6.4. Vertical Scrolling Arcade Games

Learning Objectives

When you have finished this section, you should be able to:

1. Explain what a vertical scroller game engine is and why it is needed.
2. Create maps in mappy for a vertical scroller game engine.
3. Build a vertical scroller game engine.
4. Write a vertical scrolling shooter program.

Required Tasks

1. Study Chapter 15, Vertical Scrolling Arcade Games, in the eTextbook.
2. Study the VerticalScroller program to learn how to make a basic vertical scroller game engine.
3. Carefully study the Warbirds Pacifica game program to get a close look at how vertical scrolling shooters are built.
4. Complete the Chapter 15 quiz, and check your answers in Appendix A.

Files (VerticalScroller, Warbirds)

Optional Tasks

1. Load the Warbirds Pacifica game into your IDE, build it, and play with it.
2. Try to modify the game by introducing some differences that would be attractive to players.