I bought this book for three reasons. First, it was highly rated and well-reviewed. Second, it was the 2nd Edition (Updated for XNA 4.0) and the 1st edition was also highly rated and well-reviewed. Third, it specifically mentions 2D development.
I was not disappointed.
The book reads easily, and has no typo's so fallowing each chapter as written end in completed works with little trouble. The authors sense of humor shows occasionally but with good taste and only to offer added emphasis to points made. So as a whole this is a book full of very little filler, mostly good information. I was happy to have purchased it and very happy after completing it... That is, until I started to take what I leaned in it and apply it to my own game idea(s)... I quickly found that there are a few very specific details that are never touched upon, that many would expect when making a modern PC game.
It is the lack of these details that force me to give this a 4 out of 5 stars...
Cons: (For 2D Games)
- No 2D Matrix Transform lessons. (Manipulating the View Port directly)
- No camera control with mouse. (Grab & Drag, Zoom to Cursor, Click & Center, or even Mouse wheel Zoom)
- No screen selection by mouse. (Individual or group select by L-click and drag)
- No GUI (Graphical Use Interface) lessons, past putting the score & number of lives on screen.
- No tile based world lessons. (Used in nearly every 2D game today, ie: platformers and RPG's)
While this is a relatively small number of issues, and does not take into account 3D development, I still found it necessary to come here and write this review in hopes of better informing anyone looking to purchase this. If you intend to develop 2D games (which is pretty much what you have to do as an independent developer) you may want to consider the lack of some of the more significant features in modern 2D games.