Multi-Player Game Programming with CDROM FROM OUR EDITORS
The Barnes & Noble Review
You may be able to create the world's coolest AI algorithms, or squeeze more out of every polygon than any other game programmer on earth. But none of that will help you create the games people want most: networked, Internet-based multiplayer games. This book will.
Multiplayer Game Programming author Todd Barron is that rare bird who is equally at home with DirectX and network sockets. After a quick review of the basics of game programming, he dives right into the network stuff most game programmers simply don't know. Game network protocols. Sockets and Winsock. Ports and firewalls. Peer-to-peer and client-server game connections.
Then, it's on to writing code. Simple programs to test a connection. Sockets class objects. And, then, DirectPlay -- basic concepts, such as DirectPlay addresses and message handling, and real code -- for chats, hosting sessions, managing players, receiving client messages, and more. Step by step, Barron shows how DirectPlay and the rest of DirectX fit together, leading to the creation of a complete game, including architecture, network synchronization, game control, game updates, and player management.
Online games only succeed if both the details and high-level architecture are right. To that end, Barron spends a full chapter on massively multiplayer design -- followed by a close look at game clients and servers, covering everything from game-play mechanics to account authorization and storage.
You'll want some programming experience before you read this book (preferably C++, but C will do) -- hey, Barron can't teach everything. Also, be aware that the book's quite Windows-focused. But if you can handle those not-so-terribly-stringent requirements, Multiplayer Game Programming will get you the rest of the way, in style.
(Bill Camarda)
Bill Camarda is a consultant, writer, and web/multimedia content developer with nearly 20 years' experience in helping technology companies deploy and market advanced software, computing, and networking products and services. His 15 books include Special Edition Using Word 2000 and Upgrading & Fixing Networks For Dummies®, Second Edition.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Multiplayer Game Programming enables you to write your own completely
Internet-ready video games using DirectX and/or sockets. This book reveals
techniques and secrets of online gaming technology and teaches you the
skills necessary to get involved in the video game industry. This book is
perfect for hobbyist programmers who want to learn how to write online video
games, software programmers wanting to move to online game programming, and
the millions of video game players who want to learn about the technologies
used in online video games.
Some of the features of the book include:
Coverage of both DirectPlay and Sockets
DirectX 8 with DirectPlay, Direct3D, DirectInput, and DirectAudio
Network design theory and implementation
Introduction to Windows programming
Multithreading
Player management
Peer-to-peer development
Client-server development
MMORPG design and implementation
Source for two complete INternet-ready games
History of game development
Hacking into multiplayer games
FROM THE CRITICS
Booknews
This guide to writing games that play across the internet focuses on the DirectPlay API and Direct 3D graphics. The author introduces sockets communication and Windows programming, before diving into client/server programming, triangle lists and triangle strips for rendering, audio for responsive controls, synchronization techniques, and compression issues. Familiarity with C++ is recommended. The CD-ROM contains the DirectX 8.0 SDK, an evaluation version of Fastgraph/Light, and two games. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
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