Introduction

There’s never been a better time to bring your creative ideas to life by programming a game for iOS. The Apple App Store gives you a huge opportunity to get your game in front of millions of potential customers; game distribution has never been easier or so far-reaching.

Not only do you have access to millions of potential customers, you also have access to cutting edge development tools and hardware. The iPhone and iPod Touch are effectively computers with power that outpaces the desktop computers of just a few years ago. They allow you to create some fantastic games with few of the hardware and software limitations of earlier handheld devices.

This book will introduce you to the world of game design and programming for iOS 5.

The book is aimed at people who have already done some programming. It’s best if you have Objective-C experience, but it isn’t required. Be aware, however, that no time will be spent reviewing programming basics, and the coding constructs won’t be explained at all. Therefore, you’ll need a functional competence in some form of programming.

You’ll find this book most useful if you’re an Objective-C developer, who has always wanted to dabble in OpenGL ES, or create your own game, but didn’t know where to start.

Each chapter builds on the previous chapter, examining and explaining a core part of game development as you build an iOS game.

Along the way, you’ll explore OpenGL ES and game development in a clear and accessible manner. You’ll learn the fundamentals of game creation, rather than exotic techniques or advanced methods.

This means that the game project you will build puts simplicity first. The code was intended to be easy to understand, and as such may not represent the most refined or fastest programming. But, it will get you from novice to game programmer as efficiently as possible.

Finally, although OpenGL ES 2.0 plays a key role in our game project, this book isn’t a detailed OpenGL guide. In fact, most of the OpenGL ES code is hidden behind Apple’s new GLKit framework. GLKit makes it possible to create games without being encumbered by the details of OpenGL ES.

When you finish the book, you’ll have a solid foundation in game development and design, and will be in a good place to begin creating your own best-selling game.