the official guide to game development. chapter 4 windows game development: every screen is a...
TRANSCRIPT
The Official
Guide to Game Development
Chapter 4Windows Game Development:
every screen is a playground
Key Chapter Questions ■ How do standalone Windows games differ from downloadable
or online products?
■ What are some art, design, and programming restrictions associated with developing games for desktop computing?
■ How are games designed for the broad range of custom Windows devices on the market?
■ How can GameSalad Creator be used to create and publish games for Windows?
■ How will Windows game development continue to evolve in the future?
A Game Machine in Every Home
DONKEY.GB
Source Piga Software.
Colossal Cave Adventure
Source Will Crowther.
A Game Machine in Every Home
Quake II
Source id Software. Image courtesy of Jeannie Novak.
Myst
Source Games Press.
OS Wars
Windows desktop
Source Microsoft Corporation.
Graphic Considerations
■ Raster vs. Vector Graphics
■ Importing Art Assets
■ Memory Issues
■ Workflow
■ Setting Up an Animated Sprite
■ Layers
■ Adding Behaviors
■ Animated Characters
Graphic ConsiderationsRaster vs. Vector Graphics
vector graphics (above) & raster graphics (below)
Image courtesy of Kimberly Unger.
Graphic ConsiderationsRaster vs. Vector Graphics
The thin white border in this image represents the edge of the visible area.
Image courtesy of GameSalad®.
Graphic ConsiderationsRaster vs. Vector Graphics
Windows Creator offers several size options for new projects.
Image courtesy of GameSalad®.
Graphic ConsiderationsSetting Up an Animated Sprite
Behaviors, Attributes, and Functions are all customizable elements.
Image courtesy of Kimberly Unger.
Windows Creator will play the frames in the sequence provided.
Image courtesy of GameSalad®. Image courtesy of GameSalad®.
Graphic ConsiderationsSetting Up an Animated Sprite
Bumps
Image courtesy of Utopian Games.
Graphic ConsiderationsLayers
Raptor Storm
Image courtesy of GameSalad®.
Graphic ConsiderationsAdding Behaviors
Blocks
Blocks allow Behaviors to be grouped—ensuring that they all act in the correct order.
Image courtesy of Kimberly Unger.
Image courtesy of GameSalad®.
Graphic ConsiderationsAdding Behaviors
Blocks
Sets of instructions can be grouped within a Behavior, allowing the developer to tailor them to specific actions or responses within the game.
Image courtesy of Kimberly Unger.
Image courtesy of GameSalad®.
Graphic ConsiderationsAdding Behaviors
Conditions
Conditions help the developer tellthe game what needs to happenbefore it can execute a Behavior.
Image courtesy of GameSalad®.
Graphic ConsiderationsAdding Behaviors
Persistent
Persistent Behaviors are oftenused for setting game rules andconditions.
Image courtesy of GameSalad®.
Graphic ConsiderationsAdding Behaviors
Actions
Actions are all about “doing”things: growing bigger, movingsideways, exploding, makingnoise—you name it.
Image courtesy of GameSalad®.
Graphic ConsiderationsAdding Behaviors
Custom
Custom behaviors allow you tostore the kinds of behaviors youuse most often, with your owntweaks already included.
Image courtesy of GameSalad®.
Graphic ConsiderationsAnimated Characters
Behaviors are built to be nested inside one another, allowing the designer the freedom to create multiple scenarios within a single Rule.
Image courtesy of GameSalad®.
Graphic ConsiderationsAnimated Characters
Once all the Behaviors have been included, adding an Actor to the Scene is as simple as clicking and dragging it to the game space.
Image courtesy of GameSalad®.
Scene Characteristics
Selecting the correct tab under Attributes allows the developer to access and modify any local Attributes (such as gravity) within a Scene.
Image courtesy of GameSalad®.
Tags & Types
An Actor has a basic set of characteristics that can be modified as needed—such as changing the associated art image or denoting whether or not the object is moveable.
Image courtesy of GameSalad®.
Testing as You Go
Selecting the green, right-facing arrow will access a test screen where any elements added to the game may be played through.
Image courtesy of Kimberly Unger.
Image courtesy of GameSalad®.
Publishing to Windows
Uploading your game to the GameSalad servers allows you build a binaryfor all platforms from a single original file.
Image courtesy of GameSalad®.
Summary
■ A Game Machine in Every Home
■ OS Wars
■ Graphic Considerations
■ Scene Characteristics
■ Tags & Types
■ Particle Effects
■ Testing as You Go
■ Publishing to Windows
■ Fate of Windows Development