C++ Programming for Game Developers - Module II

	Level: Beginner / Intermediate Instructor(s): Frank Luna Time Blocks: 10 weeks Credits: Undergraduate / College Credit : 3 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) : 3 Professional Developer Hours (PDHs) : 30 Tuition: $135.00 -

	You may also like to consider some of our related course and event offerings: C++ for Game Developers Module I 3D Engine Programming Module I 3D Engine Programming Module II

General Course Series Description

The C++ Programming for Game Developers series of courses has been designed to satisfy three major goals. First and foremost, the key goal is to help you understand, and be able to apply (by writing programs), the fundamental components of the C++ programming language. The second goal of this series is to prepare you for the other programming courses at Game Institute, which require an intermediate level of proficiency with the C++ programming language. And finally, the last goal of the series is to introduce you to game programming with C++ related topics in an easier to comprehend 2D environment, which will serve as a stepping-stone to 3D game programming. This last goal is met by building up the tools needed to program a 2D game in the Windows environment.

Module II Description

In this second C++ video game programming course, you will begin to move away from the text-based console applications we built together in Module I, and begin to examine Windows programming with the Win32 API. With the Win32 API, you will be able to write programs that look a lot more like those that you are probably very familiar with; ones with resizable windows, mouse input, graphics, menus, toolbars, scroll bars, dialog boxes, and controls.

Of particular interest to us as game programmers is the ability to do graphics with the Win32 API, something which is not possible with the pure C++ programming language. You will learn about fundamental graphic concepts such as double buffering, sprites, animation and timing, and masking. By the end of this C++ video game programming course, you will have developed a fully functional 2D game, complete with graphics, physics, artificial intelligence, and input via the mouse. After completing this game programming with C++ course, you will be adequately prepared for your first course in 3D graphics programming.

Quizzes, a midterm, and a final will make up your grade.

Topics covered in Module II:

• Template Classes and Template Functions
• Error Handling
• Number Systems, Data Representations, and Bit Operations
• The Standard Template Library
• Introduction to Windows Programming
• Menus and Drawing with GDI
• Dialog Boxes
• Timing, Animation, and Sprites
• Designing and Implementing a 2D Game

NB:	For more detailed information on the topics covered by this course offering, please download and review the CPP2 Lesson Plan. (To view this PDF, you will need to ensure that you have installed the free Acrobat Reader 5.0 or above.)

Who should take this course?

There are two primary audiences who would benefit from this course:

1. Students who have completed their studies in Module I who wish to continue their game development training at Game Institute.
2. Programmers that have experience with C++ programming, but have never programmed using the Win32 API before.

What are the course prerequisites?

Students taking this course should have successfully completed Module I in the C++ Programming for Game Developers series, or have acquired the equivalent skill set via other means.

What materials do I need in order to take this course?

You will need a C++ compiler. Technically, for students taking this course, almost any reputable C++ compiler will do. However, for students who plan on taking Module II in this series, and for other Game Institute courses, you will need a Windows compiler. Therefore, it is probably best to settle on your choice of compiler sooner rather than later. We recommend Visual C++ 7.0 and above. A standard edition of the latest Visual C++ application can be purchased from various outlets for around $100 USD.