Visual Basic Game Programming for Teens [With CD-ROM]

by Jonathan S. Harbour

Book Overview

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... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 159200587X
• ISBN13: 9781592005871
• Release Date: December 2004
• Publisher: Cengage Learning
• Length: 367 Pages
• Weight: 1.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 7.4" x 9.2"
• Age Range: 12 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 7 to 12

Customer Reviews

VB6 is alive and well!

Don't believe those that tell you VB is dead, vb is still alive and well! Just look at Microsoft Access 2003(A database program)when you build advance coding in it you are using vb language,even in the latest Access edition, VB is still there. Just visit your local book store, you will still see VB books out there. Another proof that VB is still alive, look at many E-commerce shopping carts, many of them are build in VB, and they are functioning with great precision. The book is intended for the teenager that wants to explore programming in a fun, and easy method, and Vb can deliver that without advance codes that will make a teenage kid left in the dark. It will give them the opportunity to learn to write simple executable codes, once they do that, then they can move on to Vb.net or C++. And with that, the author would accomplish his/her mission, and that is teaching a young mind. Go ahead buy the book, play with the codes, and have fun!

VB6 DEAD ?

Helloooo! VB 6 is dead! First off VB will never leave you in the dry. 1. VB is owned by Microsoft and will never be ported to Linux or Mac. 2. VB has continued to have new releases. 3. C++ uses directx just like the rest of programming languages for games. 4. VB dominates in database programming. [MMO] Game DataBase! 5. It is possible to code in VB, that can run faster than C++. 6. Most people who bash VB do not know how to code in it and claim it to be for beginners when they only seen the dev. Fact is VB can do anything C++ can if you know how to code it. 7. So i say read and know what you are talking about before shooting off at the lips about something you have no clue about. Try looking at the development and then retract your comment.

Book information

From the publishers Web site: Features # Full of hands-on practice with quality source code # An excellent addition to the "For Teens" line as Visual Basic is a popular, easy programming language making it ideal for the teens audience # Has dual appeal to the up and coming young game enthusiast who wants to get into game programming, as well as the beginning computer programmer who wants to learn how to write games # Focuses on beginning topics, but does delve lightly into advanced subjects in such as manner that a complete beginner will be able to understand it. Table of Contents PART I: INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED WITH VISUAL BASIC CHAPTER 2: YOUR FIRST DIRECTX PROGRAM CHAPTER 3: DESIGNING THE GAME PART II: CREATING AN INTERACTIVE GAME WORLD CHAPTER 4: CORE TECHNIQUE: DRAWING BITMAPS CHAPTER 5: LEVEL EDITING WITH MAPPY CHAPTER 6: THE BASICS OF TILE-BASED SCROLLING CHAPTER 7: SCROLLING THE GAME WORLD CHAPTER 8: ADVANCED SCROLLING TECHNIQUES PART III: THE PLAYER'S CHARACTER (PC) CHAPTER 9: CORE TECHNIQUE: DRAWING SPRITES CHAPTER 10: CORE TECHNIQUE: ANIMATING SPRITES CHAPTER 11: CORE TECHNIQUE: USER INPUT CHAPTER 12: WALKING AROUND IN THE GAME WORLD CHAPTER 13: CORE TECHNIQUE: DRAWING TEXT CHAPTER 14: CORE TECHNIQUE: COLLISION DETECTION PART IV: NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS (NPCS) CHAPTER 15: CREATING THE CHARACTER CLASSES CHAPTER 16: ADDING NPCS TO THE GAME WORLD CHAPTER 17: TALKING WITH NPCS CHAPTER 18: ENGAGING IN COMBAT WITH NPCS PART V: FINISHING TOUCHES CHAPTER 19: ADDING SCENERY TO THE GAME WORLD CHAPTER 20: CORE TECHNIQUE: SOUND EFFECTS CHAPTER 21: CORE TECHNIQUE: BACKGROUND MUSIC APPENDIX A: USING THE CD-ROM

Learn VB and then Use This Book to Build a Game

There are quite a number of books on game programming. Most of these are on more advanced topics, covering the design of much more complex characters, much more complex games. Instead this book is aimed at the teen who has an interest in game programming. It makes the presumption that you know at least the fundamentals of Visual Basic. What the author says is: Read the first couple of chapters. Try what the book says do, and if you're not lost you know enough. If you are lost, then go back and read one of the more introductory books on VB. The emphasis here is to use the rather high level VB programming language and get a game created. This way the teen reader is made productive almost immediately and is much less likely to lose interest. The game being programmed is a 2-D Role Playing Game involving the invasion of England by Vikings. This is significantly less complex than a 3D game, but the resulting game is still fun to play. Because of the need to know VB, this book has to be classed as intermediate level, but the game programming aspects are aimed at the beginner.