Learn how to create high-speed Retro style games

Take the first steps into programming a game using the BlitzMax programming language. An ideal language for beginners and pros alike!

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Includes four projects

We take baby-steps creating our first project a bat and ball game-- the computer game equivalent of Hello World. Then we're off to the genres of couch-multi-player, shooter and platforming.

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Create special effects and audio for your games

The book takes you from someone unfamiliar with programming or BlitzMax to a person capable of producing a marketable game. It's a fun way to learn how to program; the must-have skill of the 21st century.

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Download the book's source code & resources

The complete source code and the resources can be downloaded in one zipped archive. Some of the graphics (the Flood game) are by Ari Feldman.

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Book Contents

BlitzMax for the Absolute Beginner by Sloan Kelly

Four Different Games

  • The Great Escape - Introductory game of bat and ball
  • Tank Attack - A two-player versus tank combat game
  • Paratrooper - Save the town from paratroopers!
  • Flood - Platform game

The Basics

  • Computer game types
  • How BlitzMax works
  • Introduction to the Blitzmax IDE

Programming

  • Difference between variables and constants
  • Variable scope
  • Data types
  • Mathematical operations
  • File operations (open, close, read and write to files)
  • Reusing code with functions
  • Collision detection

Input

  • Mouse and keyboard
  • Joystick
  • Creating an abstract input controller

Sound Effects & Audio

  • Creating sound effects
  • Importing sounds
  • Playing audio and effects

Graphics and OpenGL Effects

  • Sprites
  • Static objects and dynamic, animated characters
  • Scale and rotate
  • Graphic blending with OpenGL

Object Oriented Programming

  • Designing your game
  • Storyboarding
  • Object Oriented Programming and Design
  • Reusing code with objects
  • Project management
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About Sloan

Sloan Kelly has been programming computers since 1982.
His first computer was a ZX Spectrum 16K. That's 16 kilbytes of RAM. It's not a lot but he learned
how to program in BASIC first and then Z80 machine code. Since then he's gone through several
machines and currently codes on PC and Mac- he's not fussy. He currently lives in the Niagara
region of Canada where he works as a senior programmer for PixelNAUTS Games. They released their
first game, LOST ORBIT, in 2015 to critical acclaim.

Social Media

Sloan Kelly can be contacted on the following social media platforms.

For more information on Sloan Kelly, please visit his website