Table of Contents
Forewords xi
Acknowledgments xiii
Introduction xvii
1 Get Kodu: Download and Installation 1
Downloading Kodu 1
Installing Kodu 4
Checking Whether Kodu Installed Properly 7
Adding a Game Controller 8
Moving On 10
2 Explore Kodu Game Lab: Basic User Controls and Tools 11
Opening the Kodu Game Lab 11
Navigating a New World 14
The Tools 15
Objects 22
Placing Objects on the Terrain 22
Changing an Object’s Characteristics 25
Rotating an Object 29
Moving On 31
3 Take a Test Drive: Controlling Objects and Terrain 33
Programming an Object to Move and Jump 33
Taking Rover for a Spin 45
Adding More Terrain 47
Changing the Terrain Color/Material 51
Save Your Progress 54
Moving On 55
4 Missiles Locked and Loaded: Adding Targets and Firing Controls 57
Adding Nonmoving Obstacles 58
Making Objects Disappear 60
Here Come the Missiles 67
Changing a Game Setting 70
Having Fun with Settings 73
Save Your Progress 75
Moving On 76
5 Player 1 Versus Player 2: Adding Players and Awarding Points 79
Basic Game Elements 79
Keeping Score 80
Configuring the Scorekeeping 81
Awarding Points 85
Testing the Scorekeeping 88
Creating Different Point Awards 89
Adding a Second Player 95
Moving On 101
6 Build Your Own World: Moving Mountains and Painting Terrain 103
It’s Not All About the Objects 103
The Ground Brush 105
Changing the Brush Shape 107
The Magic Brush 113
Mountains and Molehills 115
Brush Shape Options 117
Smoothing or Roughing Terrain 120
Much More World Building to Come 122
Moving On 122
7 Difficult Targets to Hit: Increasing Game Difficulty and Path Following 125
Increasing the Difficulty Level 125
Where Did That Target Go? 126
Random Movement 130
Path Following 133
Run Away! 142
Score Programming 146
Moving On 150
8 Dangerous Targets: Programming Enemies That Fire Back 151
Targets That Fight Back 151
Saucers Go Boom 152
Game Over? 161
Return Fire 171
Moving On 173
9 Grab That Power Up: Using Pages for More Complex Programs 175
Changing the Game Conditions 175
Game Changer 1: Put Time Back on Clock 177
Turn the Page 179
Game Changer 2: Decrease Smart Saucer Speed 181
Game Changer 3: Heal with Health Trees 191
Moving On 196
10 The Cameras Are Rolling: Camera Controls for Solo and Multiplayer Games 197
It’s All About Your Point of View 197
Strange World 198
Camera Modes 200
Fixed Position 200
Fixed Offset 206
Free 210
In-Game Camera Changes 213
Moving On 219
11 Good Game Design, Part 1: Tips and Tricks for Better Game Programming 221
World Design: Tips and Tricks 222
Game Management: Tips and Tricks 231
Object Programming: Tips and Tricks 235
Moving On 244
12 Adding Conversations and In-Game Instructions 245
Add Fun Sounds to an Object 245
Chit-Chat Between Objects 248
Nontimed Conversations 263
Adding In-Game Instructions 266
Moving On 269
13 World Design: Creating Environmental Special Effects 271
Your World’s Terrain and Sky Color Effects 271
Do You Need a Breeze or a Hurricane? 277
Lakes and Rivers 280
Objects and Water 289
Moving On 291
14 Games Should Be Heard: Programming Music and Sound Effects 293
Adding a Game Music Soundtrack 294
Programming Background Noise for Your World 300
Adding Sound Effects 303
Using Sound Effects for Player Conditions 309
Moving On 314
15 Good Game Design, Part 2: More Tips and Tricks for Great Games 315
Better Game Programming 315
More World Design Tips and Tricks 316
The Maze 316
The Stadium 320
More Game Management Tips and Tricks 322
More Object Programming Tips and Tricks 327
Moving On 334
16 The Role of the Storyteller: Scripting Cut-Scenes Between Game Action 337
Scripting a Cut-Scene 338
Adding a Camera 339
Scripted Conversation 344
Scripted Movement 348
The Second Conversation 352
Game Cleanup 356
Hiding Scoreboards 356
Making Sticks Invisible 357
Moving On 358
17 The Big Bag of Tricks 361
Programming Features You Might Not Have Discovered 361
Modifying Terrain Edit Speed 362
Controlling Score Visibility 363
The Great and Powerful Rock 365
Using Description to Hold Comments 366
Using Say Tiles to Hold Comments 370
Using the Inline Tile to Save Time 372
Using Multiple Game Controllers 374
Configuring Missile Control 378
Moving On 380
18 Join the Community: Online Help and Sharing Games 381
The Kodu Game Lab Website 381
Home 382
Worlds 383
About 385
Discussion 388
The Kodu Community Forum 389
Creating a LiveID Account 390
Posting Comments, Questions, and Answers 391
Sharing Your Games 397
Moving On 401
19 Good Game Design, Part 3: Giving Players a Great Experience 403
Giving Players a Great Experience 404
Game Design 404
Game World Planning 406
Game Rules and Objectives 409
Balancing Fun and Difficulty 414
Moving On 416
20 Sample Game 1: A One-Player Shooter 417
Game 1 Overview 417
Creating The Amazing Maze Chase 418
Programming the Game 423
Programming Cycle 423
Adding a Trap 427
Adding an Enemy 429
Ending the Game 429
Improving the Game 431
Time Limit 431
Enemy Chasers 431
Keys/Quest Items 431
Scoring 431
A Cheat Button 431
Two Players 432
Devious Maze 432
The Invisible Hunter 432
Moving On 432
21 Sample Game 2: Two-Player Competition 433
Game 2 Overview 433
Creating Blip Bam Boom 434
Programming the Game 437
Programming the Rovers and Coin Creatable 437
Programming the Saucers 438
Programming the Kodus 440
Improving the Game 446
Enlarging the Game World 446
Imposing a Time Limit 446
Adding a Super Recharger 447
Using Power-Ups 447
Encouraging Duels 447
Providing Missiles 447
Deploying Decoys 447
A Game of Chase 448
Moving On 448
22 Sample Game 3: On a Mission 449
Game 3 Overview 449
Creating The Dune Treasure 450
Programming the Game 456
How Power-Ups Work 456
Program a Power-Up 458
Improving the Game 461
Including a Wandering Boss 461
Adding Healing Water 461
Defeating an Unfriendly Saucer 462
Using Mystery Power-Ups 462
Creating Boss Minions 462
Introducing a Super Boss 462
Changing Terrain 462
Adding Scoring 462
Moving On 463
23 Sample Game 4: The Side-Scroller Experience 465
Sample Game 4 Overview 465
Creating Octo’s Aquarium 467
Programming the Game 471
Programming Octo 473
Programming the Creatables 477
Programming the Fans 478
Improving the Game 480
Including Underwater Weapons 480
Enabling Ink Clouds 480
Introducing Healing Starfish 480
Don’t Forget Music 481
Getting There and Back 481
You Sank My Ship!. 481
Creating an Invisible Maze 481
Using Depth Charges 481
Moving On 482
24 Closing Thoughts and Challenges 483
Consider All You’ve Learned 483
Where to Go from Here 484
A Challenge for You 486
Moving On 486
A The Kodu Developers 489
Stephen Coy 489
Matt MacLaurin 490
Mark Finch 492
Michael Miller 493
Index 495
