, system has. But until now there has been no information available on how to make the most of it. This book takes a step-by-step approach to help you set up your own e-commerce store and maximize its potential. Even if you are totally new to e-commerce and PrestaShop, you can have your own functioning e-commerce store quickly and with tiny expenditure. Imagine the feeling when you get that glorious e-mail saying that you have your first paying customer.This practical guide follows the order of developing an active business. Packed with easy-to-follow steps with loads of screenshots and clear explanations, it follows a step-by-step approach to set up a PrestaShop e-commerce store from the very beginning through finding a web host, setting up your PrestaShop store, accepting money from customers, and planning for the future of your business.The first few chapters are a lightening, but thorough, illustration of how to get your shop online, stocked up, and looking smart and unique, including some really cool and really simple product features to show off your wares in style – very quickly. The later chapters are quite diverse and cover some exciting stuff such as newsletters, loyalty schemes, alternative revenue streams, statistics and analytics. You will also learn about security, disaster recovery, payment handling, currencies, taxes, shipping, and more. Towards the end, the chapters cover final preparations before going live, handling orders in PrestaShop, and how to promote your store and get more customers. Once the money starts to flow, the book looks at the future of e-commerce and your PrestaShop business. Then it discusses how to get to the top of your niche and stay there. And then the big secret: to use the knowledge you have gained to turn a single PrestaShop into a thriving e-commerce empire.The Appendix covers a number of worthwhile topics such as a handy PrestaShop control panel reference and various web resources for PrestaShop.

PrestaShop 1.5 Beginner's Guide. Build your own attractive online store with this fast and flexible e-commerce solution - Second Edition

Jose A. Tizon, John Horton

PrestaShop is an open source, e-commerce solution which allows you to build a highly functional, flexible, and attractive online store.InPrestaShop 1.5 Beginner's Guide you will learn how to set up, extend, and personalize your own online shop. Newly updated to focus on PrestaShop 1.5, this book features descriptive and practical tutorials on everything you need to make a splash in the world of e-commerce.If you want to start selling your products online but are a bit daunted about shipping, tax, and designing your online presence, then this is the book for you.This practical book starts by showing you how to download, install, and configure your own shop. Using a step-by-step approach, this book takes you through the processes required to create a fully functioning online shop with the potential to make you serious money.With distinct chapters on the methods required to make your products stand out to your customers better, this title will enable you to create and customize a vivid, online presence to get people visiting your store and buying your goods.Targeting further sales, this book then shows you how to develop a targeted search engine optimization campaign to get new customers and keep existing customers returning. From here you will learn how to tackle complicated tax rates and shipping costs efficiently and with less hassle to ensure your customers are satisfied with your service.If you want to start your own e-commerce business using PrestaShop, then this book will show you how.