Building Tower Defense Games
Building Tower Defense Games
Codeless Game Construction using Construct2 & Construct3
About the Book
Learn how to create Tower Defense (TD) online games using the techniques covered in this "Building Tower Defense" workshop. This comprehensive workbook guides you through the development of five TD games, along with a dozen additional ideas. The workbook includes source code for both Construct v3 and v2. It caters to both budding developers and seasoned pros eager to craft custom TD games, stunning artwork, and innovative features.
Upon completing the sequential lessons in this workbook, you will have a complete production pipeline to create as many "Tower Defense" games as your imagination allows!
This workshop's goal is to guide you in developing various styles of Tower Defense (TD) and "Anti-TD" game mechanics. We will explore these game mechanics, innovations, display features, and development methods to develop your own unique game(s). By the end of this workbook, you will have several fully functional TD games — not just replicas of my games, but your very own original creations using your customized gaming assets.
Additionally, a supporting website is available where you can download all the example content, instructor guides, and PowerPoint slides included with your chosen workbook edition.
The bonus content, downloadable examples, and source code references included in this workbook show you how to implement everything, allowing you to copy and paste any example into your projects and modify the artwork resources to suit your needs. General game licenses are provided with this book, enabling you to publish my Tower Defense game versions if you wish.
This comprehensive guide will teach you how to:
- Use Construct, whether it's version 2 or version 3.
- Integrate Tower Defense (TD) game mechanics into other genres, including RPGs, first-person shooters, educational content, and simulation development.
- Utilize your game as a Progressive Web Application (PWA) or Single Page Application (SPA) for any device.
- Analyze the current market demand for this genre of game and determine where to deploy it.
- Automatically generate a variety of Tower Defense game maps featuring different terrain elements.
About the Author
Team Discounts
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Table of Contents
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-
Preface
- Distribution Permission
- Forewords
- Disclosures
- Disclaimer
-
Workbook Content
- > For Patrons from Amazon and other Book Distributors
- > About this Workbook
- > How to Read & Use this workbook:
- > Viewing the eBook:
- > External Links
- > References Used
- Your newly obtained skills …
- More Resources
- Programming Courses
-
Preface
-
Making Innovative TD Games
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1 Introduction to Game Design
- 1.1 Approaching Game Development
- 1.2 Focusing Your Game
- 1.3 Developing Storylines & Gamer’s Avatar
- 1.4 Designing The User Interface (UI)
- 1.5 Formulating Good Gameplay
- 1.6 Developing The Logic
- 1.7 Writing The Source Code
- 1.8 Checking For Errors
- 1.9 Preparing For Distribution
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2 “Tower Defense” Concepts & Design
- 2.1 Our Goal
- 2.2 Typical TD Gaming Features
- 2.3 TD Historical Evolution
-
2.4 TD Artwork & Development Kits
- > FREE “Ultimate Tower Defense” v2.0 Template
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2.5 Reviewing the TD Gaming Market
- > Top TD Competitors’ Games
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2.6 Game Mechanics (GM) — Logic & Rules
- > Participation Modes
- > Perspective Modes
- > Gameboard Development
- 2.7 Game Mechanics (GM) — Data Structure
- 2.8 Game Framework Display Mechanisms
- 2.9 Innovative Feature Recommendations
- 2.10 Conclusion: “What & How”
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1 Introduction to Game Design
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Part II: Starting a C2 Project
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3 Lesson 1: C2 “TD” Project
- 3.1 About Your Project
- 3.2 Project Settings:
- 3.3 Configuration Settings
-
3.4 Design Considerations: CMS, PWA, or SWPA?!
- > Creating a C2 SWPA Game Version?
- > Creating a C2 CMS or PWA Game Version?
- > CMS edition
- 3.5 Season to Taste …
- 3.6 Comparing your code
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3 Lesson 1: C2 “TD” Project
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Part III: Starting a C3 Project
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4 Lesson 1: C3 “TD” Project
- 4.1 About Your Project
- 4.2 Project Settings: Color Theme, Start-up & Display
- 4.3 Configuration Settings: Advanced & Editor
-
4.4 Design Considerations: CMS, PWA, or SWPA?!
- > Creating a C3 SWPA Game Version?
- > Creating a C3 CMS or PWA Game Version?
- > CMS edition
- 4.5 Season to Taste …
- 4.6 Comparing your code
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4 Lesson 1: C3 “TD” Project
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Part IV: Production
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5 Tower Defense (TD) Gaming Series
- 5.1 Game Descriptions
- 5.2 Tower Defense Gaming Series — “Elevator Speech”
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6 Lesson 2: “Typical” TD Game Mechanics
- 6.1 Required TD Foundation
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6.2 Gameplay Layout
- > User Interface (UI)
- > Background Theme
- > Deeper Dive: “Tiled Background” Design Consideration
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6.3 Gameplay Event Sheet
- > Global Variables
- > Event #1 “On start of layout”
- > Events #2 To #9 — AIBot controller
- > Events #10 To #14 — AI turret control
- 6.4 Comparing your code
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7 Adding “Innovative” TD Features
- 7.1 (Optional) Configuration Layout
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7.2 Generating Dynamic Paths & “Mazes”
- > Using “Tilemaps”
- > Generating Random Mazes
- > Multiple Entrances with Single Destination
- > Multiple Entrances & Destinations
- > Advanced “A*” Open Pathfinding
- 7.3 TD Map Editor!
- 7.4 Elite & “Boss” Units Group
- 7.5 Power Up Management Group
- 7.6 Elite Defensive Turrets Group
- 7.7 “Bi-directional” — Multi-Player Gameplay Group!
- 7.8 Changing Game Perspectives Group
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5 Tower Defense (TD) Gaming Series
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Part V: Example Templates
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8 US Civil War — “Battle of the Crater™”
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8.1 Design Considerations
- > Historical References
-
8.2 Gameplay Layout
- > User Interface (UI)
- > Background Theme
-
8.3 Gameplay Event Sheet
- > Global Variables
- > Event #1 “On start of layout”
- > Events #3 To #23 AIBot Controller
- > Event #25 To #37 AI CSA Fire Control
- > Event #41 To #51 User Interface (Taps & Clicks)
- > Event #52 To #60 User Interface (roll-overs)
- > Event #61 To #76 Supporting Functions
- 8.4 Comparing your code
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8.1 Design Considerations
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9 “Maginot Line Defense™”
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9.1 Design Considerations — “Bi-directional” TD
- > Prohibited Gaming Symbols & Icons
- > Historical References
- > Published “Wargame” References
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9.2 Game Flow Sequence & Layouts
- > User Interface (UI)
- > Background Theme
-
9.3 Gameplay Event Sheet
- > Global Variables
- > Event #1 “On start of layout”
- > Event #2 “Game Exit” (Quit!)
- > Events #3 to #77 — Game Mechanics (GM) Groups
- > Events #3 to #22 — AIBot Controller
- > Optional Behavior Design for German Regiments!
- > Events #23 to #29 — AIBot Fire Control
- > Events #40 to #42 — AIBot Panzer Combat Control
- > Events #43 to #53 — UI Taps & Clicks
- > Events #54 to #62 — UI Touch & Roll-over
- > Events #63 to #77 — Supporting Functions
- 9.4 Comparing your code
-
9.1 Design Considerations — “Bi-directional” TD
-
10 “Helm’s Deep” — Lord of the Rings!
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10.1 Design Considerations
- > Published References
- > Published Games
- > Terrain Features and Battle’s Timeline
- > Additional Innovations …
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10.2 Gameplay Layout
- > User Interface (UI)
- > Background Theme
-
10.3 Gameplay Event Sheet
- > Global Variables
- > Overview of “Game Mechanics” (GM) Groups
- > Event #1 to #3 — “On start of layout”
- > Events #4 to #8 — Saruman’s Berserk Bomber
- > Events #9 to #16 — King Théoden’s Sortie
- > Events #17 to #23 — Gandalf & Rohirrim Cavalry
- > Events #25 to #35 — (Optional) Dunlendings Regiments
- > Events #36 to #38 — Saruman’s Regiments Generation
- > Events #39 to #42 — AI Missile Fire Control
- > Events #58 to #68 — UI Taps & Clicks
- > Events #69 to #77 — UI Touch & Roll-over
- 10.4 Comparing your code
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10.1 Design Considerations
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11 “ANTI” Tower Defense
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11.1 Design Considerations
- > Target Audience
- > Basic Foundation Structure
- > Game Perspectives
- > Gameboard “Maze”
- > Artwork
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11.2 Gameplay Sequence & Layouts
- > Encounter Layouts — 2 Prototype Engines
- > User Interface (UI)
- > Background Theme
-
11.3 Gameplay Event Sheet
- > Global Variables
- > Event #1 “On start of layout”
- 11.4 Comparing your code
-
11.1 Design Considerations
-
8 US Civil War — “Battle of the Crater™”
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Starting Your Game Studio!
- 12 One “GM” to Rule them all!
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13 Capstone “Practicum”
- 13.1 Reality Themes!
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13.2 Historical Themes!
- > Battle of Little Big Horn — “Custer’s Last Stand”
- > “Luftwaffe” Raids
- > Battle of the Bulge
- > Napoleon at “Borodino”
- > Napoleon at “Waterloo”
- > Battle of Agincourt
- > Battle of the Alamo
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13.3 Fantasy Themes
- > Chronicles of Narnia — The Last Battle
- > Battle of the Five Armies (Lord of the Rings)
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13.4 ANTI-Tower Defense Themes
- > Death Star (Star Wars)
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14 What’s next?
- 14.1 Game Distribution & Marketing
- 14.2 Introduction: 8-Step Deployment Method.
- 14.3 Port to a Console
- 14.4 Selling Directly — The Advantages
- 14.5 Book Review Protocol
- 14.6 Tell the world about your game!
- 15 Conclusion
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Appendix — Reviving Former TD Games
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Atari’s Ramparts (circa. 1990)
- Construct’s “Rampart” Version
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Desktop Tower Defense
- Construct’s “Desktop Tower Defense” Version
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Flash Elements TD
- Construct’s “Elements TD” Version
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Atari’s Ramparts (circa. 1990)
- Notes
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