Cocos2D Key Features
Still unsure if Cocos2D is right for you? Well, check out some of these amazing fea-
tures of Cocos2D that can make developing your next game a lot easier.
Actions
Actions are one of the most powerful features in Cocos2D. Actions allow you to move, scale, and manipulate sprites and other objects with ease. As an example, to
smoothly move a space cargo ship across the screen 400 pixels to the right in 5 seconds, all the code you need is:
CCAction *moveAction = [CCMoveBy actionWithDuration:5.0f
position:CGPointMake(400.0f,0.0f)];
[spaceCargoShipSprite runAction:moveAction];
That’s it; just two lines of code! Figure P.1 illustrates the moveAction on the space cargo ship.
There are many kinds of built-in actions in Cocos2D: rotate, scale, jump, blink, fade, tint, animation, and more. You can also chain actions together and call custom callbacks for neat effects with very little code.
Cocos2D makes it very easy to deal with text, which is important for games in menu systems, score displays, debugging, and more. Cocos2D includes support for embedded TrueType fonts and also a fast bitmap font-rendering system, so you can display text to the screen with just a few lines of code.
The sound engine included with Cocos2D allows for easy use of the power of OpenAL without having to dive into the lower level APIs. With Cocos2D’s sound engine, you can play background music or sound effects with just a single line of code!
tures of Cocos2D that can make developing your next game a lot easier.
Actions
Actions are one of the most powerful features in Cocos2D. Actions allow you to move, scale, and manipulate sprites and other objects with ease. As an example, to
smoothly move a space cargo ship across the screen 400 pixels to the right in 5 seconds, all the code you need is:
CCAction *moveAction = [CCMoveBy actionWithDuration:5.0f
position:CGPointMake(400.0f,0.0f)];
[spaceCargoShipSprite runAction:moveAction];
That’s it; just two lines of code! Figure P.1 illustrates the moveAction on the space cargo ship.
There are many kinds of built-in actions in Cocos2D: rotate, scale, jump, blink, fade, tint, animation, and more. You can also chain actions together and call custom callbacks for neat effects with very little code.
Cocos2D makes it very easy to deal with text, which is important for games in menu systems, score displays, debugging, and more. Cocos2D includes support for embedded TrueType fonts and also a fast bitmap font-rendering system, so you can display text to the screen with just a few lines of code.
An Extensive Effects Library
Cocos2D includes a powerful particle system that makes it easy to add cool effects such as smoke, fire, rain, and snow to your games. Also, Cocos2D includes built-in effects, such as f lip and fading, to transition between screens in your game.
Great for TileMap Games
The sound engine included with Cocos2D allows for easy use of the power of OpenAL without having to dive into the lower level APIs. With Cocos2D’s sound engine, you can play background music or sound effects with just a single line of code!
Two Powerful Physics Engines
Also bundled with Cocos2D are two powerful physics engines, Box2D and Chipmunk, both of which are fantastic for games. You can add a whole new level of realism to your games and create entire new gameplay types by using game physics—without having to be a math guru.