Gaming on the Web is the next blockbuster business. Have any doubts? The video game industry, which already eclipses Hollywood in terms of revenue, targets the Web as the next huge growth area. Software developers are busily porting games to the online environment, or developing entirely new ones. And numerous popular Web sites, many of which charge fees, are devoted to game entertainment.

With Black Art of Java Game Programming, you’ll learn how to create your own dynamic online entertainment using the Java programming language. Java heralds a revolutionary shift in gaming, away from the desktop and into the network. Using Java, you’ll create games that people can download through the Web and play. Using Java, you’ll enable players from around the world to compete against one another. As Java enters its maturity, the possibilities of creating innovative entertainment are endless, and the potential for profit unbounded.

This book provides you with the foundations for creating Java games of all types, such as board games, video games, and networked/multiplayer games. We recommend that you have some basic knowledge of C, C++, or Java before diving in. The underlying thread of this book is that good objectoriented design and good Java games go hand in hand, so we devote the early chapters of the book to covering and applying object-oriented principles to graphics and games. Once the foundations have been laid, we build a wide variety of games. As you will see, game programming is almost a game in itself, and once you learn the basics, you’ll be well equipped to write innovative games on your own.