Mastering SFML Game Development

Key Features

• Build custom tools, designed to work with your specific game.
• Use raw modern OpenGL and go beyond SFML.
• Revamp your code for better structural design, faster rendering, and flashier graphics.
• Use advanced lighting techniques to add that extra touch of sophistication.
• Implement a very fast and efficient particle system by using a cache-friendly design.

Book Description

SFML is a cross-platform software development library written in C++ with bindings available for many programming languages. It provides a simple interface to the various components of your PC, to ease the development of games and multimedia applications.

This book will help you become an expert of SFML by using all of its features to its full potential. It begins by going over some of the foundational code necessary in order to make our RPG project run. By the end of chapter 3, we will have successfully picked up and deployed a fast and efficient particle system that makes the game look much more ‘alive’. Throughout the next couple of chapters, you will be successfully editing the game maps with ease, all thanks to the custom tools we’re going to be building. From this point on, it’s all about making the game look good. After being introduced to the use of shaders and raw OpenGL, you will be guided through implementing dynamic scene lighting, the use of normal and specular maps, and dynamic soft shadows. However, no project is complete without being optimized first. The very last chapter will wrap up our project by making it lightning fast and efficient.

What you will learn

• Dive deep into creating complex and visually stunning games using SFML, as well as advanced OpenGL rendering and shading techniques
• Build an advanced, dynamic lighting and shadowing system to add an extra graphical kick to your games and make them feel a lot more dynamic
• Craft your own custom tools for editing game media, such as maps, and speed up the process of content creation
• Optimize your code to make it blazing fast and robust for the users, even with visually demanding scenes
• Get a complete grip on the best practices and industry grade game development design patterns used for AAA projects

About the Author

Raimondas Pupius is a game development enthusiast from Lithuania, currently working towards getting a degree in software engineering, as well as a few projects of his own. Having started his unofficial education in this field at the age of 9 and being introduced to video games even prior to that has guided him to this particular career choice, which was only strengthened by the experience earned from his first book “SFML Game Development By Example”. The ultimate dream is, of course, starting a company of his own and making professional games for a living. His other interests include web development, which was his primary interest before game development, music and linguistics.

Table of Contents

1. Under the Hood - Setting up the Backend
2. Its Game Time! - Designing the Project
3. Make It Rain! - Building a Particle System
4. Have Thy Gear Ready - Building Game Tools
5. Filling the Tool Belt - a few More Gadgets
6. Adding Some Finishing Touches - Using Shaders
7. One Step Forward, One Level Down - OpenGL Basics
8. Let There Be Light - An Introduction to Advanced Lighting
9. The Speed of Dark - Lighting and Shadows
10. A Chapter You Shouldn't Skip - Final Optimizations