What this book covers

Chapter 1, C++, SFML, Visual Studio, and Starting the First Game, this is quite a hefty first chapter, but we will learn absolutely everything we need in order to have the first part of our first game up and running. Here is what we will do:

• Find out more about the games we will build
• Learn a bit about C++
• Explore SFML and its relationship with C++
• Look at the software, Visual Studio, that we will use throughout the book
• Set up a game development environment
• Create a reusable project template, which will save a lot of time
• Plan and prepare for the first game project, Timber!!!
• Write the first C++ code of the book and make a runnable game that draws a background

Chapter 2, Variables, Operators, and Decisions – Animating Sprites, in this chapter, we will do quite a bit more drawing on the screen, and to achieve this we will need to learn some of the basics of C++. Here is what is in store:

• Learn all about C++ variables
• See how to manipulate the values stored in variables
• Add a static tree, ready for the player to chop
• Draw and animate a bee and three clouds

Chapter 3, C++ Strings, SFML Time – Player Input, and HUD, in this chapter, we will spend around half the time learning how to manipulate text and display it on the screen, and the other half looking at timing and how a visual time-bar can inform the player and create a sense of urgency in the game. We will cover:

• Pausing and restarting the game
• C++ strings
• SFML text and SFML font classes
• Adding a HUD to Timber!!!
• Adding a time-bar to Timber!!!

Chapter 4, Loops, Arrays, Switch, Enumerations, and Functions – Implementing Game Mechanics, this chapter probably has more C++ information than any other chapter in the book. It is packed with fundamental concepts that will move our understanding on enormously. It will also begin to shed light on some of the murky areas we have been skipping over a little bit like functions and the game loop. Once we have explored a whole list of C++ language necessities, we will then use everything we know to make the main game mechanic, the tree branches, move. By the end of this chapter, we will be ready for the final phase and the completion of Timber!!!. Get ready for the following topics:

• Loops
• Arrays
• Making decisions with switch
• Enumerations
• Getting started with functions
• Creating and moving the tree branches

Chapter 5, Collisions, Sound, and End Conditions – Making the Game Playable, this is the final phase of the first project.  By the end of this chapter, you will have your first completed game. Once you have Timber!!! up and running, be sure to read the last section of this chapter as it will suggest ways to make the game better:

• Adding the rest of the sprites
• Handling the player input
• Animating the flying log
• Handling death
• Adding sound effects
• Adding features and improving Timber!!!

Chapter 6, Object-Oriented Programming, Classes, and SFML Views, this is the longest chapter of the book. There is a fair amount of theory, but the theory will give us the knowledge to start using OOP (object-oriented programming) to great effect. Furthermore, we will not waste any time in putting that theory to good use. Before we explore C++ OOP, we will find out about and plan our next game project. This is what we will do:

• Plan the Zombie Arena game
• Learn about OOP and classes
• Code the Player class
• Learn about the SFML View class

• Build the Zombie Arena game engine
• Put the Player class to work

Chapter 7, C++ References, Sprite Sheets, and Vertex Arrays , in this chapter, we will explore C++ references, which allow us to work on variables and objects that are otherwise out of scope. In addition, references will help us avoid having to pass large objects between functions, which is a slow process. It is a slow process because each time we do this, a copy of the variable or object must be made.

Armed with this new knowledge about references, we will take a look at the SFML VertexArray class, which allows us to build up a large image that can be very quickly and efficiently drawn to the screen using multiple images from a single image file. By the end of the chapter, we will have a scaleable, random, scrolling background, using references and a VertexArray object.

We will now talk about:

• C++ references
• SFML VertexArrays
• Coding a random, scrolling background

Chapter 8, Pointers, the Standard Template Library, and Texture Management, we will learn a lot, as well as get plenty done to the game, in this chapter. We will first learn about the fundamental C++ topic of pointers. Pointers are variables that hold memory addresses. Typically, a pointer will hold the memory address of another variable. This sounds a bit like a reference, but we will see how they are much more powerful and we will use a pointer to handle an ever-expanding horde of zombies.

We will also learn about the Standard Template Library (STL), which is a collection of classes that allow us to quickly and easily implement common data management techniques.

Once we understand the basics of the STL, we will be able to use that new knowledge to manage all the textures from the game, because if we have 1,000 zombies, we don't really want to load a copy of a zombie graphic into the GPU for each and every one.

We will also dig a little deeper into OOP and use a static function, which is a function of a class that can be called without an instance of the class. At the same time, we will see how we can design a class to ensure that only one instance can ever exist. This is ideal when we need to guarantee that different parts of our code will use the same data.

In this chapter we will:

• Learn about pointers
• Learn about the STL
• Implement the Texture Holder class using static functions and a singleton class
• Implement a pointer to a horde of zombies
• Edit some existing code to use the TextureHolder class for the player and background

Chapter 9, Collision Detection, Pickups, and Bullets, so far, we have implemented the main visual parts of our game. We have a controllable character running around in an arena full of zombies that chase him. The problem is that they don't interact with each other. A zombie can wander right through the player without leaving a scratch. We need to detect collisions between the zombies and the player.

If the zombies are going to be able to injure and eventually kill the player, it is only fair that we give the player some bullets for his gun. We will then need to make sure that the bullets can hit and kill the zombies.

At the same time, if we are writing collision detection code for bullets, zombies, and the player, it would be a good time to add a class for health and ammo pickups as well.

Here is what we will do and the order we will cover things:

• Shooting bullets
• Adding a crosshair and hiding the mouse pointer
• Spawning pickups
• Detecting collisions

Chapter 10, Layering Views and Implementing the HUD, in this chapter, we will get to see the real value of SFML Views.  We will add a large array of SFML Text objects and manipulate them as we did before in the Timber!!! project. What is new is that we will draw the HUD using a second View instance. This way the HUD will stay neatly positioned over the top of the main game action, regardless of what the background, player, zombies, and other game objects are doing.

Here is what we will do:

• Add text and a background to the home/game over screen
• Add text to the level-up screen
• Create the second View
• Add a HUD

Chapter 11, Sound Effects, File I/O, and Finishing the Game, we are nearly there. This short chapter will demonstrate how we can easily manipulate files stored on the hard drive using the C++ standard library, and we will also add sound effects. Of course, we know how to add sound effects but we will discuss exactly where in the code the calls to play will go. We will also tie up a few loose ends to make the game complete. In this chapter we will do the following:

• Saving and loading the highscore
• Adding sound effects
• Allowing the player to levelup
• Creating, never-ending multiple waves

Chapter 12, Abstraction and Code Management – Making Better Use of OOP, in this chapter, we will take a first look at the final project of the book. The project will have advanced features, such as directional sound that comes out of the speakers relative to the position of the player. It will also have split-screen co-operative gameplay. In addition, this project will introduce the concept of Shaders which are programs written in another language that run directly on the graphics card. By the end of Chapter 16: Extending SFML Classes, Particle Systems and Shaders, you will have a fully functioning, multiplayer platform game built in the style of the hit classic Thomas Was Alone. This chapter's main focus will be getting the project started, especially exploring how the code will be structured to make better use of OOP. Here are the details of this chapter.

• Introduce the final project, Thomas Was Late, including the gameplay features and project assets
• A detailed discussion of how we will improve the structure of the code compared to previous projects
• Coding the Thomas Was Late game engine
• Implementing split-screen functionality

Chapter 13,  Advanced OOP – Inheritance and Polymorphism, in this chapter, we will further extend our knowledge of OOP by looking at the slightly more advanced concepts of inheritance and polymorphism. We will then be able to use this new knowledge to implement the star characters of our game, Thomas and Bob. Here is what we will cover, in a little more detail:

• Learn how to extend and modify a class using inheritance
• Treat an object of a class as if it is more than one type of class by using polymorphism
• Learn about abstract classes and how designing classes that are never instantiated can actually be useful
• Build an abstract PlayableCharacter class
• Put inheritance to work with the Thomas and Bob classes
• Add Thomas and Bob to the game project

Chapter 14,  Building Playable Levels and Collision Detection, this chapter will probably be one of the most satisfying of this project. The reason for this is that by the end of it we will have a playable game. Although there will be features still to implement (sound, particle effects, HUD, shader effects), Bob and Thomas will be able to run, jump, and explore the world. Furthermore, you will be able to create your very own level designs of almost any size or complexity, by simply making platforms and obstacles in a text file. We will achieve all this by covering these topics:

• Exploring how to design levels in a text file
• Building a LevelManager class that will load levels from a text file, convert them into data our game can use, and keep track of the level details such as spawn position, current level, and allowed time limit
• Update the game engine to use LevelManager
• Code a polymorphic function to handle the collision detection for both Bob and Thomas

Chapter 15,   Sound Spatialization and HUD, in this chapter we will be adding all the sound effects and the HUD. We have done this in both of the previous projects, but we will do things a bit differently this time. We will explore the concept of sound spatialization and how SFML makes this otherwise complicated concept nice and easy; in addition, we will build a HUD class to encapsulate our code draws information to the screen.

We will complete these tasks in this order:

• What is spatialization?
• How SFML handles spatialization
• Building a SoundManager class
• Deploying emitters
• Using the SoundManager class
• Building a HUD class
• Using the HUD class

Chapter 16, Extending SFML Classes, Particle Systems, and Shaders,  in this final chapter, we will explore the C++ concept of extending other people's classes. More specifically, we will look at the SFML Drawable class and the benefits of using it as a base class for our own classes. We will also scratch the surface of the topic of OpenGL Shaders and see how writing code in another language (GLSL), which can be run directly on the graphics card, can lead to smooth graphical effects that might otherwise be impossible. As usual, we will also use our new skills and knowledge to enhance the current project.

Here is a list of the topics in the order we will cover them:

• SFML Drawable
• Building a particle system
• OpenGl shaders and GLSL
• Using shaders in the Thomas Was Late game

Chapter 17, Before You Go..., a quick discussion of what you might like to do next.