Become a professional video game programmer! Codex Ludorum is an accessible, educational, and effective method for learning the basics of professional video game programming in C++, whether you are a motivated student, high schooler, or middle schooler, or a computer scientist transitioning to the video game industry.

Professional video game programming is a specific discipline: it requires the use of the C++ language as well as the knowledge of algorithms created by generations of programmers. Written by a professor in this field, this book aims to provide access to it using a pedagogy proven by years of teaching. It helps high schoolers and students with their career orientation by allowing them to experience the practical fundamentals of the profession of professional game programmer.

Starting from the assumption that you are a beginner, the book guides you in acquiring the necessary knowledge and creating different game projects, from the simplest to the most complex. By the end of your reading, you will know the important concepts of programming and have coded six games.

The goal of this book is to set you on the right path by teaching you the universal basics of this discipline. Once set in the right direction, your skill will naturally grow with each experience.

Gaëtan Blaise-Cazalet is an engineer, programmer, and video game designer, as well as the educational manager of the Programming specialization at ARTFX school. His former students now work in prestigious studios such as Ubisoft, Gearbox Interactive, Dont Nod, Virtuos, Sloclap...

This book contains:

• A simple and gradual introduction to C++, avoiding unnecessary difficulties for beginners;
• Exercises to practice C++ before starting to program games;
• Step-by-step methods to program six complete 2D games, from the simplest to the most complex:
  • Pong,
  • Brick Breaker,
  • A text-based adventure game with multiple choices,
  • A lunar module landing simulation game,
  • Snake
  • A horizontal shoot-'em-up game with scrolling backgrounds and particles.
• Small exercises to practice as you progress, with their solutions;
• For each chapter: a technical sheet summarizing the learnings;
• A conclusion showing you how to create new, more complex games by combining the games taught in the book.