Beginning Game Development with Python and Pygame: From Novice to Professional

Like music and movies, video games are rapidly becoming an integral part of our lives. Over the years, you’ve yearned for every new gaming console, mastered each blockbuster within weeks after its release, and have even won a local gaming competition or two. But lately you’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about a game idea of your own, or are exploring the possibility of making a career of this vibrant and growing industry. But where should you begin?

Beginning Game Development with Python and Pygame is written with the budding game developer in mind, introducing games development through the Python programming language and the popular Pygame games development library. Authored by industry veteran and Python expert Will McGugan, who worked on the MotorStorm game for PlayStation 3, you’ll be privy to insights that will not only help you to exploit Pygame to its maximum potential, but also make you a more creative and knowledgeable games developer all round.

• Learn how to create advanced games by taking advantage of the popular open source Python programming language and Pygame games development library
• Learn about coding gaming preferences, sound, visual effects, and joystick/keyboard interaction
• Discover the concepts that are crucial to success in today's gaming industry, such as support for multiple platforms, and granting users the ability to extend and customize your games

• Take advantage of Python and the Pygame library to build compelling cross-platform games
• Learn to best use these technologies to turn your dream game into reality
• Create professional games by accounting for sound, special effects, and user interaction through the joystick and keyboard
• Build both two- and three-dimensional games, and learn more about the factors that contribute to choosing one approach over the other
• Provide users with the means for extending your games through level creation and custom modifications as a means to build a vibrant community around your product
• Package your games in a manner that allows even novice computer users to install, use, and update your games with ease

This book has been written for any budding games developer. While knowledge of the Python language helps, it isn’t required. To help new programmers along, two early chapters are devoted to an overview of Python.

Like music and movies, video games are rapidly becoming an integral part of our lives. Over the years, you’ve yearned for every new gaming console, mastered each blockbuster within weeks after its release, and have even won a local gaming competition or two. But lately you’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about a game idea of your own, or are exploring the possibility of making a career of this vibrant and growing industry. But where should you begin?

Beginning Game Development with Python and Pygame is written with the budding game developer in mind, introducing games development through the Python programming language and the popular Pygame games development library. Authored by industry veteran and Python expert Will McGugan, who most recently worked on the MotorStorm game for Play Station 3, you’ll be privy to insights that will not only help you to exploit PyGame to its maximum potential, but also make you a more creative and knowledgeable games developer all round.

• Create advanced games by taking advantage of the popular open source Python programming language and Pygame games development library.
• Learn step-by-step through the creation of a real-world game (tank warfare), involving gaming preferences, sound, visual effects, and joystick/keyboard interaction.
• Discover the concepts that are crucial to success in todays gaming industry, such as support for multiple platforms, and granting users the ability to extend and customize your games.

Will McGugan is a software developer currently living and working in North West England. He has worked in video games and computer graphics since the early days of 3D and has created several shareware games in his spare time. Currently Will works for Evolution Studios, one of the world’s leading games development studios. He also has extensive experience in application development, having worked in the field of user interface creation and video conferencing. His current interests include application and web development in Python. Outside of work Will enjoys juggling and cycling, although not at the same time. For more information on Will’s current work and various musings, visit his blog at www.willmcgugan.com.