Mastering Android Game Development

by Raul Portales
Mastering Android Game Development cover
Good Books rating 3.88
Technology and Innovation
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Technical
  • ID: 5138
  • Added: 2025-10-22
  • Updated: 2025-12-21
  • ISBN: 9781785281365
  • Publisher: Packt Publishing Ltd
  • Published: 2015-06-30
  • Reviews: 4

Mastering Android Game Development is a progressive, hands-on guide that takes you through the process of creating highly interactive and complex Android games from scratch. Using a space shooter game as the example, you will learn all the aspects of game development, including frame-by-frame animations, resource animations, and creating beautiful and responsive menus and dialogs. You will also explore the different options for playing sound effects and music in Android, learn the basics of creating a particle system, and how to use the Leonids library. The book also covers configuring and using Google Play Services on the developer console and porting your game to the big screen. /n/n This book is designed for game developers who want to leverage the Android platform's tools, APIs, and services to ensure the success of their projects. It provides a comprehensive guide to developing games on Android, with a focus on practical, hands-on learning. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced developer, this book will help you take your Android game development skills to the next level.

Reviews
barnesandnoble.com · Unknown · 2025-10-23
unsettling 4.00

The reviewer found Life As We Knew It deeply unsettling and psychologically disturbing, with a slow-moving apocalypse that feels all too plausible. They appreciated Miranda's character growth and the book's timeliness, but cautioned that it might be too intense for younger readers with anxiety.

The reviewer revisited Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer, a book they first read as a teenager. They found the story, told through the diary entries of Miranda, to be deeply unsettling and psychologically disturbing. The slow-moving apocalypse, triggered by an asteroid hitting the moon, feels all too plausible and impactful. The reviewer drew parallels to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in a scene where Miranda and her family go panic-buying at a supermarket. They appreciated Miranda's character growth from a selfish teenager to a selfless young woman, and the book's timeliness. However, they cautioned that the book might be too intense for younger readers with anxiety, as it can give you nightmares, especially right now.

Quick quotes

    It’s deeply, deeply unsettling — one of the most psychologically disturbing stories I’ve ever read.

    This isn’t a sudden societal collapse. It’s a slow moving catastrophe that unfolds one day at a time.

    It’s also an incredibly timely read, one I would recommend to anyone — save for younger kids with anxiety like me. It might give you nightmares. Especially right now.

kobo.com · Unknown · 2025-10-23
fascinating 4.00

The reviewer finds 'Life as We Knew It' fascinating, particularly for its end-of-world dystopia theme, and praises its imagery and character development, despite some unrealistic elements and a simplified narrative for young adults. They highly recommend it and its sequel for fans of end-of-the-world fiction.

The reviewer has a deep appreciation for science fiction, especially end-of-world dystopias, and 'Life as We Knew It' by Susan Beth Pfeffer is their favorite in this genre. The book, which is the first in 'The Last Survivors' series, tells the story of a meteor impact that brings the moon closer to Earth, causing catastrophic natural disasters. The narrative is told through the diary entries of Miranda Evans, a 16-year-old girl struggling to survive in northeastern Pennsylvania. While the reviewer acknowledges that the story isn't very realistic and is somewhat simplified for young adults, they find the imagery and character development to be outstanding. They also note that the second book in the series, 'The Dead and the Gone,' offers a more mature perspective but still recommend both for fans of end-of-the-world fiction. The reviewer found comfort in the book's simple yet devastating plot and highly recommends it, despite its flaws.

Quick quotes

    The story isn’t very realistic and is dulled down at certain points to keep it within the limits of a young adult novel.

    The imagery and narrative of this novel are immaculate, and I love how each of the characters develop and adapt to the desperate times they are stuck in.

    This book certainly has its fall backs, but I’ve always found comfort in its simple concept, yet devastating plot.

goodreads.com · Unknown · 2025-10-23
good 3.00

The reviewer found the book to be a light read with a dodgy science plot, aimed at middle Americans. They noted the liberal and Christian characters were portrayed in a stereotypical manner, but the book was not overly threatening or controversial.

The reviewer enjoyed Life As We Knew It for its end-of-the-world premise, which is a genre they particularly like. They found the book to be a quick and easy read, though the science behind the plot was not very accurate. The reviewer noted that the book is aimed at a middle American audience and does not delve too deeply into complex scientific concepts. The characters, particularly the liberal mother and the Christian neighbors, were portrayed in a stereotypical manner, but the reviewer did not find this to be overly controversial or threatening. Overall, the book was seen as a light and unthreatening take on the end of the world, more suited for a younger audience.

Quick quotes

    There aren't many things that will induce me to read a YA novel nowadays. But I have a particular fondness for end-of-the-world stories, and Life As We Knew It (and its sequels) have gotten a fair amount of buzz, so I went ahead and plowed through it in short order, as it's a pretty light read.

    The science is pretty dodgy (the author admits here that she pretty much just handwaved it -- "All the science in LAWKI/d&g is consequence based").

    Seriously, one of the complaints in negative reviews is that the main character's mother is obviously a liberal and keeps bashing the President -- who is not named in the book, nor is his party, but it's obviously George Bush -- and that the Christians in the book are basically batshit.

O'Reilly · 2023-01-15
practical 4.50

This book is a step-by-step guide that takes a practical approach to game development. Each project is a game, making it highly interactive and engaging.

O'Reilly's review emphasizes the practical approach of this book, noting that each project is a game. This makes the learning process highly interactive and engaging. They appreciate the step-by-step guide, which is suitable for developers looking to build Android games from scratch. The book's focus on practical applications is particularly highlighted, making it a valuable resource for both intermediate and advanced developers.

Quick quotes

    A step-by-step guide to building Android games.

    Each project is a game, making it highly interactive.

    A practical approach that is both engaging and valuable.

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