I decided to implement some physics in my next game, so I'm gonna use cocos2d and box2d...
I started reading the book through my Safari Books subscription, and the information seems great (haven't implemented it yet though)...
My dilemma: I downloaded the demo game that the book makes (Space Viking) and it really lacks polish.
The scrolling images aren't stitched together properly, the controls are awful, random semi-transparent sprites appear...
Question: does the *crappy* game Space Viking reflect the quality of the information included in this book, or is it still worth reading and implementing anyways, as long as I take care to polish my game up nicely?
Or should I use another book so I don't make the same mistakes as these developers?
I decided to implement some physics in my next game, so I'm gonna use cocos2d and box2d...
I started reading the book through my Safari Books subscription, and the information seems great (haven't implemented it yet though)...
My dilemma: I downloaded the demo game that the book makes (Space Viking) and it really lacks polish.
The scrolling images aren't stitched together properly, the controls are awful, random semi-transparent sprites appear...
Question: does the *crappy* game Space Viking reflect the quality of the information included in this book, or is it still worth reading and implementing anyways, as long as I take care to polish my game up nicely?
Or should I use another book so I don't make the same mistakes as these developers?
Thanks...
Ray Wenderlich does some really good tutorials on the web so I'm surprised. I actually did a cocos2d game after reading steffan itterheims book on learning cocos2d. He makes a sideways scroller in the book (my game is nothing like this) but he knows his stuff and has an active forum 'cocos2d central'.
Ray Wenderlich does some really good tutorials on the web so I'm surprised. I actually did a cocos2d game after reading steffan itterheims book on learning cocos2d. He makes a sideways scroller in the book (my game is nothing like this) but he knows his stuff and has an active forum 'cocos2d central'.
Gary
Do you know I actually just started reading the Steffan Itterheim book yesterday, gonna stick with it, so far so good.
I'm using the book right now Yeah space viking is crap but following along with the development of the game in the book you really learn how the ins and outs of cocos2d work. Its a great starting point to developing games and you end up with alot of "boilerplate" code that can be reused over and over. Coming from zero game devloping experience, I already have a game well into development after about a week or two of reading/referencing the book and forums on the internet. I recommend it for a beginning developer.
Just my 2 c.
I just started with the book too, still on chapter 3. Found quite a few problems already, submitted to their forum and got answered quite quickly. But I guess quick response in the book forum has not much to do with the quality of the project the book is guiding you to build.
How about try express your concern to the books' forum? (ask for something extra for free )
Or may be focus more on the concepts/skills you learned in each chapter and start working on your own project will make you feel better??
There's quite a lot of free Cocos2D info on the net too, do some search and you should get lots of info.
I find that Ray Wenderlich's tutorials on his website are very effective and a great place to learn cocos2D. On that basis I also bought the book, but at 17 chapters and nearly 600 pages I don't have the time to wade through the book. However, I don't mind at all paying for the book after finding his online writing so helpful, it is only fair to reward that work with a purchase.
Also the book does suit my offline reading needs, as I can read up on some aspects of cocos2d development offline, and gain some ideas or insights. All the code listings are colour coded and overall quality is pretty good. I am not personally inclined to methodically reading from chapter 1 and expecting to finish this type of instruction through to the last chapter in any such publication. The size of the online tutorials are better pitched for consumption and following tutorial style. I would suggest use such quality online material to learn something you can use in your own work. Then use a book like this for deepening knowledge, and filling in details about the framework you have missed. For example I could jump into chapter 13 to learn about chipmunk physics or perhaps chapter 15 to learn about game center. So for me the quality of the example game is not so important, rather it is teaching about coding with cocos2d. If you are interested in good game design, then there are other books that you can get for that which will have no coding or nuts and bolts programming to worry about.
Additionally in following through book material for this type of topic, you can find things have changed in the framework since a book is in print and the open source is always evolving. Its nice when the material is fresh enough to be worthwhile, and this book is still new and current. That is Xcode 4 and apparently cocos2d 1.0 (pp 4-5) has a sceeenshot of downloading v0.99.5 but also notes 1.0 and 1.x so its somewhat a moving target that they have to publish to. So its just one of those things.. you can't get hung up on the fact that there's version creep, you just have to understand the methods, and get on with it
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Anyone Read Learning Cocos2d (Space viking)?
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