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The Game Maker's Apprentice: Game Development for Beginners (Book & CD) Other products by Apress Ratting 4.5 Out of 5.0 Special Offer Total New 13 Use
	List Price: $39.99 Our Price: $33.97 Price Save:      Total Price: $33.97 at of 2010-09-06
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The Game Makers Apprentice shows you how to create nine exciting games using the wildly popular Game Maker game creation tool. This book covers a range of genres, including action, adventure, and puzzle games complete with professional quality sound effects and visuals. It discusses game design theory and features practical examples of how this can be applied to making games that are more fun to play.

Game Maker allows games to be created using a simple drag-and-drop interface, so you don't need to have any prior coding experience. It includes an optional programming language for adding advanced features to your games, when you feel ready to do so. You can obtain more information by visiting book.gamemaker.nl.

The authors include the creator of the Game Maker tool and a former professional game programmer, so you'll glean understanding from their expertise. The book also includes a DVD containing Game Maker software and all of the game projects that are created in the bookplus a host of professional-quality graphics and sound effects that you can use in your own games.

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 "Disappointed - Mostly re-hash" 2010-07-12
By D. Stephens (United States)
I purchased this book years ago when I first heard of it. I was excited to get some more insight into the GML and game making with GM as I didn't know how to do coding for random things. I guess I read too much into the word "apprentice" in the books title. It mostly re-explains things that are already in the GM program manual and free tutorials on the Yo-yo site.

It is well written however, again, it taught me nothing new.

I was, and still am, hoping for a more comprehensive book that goes to the next level for people who are not already computer programmers. I would like to make some games that are not action, shoot-em-up kind of games and I require some understanding, coding and/or examples on how to have some random objects appear at the start of the game in random locations, containing random behaviors, for example.

If you are a complete-ist with money to spare, buy the book - it isn't bad for what it is. If you're a person who has the drive to make a computer game, then you most likely will not benefit from this book as you will already have used all the free, readily available tutorials online and in the program users manual.

The reason why my rating is so low is due to my belief that the writing of this book was reduntant and I think it's logical that a
customer would not expect that. I do feel a bit cheated.


 "Straordinario" 2010-06-08
By Pitagoras (Udine, IT)
Veramente esemplare come chiarezza e completezza. Introduce nel mondo della
programmazione per videogames in modo progressivo con un linguaggio accessibile ma professionale e con tantissimi
esempi. Veramente ottimo.
Lo raccomando a tutti


 "Great for kids and adults" 2010-04-22
By Computer Teacher (Dearborn, MO USA)
Explanations are easy to read and well illustrated. I use it with my computer students (6th-8th grades). With a little introductory help, they often can move on by themselves. I have the sequel on order. The sprites and other resources on the CD are well worth the price of the book. It comes with the instructions and resources to make several games, as well as completed versions of each game. It has been a lot of fun for me and for the kids.


 "Rookie Designer / Pro Game Player" 2009-12-05
By iRod
This is a good start on learning how to design and create video games. I love to play them, now I get a chance to make them. I have only completed the first game example in the book and I am very pleased with the results.


 "Excellent" 2009-11-20
By Educating Mommy
My son is 11 and very interested in computer programming and making games. He is working on making a game for his little brothers to play for Christmas. He loves this program, and he was programming and creating fun games on the very first day. It appears as if you need the full version of the Gamemaker software to really do original things in creating your own games, but it teaches the basics and it is a lot of fun. I hope to find something just as good to help him learn other types of programming language and ability to work with different programs, but this is a great start.


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