1st Edition

HTML5 Game Development from the Ground Up with Construct 2

By Roberto Dillon Copyright 2014
    266 Pages 293 B/W Illustrations
    by A K Peters/CRC Press

    266 Pages
    by A K Peters/CRC Press

    Written for the new generation of hobbyists and aspiring game developers, HTML5 Game Development from the Ground Up with Construct 2 shows you how to use the sophisticated yet user-friendly HTML5-based game engine Construct 2 to develop and release polished, two-dimensional games on a multitude of different platforms. The book also covers the foundational knowledge of game analysis and design based on the author’s research and teaching experiences at DigiPen Institute of Technology, James Cook University, and other institutions.

    The author first helps you understand what really matters in games. He guides you in becoming a better game designer from the ground up, being able to play any game critically, and expressing your ideas in a clear and concise format.

    The book then presents step-by-step tutorials on designing games. It explains how to build an arcade-style game as well as a platformer integrating some physics elements. It also shows you how to create a more complex puzzle game—the author’s own published game, Turky on the Run.

    Lastly, the book discusses different ways to deploy and monetize games across several platforms, including Facebook, iOS, Android, and web-based marketplaces. Sample Construct 2 project files for the games designed in the book are available on the author’s website.

    Integrating hands-on guidance with theoretical game design concepts, this book gives you a solid foundation in game development. It will help you advance in your journey as an indie game developer.

    HTML5 and Construct 2
    Take Away

    Understanding How Games Work
    Take Away
    Exercise

    About Games and Ideas: Dream vs. Reality
    Take Away

    Game Design Documentation for Indies
    Take Away
    Exercise

    Moon Wolf, a Space Arcade Game
    Solar Fox: Analysis
    Moon Wolf: Design
    Take Away

    Moon Wolf Development
    Getting Started
    Adding Cells and a Scoring System
    Speeding Up
    Adding Enemies and a Basic Game Loop
    Take Away
    Exercise

    Kitty & Katty, a Platformer
    Donkey Kong: Analysis
    Kitty & Katty: Design
    Take Away

    Kitty & Katty Development
    Game Structure
    Background and Platforms
    Kitty, Katty, and the Player
    Rescuing Our Pets amidst Falling Boulders
    The High Score Table
    Take Away
    Exercises

    Turky on the Run, a Puzzle Game
    Loco-Motion: Analysis
    Turky on the Run: Design
    Take Away

    Turky on the Run Development
    Layout and Shuffling
    Moving Tiles
    Turky: Placement and Movement
    Sly, Foxy, and Otto
    Timer and Bonus Items
    Take Away
    Exercises

    The Journey Ahead
    Pathfinding
    Sprite Fonts
    Shaders (Effects)
    Source Control
    Performance Tips

    Deployment and Monetization
    Web Portals
    Chrome Web Store and Mozilla Marketplace
    Facebook
    Windows 8 Metro
    W indows, Mac, and Linux
    BlackBerry 10
    Tizen
    iOS and Android

    Appendix A: Resources for Indies
    Appendix B: Selected Bibliography for Further Study

    Biography

    Roberto Dillon