PC Game Programming Explorer by Dave Roberts
============================================

PC Game Programming Explorer, by Dave Roberts, is your training manual
for the exciting world of game programming.  PC Game Programming
Explorer gives you the necessary technical instruction to learn how to
program your own game using simple projects and example programs.  As
you progress through each chapter, you'll develop library modules that
are used later to develop a complete game program.  All source code is
provided on disk and can be incorporated into your own programs and
altered to suit your needs.  PC Game Programming Explorer covers the
PC's input devices (keyboard, mouse, and joystick), graphics, bitmaps,
animation, the VGA color palette, collision detection, game speed
control, sound, and scrolling backgrounds.

PC Game Programming Explorer, by Dave Roberts, is available for $34.95
from your local bookstore or directly from Coriolis Group Books.

The Coriolis Group
7721 E. Acoma, Suite 7
Scottsdale, AZ 85260 USA
(800) 410-0192
(602) 483-0192
FAX: (602) 483-0193

Table of Contents
=================
PART 1: LET THE GAMES BEGIN
1. The Great Adventure
	Game Programming Versus Game Design
	The Structure of a Game Program
	Assumed Knowledge
	Example Code
	Other Materials
2. Mastering the Keyboard
	The Secret is Buttons
	Introducing the Keyboard Controller
	The Keyboard Button Project
	Using the Keyboard Routines
3. Catching the Mouse
	Working With the Mouse
	The Built-In Mouse Functions You Cannot Live Without
	Creating a Mouse Interface Module
	Wiring the Mouse Into Your Programs
4. Joystick Magic
	Joystick Electrical Stuff
	Reading a Joystick
	Multiple Input Device Example

PART 2: THE GRAPHICS ADVENTURE
5. VGA Basics
	Getting Organized
	Understanding Multiple Display Pages
	A Look at the VGA Data Path
	The VGA Register Map
	The Standard VGA Modes
	Introducing Mode X
	Some Guidance
6. Bitmaps and Bitblts
	Bitmap Basics
	Drawing Bitmaps: The Bitblt
	Dealing with Mode X and Y
	Planar Bitmaps
	Mode X Bitblt
	Extra Storage: Video Memory Bitmaps
	Creating Video Memory Bitmaps
	Clipping
	Optimizations
7. Adventures in Animation
	Introduction to Animation
	Understanding Video Displays
	Page-Flipping
	Virtual Screen Buffers
	Dirty Rectangles
	Other Animation Problems
	Object Internal Animation
8. Color Your World
	Computers and Color
	The VGA Color Palette
	Setting Your Own Colors
	Fade To Black: Palette Effects

PART 3: INTO THE ACTION
9: Detecting Collisions
	Analyzing the Basic Problem
	Reducing Tests with Game Rules
	Other Test-Reducing Techniques
	Collision Testing with Bounding Rectangles
	Bitmaps Testing
10: Controlling Game Speed
	Synchronizing to Vertical Retrace
	Synchronizing to the System Clock
	Reprogramming PC Timers
	Synchronizing a Timer to Vertical Retrace
11: Creating Alien Alley
	The Main Game Loop
	Intro Screens and Title
	The Animation Loop
	Setting Up Mode X
	Getting Input
	Moving Sprites
	Collision Detection
	Erasing and Drawing
	The High-Score Screen
	Creating the Graphics
	Possible Improvements

PART 4: ADVANCED TECHNIQUES
12. Audio Immersion
	Surfing the Sonic Wave
	Just What is MIDI?
	A Little Help From Our Friends: DigPak and MidPak
	Enhancing Alien Alley
	Creating Your Own Audio Sound Effects
	Licensing DigPak and MidPak
13. Scrolling Along
	Introduction to Scrolling
	A Bit of Background: Using Tiles
	Modifications to Alien Alley

A: Game Programming Resources

Index