Advanced Do-It-Yourself Java Games

Book excerpt: Advanced Do-It-Yourself Java Games: An Introduction to Java Threads and Animated Video Games is the third book of the Do-It-Yourself Java Games series. The previous book in the series, More Do-It-Yourself Java Games, taught event-driven programming. Those games started with an initial window, then waited for the program user to take an action. The games in this book require the same kind of event-driven user interfaces, but add threads to perform automated, simultaneous activity, whether the user takes an action or not. You'll learn more advanced programming techniques as you create 8 new games with sound and animation. You'll learn to use abstract classes, interfaces, state-driven programming, and the model/view/controller design. This book assumes you either have experience creating event-driven user interfaces with Java Swing or you have read the second book, More Do-It-Yourself Java Games: An Introduction to Java Graphics and Event-Driven Programming. The Do-It-Yourself Java Games series of books uses a unique "discovery learning" approach to teach computer programming: learn Java programming techniques more by doing Java programming than by reading about them. Through extensive use of fill-in blanks, with easy one-click access to answers, you will be guided to write complete programs yourself, starting with the first lesson. You'll create puzzle and game programs and discover how, when, and why Java programs are written the way they are.