Android Mobile Game Development

When I first started this blog, I was most interested in creating PC games using C++ with Direct3D, part of the DirectX suite from Microsoft. After a couple projects on my own, I started working with a team of guys interested in developing for the XBox 360 (and PC) using the C# language and the XNA Game Studio engine/framework. Now that our tower defense game project is winding down, and having recently purchased a Kindle Fire, I'm considering creating an Android game I can play on the Fire.

In the past couple years I've held off on learning an engine in the interest of "knowing how things work under the hood". So I think it's definitely time to learn an engine or two. I'm not sure if Android development is the right path for me, but here's a quick collection of notes based on the article Android Game Elements and Tools to get me started. Hopefully it will help some new Android developers out there too; just be sure to check out the article if you need more detailed instructions on getting things set up.

• Develop Java code in the Eclipse IDE.
• The Java code will run in the Dalvik virtual machine on Android devices.
• Learn the Android SDK at developer.android.com.
• Set up an Android Virtual Device (AVD) to run the program in an emulator.
• Use the AndEngine game engine.
• Use the Java port of the Box2D physics engine. JBox2D is included in AndEngine.
• Use free tools Inkscape and GIMP for graphics.
• Use free tools Audacity and MuseScore for sound effects and music, respectively.