Beginning Android Games

[seanoseanohay]

I just want to give my plug for this book (Beginning Android Games) by Mario Zechner.

I think it is useful for anybody that is wanting to make an Android game. Some of it is a little antiquated but the concepts are still good. I haven't got to the Open-GL portion of the book yet but it looks as if that will be thoroughly covered too. So if you are wanting to program this will walk you through the steps, set you up with a nice reusable framework, and possibly help you better organize your game by explaining MVC.

[Jackolantern]

I just wanted to give you a heads up that there are 2 newer editions if some of the outdated material bothers you. I have read it, and I can say that most of the antiquated material centers around the ADT images and instructions. There are 2 newer versions, one of which has a tweak on the name:

Beginning Android 4 Games: Some people complained that this one was a bit rushed back when Android 4.0 had just released, and I can understand that. This book is the same as "Beginning Android Games" with a bit more added. ICS introduced very little for game developers, really, and some felt like this book just wanted to be the first on the shelf with "4" and "games" in the title. Really it is a lightly-updated 2nd edition.

Beginning Android Games, 2nd Ed.: The 2nd edition of this book, although really it is the 3rd edition. This is the latest copy, and it came out I think about a month ago.

Of both of them, I would definitely suggest the latter. The real 2nd edition probably has more added since there are expectations on a true follow-up edition. I have not had a chance yet to pick it up. Thanks for the review!

[seanoseanohay]

I may have to check that out. I did look at Beginning Android 4 Games and I agree with the critics, it was literally the same book with 10 new pages. I was looking at the new version in a PDF and comparing it to my older version in the book form and was amazed that they could get away with that.

[Jackolantern]

Sadly, I have seen it many times before. Usually though it is Wrox doing it, but Apress (the publisher in this case) has done it a time or two as well. I will typically never buy a book until it has a handful of reviews at least on Amazon. Amazon reviews are quick to crucify a book over re-hashing the same material lol.