What You ll Need

What You'll Need

This book assumes that you have a knowledge and understanding of the C++ programming language. Although the program examples and games you develop throughout the book are Windows programs, you aren't required to have a background in Windows programming. And in truth, I really don't rely on any complex C++ programming constructs, so a basic understanding of C++ is all you need. However, it is important that you understand how to build a C++ program using a development environment on the Windows platform. If you already have a favorite C++ development environment, that's great. If not, you'll probably want to check out Appendix B, "Selecting a Game Development Tool," which describes some of the more popular Windows C++ development tools.

All of the examples in the book are available on the accompanying CD-ROM, along with project files for Visual C++ 7.0 (2002). If you decide to go with a different development tool from Visual C++, you'll need to create a new project for each example and then add the source code files. Your development tool may allow you to import the Visual C++ projects, so take a look before creating new projects by hand. If you have trouble building a project, make sure that you're linking in the appropriate standard libraries because there are a couple of libraries (winmm.lib and msimg32.lib) that you must import in most of the program examples and games.

Beyond some C++ knowledge and a good C++ development tool, all you really need is an open mind and a bit of creativity. They will serve you well as you embark on this journey into the world of game creation. Have fun!