The Web Game Developer's Cookbook: Using JavaScript and HTML5 to Develop Games

Want to start building great web games with HTML5 and JavaScript? Moving from Flash or other game platforms?  Already building HTML5 games and want to get better and faster at it? This guide brings together everything you need: expert guidance, sample projects, and working code!

Evan Burchard walks you step-by-step through quickly building 10 popular types of games. Each chapter implements  a game within a well-understood genre; introduces a different free, open source, and easy-to-use HTML5 game engine; and is accompanied with full JavaScript source code listings.

Each game recipe uses tested and well-proven patterns that address the development challenges unique to that genre, and shows how to use existing tools and engines to build complete substantial game projects in just hours.  Need a quick JavaScript primer? Evan Burchard provides that, too!

Coverage includes

•    Mastering an essential HTML5/JavaScript game development toolset: browser, text editor, terminal,  JavaScript console, game engine, and more

•    Accelerating development with external libraries and proven patterns

•    Managing browser differences between IE, Firefox, and Chrome

•    Getting up to speed on web development with a QUIZ game built with JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and JQuery

•    Creating INTERACTIVE FICTION “gamebooks” that leverage new CSS3 features and impress.js

•    Building PARTY games around the lightweight atom.js engine

•    Developing PUZZLE games with the easel.js graphics rendering engine

•    Writing PLATFORMERS with melon.js and its integrated tilemap editor

•    Coding intense 2-player FIGHTING games for web browsers with game.js

•    Building a SPACE SHOOTER with the jQuery-based gameQuery game engine

•    Implementing pseudo-3D techniques like ray casting for an FPS (First Person Shooter) style game

•    Producing a 16 bit RPG (Role Playing Game) complete with interfaces for dialog, inventories,  and turn-based battles with enchant.js

•    Building an isometric RTS (Real Time Strategy) game that incorporates server components along with  node.js, socket.io, and crafty.js

•    Engaging players with content that encourages exploration

Turn to The Web Game Developer’s Cookbook for proven, expert answers–and the code you need to implement them. It’s all you need to jumpstart any web game project!

Evan Burchard recognizes that he is not the first or last person driven to learn programming by an interest in creating games, and seeks to empower others to take full advantage of the modern, free, and game-friendly web. In addition to designing games with electricity, ice, fire, and the latest browser technologies, he enjoys extremely long walks (his current record is Massachusetts to Iowa).