Data Structures and Algorithms for Game Programming in C++

Write high-performance code and solve game development challenges with expert-led C++ solutions

Publisher:Packt Publishing Limited

By: Zhenyu George Li, Charles Shih-I Yeh and Dr. E. Wyn Roberts

Paid access

|Jun 2025

E-Book €29.99Institutions €128.95

Description

Explore expert techniques in C++ to tackle performance bottlenecks, AI logic, and rendering issues for smoother, smarter, and scalable game development

Key Features

Solve real-world game dev problems with expert C++ data structures and algorithms
Learn through practical, executable code instead of abstract theory or pseudocode
Build responsive, high-performance games with advanced rendering and AI techniques
Print or Kindle purchase includes a free PDF eBook

Book Description

Game development demands performance-driven solutions—from rendering complex 3D scenes to managing AI behavior and handling animations. This hands-on book guides you in solving these challenges using high-performance C++ data structures and algorithms. The authors distill their decades of combined industry experience to help you apply practical C++ techniques to create smooth, scalable, and intelligent games. Instead of pseudocode or abstract theory, you’ll work with real, executable examples that translate directly to your projects. Demos in this book have been developed based on raylib library, providing accessible and efficient foundations for learning.
Opening with a structured overview of algorithmic thinking in C++ game development, the book covers advanced algorithms and their applications in real-world game scenarios. You’ll implement data structures that optimize game functionality, solve algorithmic problems efficiently, and enhance gameplay with robust AI and rendering techniques. In addition, the key focus is collision detection, 2D/3D rendering, animation, camera controls, and machine learning-driven AI, all through practical, executable C++ code.
By the end of this book, you’ll be able to confidently apply advanced C++ techniques to develop efficient, scalable, and feature-rich gameplay systems for modern games.

What you will learn

Apply data structures and algorithms to solve real game development problems
Apply rendering techniques, such as shader, lighting, soft shadow, particles, and quad-tree terrain
Build dynamic camera systems like third-person, rail, top-down, and split-screen views
Animate skeletal characters using interpolation and inverse kinematics
Implement NPC AI with FSM, behavior tree, A* pathfinding, and steering
Explore ML with neural networks in a hands-on AI turret defense project
Performance and memory optimization using techniques like object pooling and LOD

Who this book is for

This book is for experienced game programmers, technical artists, and developers looking to refine their skills through real-world C++ solutions. A foundational understanding of C++, data structures, and core game development principles will be beneficial. Whether you want to deepen your expertise or are looking for a reliable reference guide, this book will be your trusted companion in building better games.