Mastering Game Development with Unreal Engine 4, 2nd Edition
To make a basic combat game from scratch, you will quickly override existing UE4 classes, and add and implement simple C++ functions while running and building them. These are all discussed as a short summary for new developers and as a quick refresher for experienced developers. Next, you will build a combat player character with expanded controls, create logic for a character, swap weapons, attack and move, bridge over scene changes and transitions, retain data between scenes, and manage the scene-change process. You will then build an intelligent enemy AI and add physics based particles for weapon impacts. You will also get acquainted with cutting-edge features such as Volumetric Lightmaps for precomputed lighting, and Atmospheric and Volumetric Fog, to build advanced visuals in our ongoing GitHub project. Moving on, you will explore the tools required to build an in-game cut-scene for a more professional gameplay experience and story direction. Along the way, you will impl ...
To make a basic combat game from scratch, you will quickly override existing UE4 classes, and add and implement simple C++ functions while running and building them. These are all discussed as a short summary for new developers and as a quick refresher for experienced developers. Next, you will build a combat player character with expanded controls, create logic for a character, swap weapons, attack and move, bridge over scene changes and transitions, retain data between scenes, and manage the scene-change process. You will then build an intelligent enemy AI and add physics based particles for weapon impacts. You will also get acquainted with cutting-edge features such as Volumetric Lightmaps for precomputed lighting, and Atmospheric and Volumetric Fog, to build advanced visuals in our ongoing GitHub project. Moving on, you will explore the tools required to build an in-game cut-scene for a more professional gameplay experience and story direction. Along the way, you will impl ...
IBM Watson Projects
IBM Watson provides fast, intelligent insight in ways that the human brain simply can't match. Through eight varied projects, this book will help you explore the computing and analytical capabilities of IBM Watson. The book begins by refreshing your knowledge of IBM Watson's basic data preparation capabilities, such as adding and exploring data to prepare it for being applied to models. The projects covered in this book can be developed for different industries, including banking, healthcare, media, and security. These projects will enable you to develop an AI mindset and guide you in developing smart data-driven projects, including automating supply chains, analyzing sentiment in social media datasets, and developing personalized recommendations. By the end of this book, you'll have learned how to develop solutions for process automation, and you'll be able to make better data-driven decisions to deliver an excellent customer experience. ...
IBM Watson provides fast, intelligent insight in ways that the human brain simply can't match. Through eight varied projects, this book will help you explore the computing and analytical capabilities of IBM Watson. The book begins by refreshing your knowledge of IBM Watson's basic data preparation capabilities, such as adding and exploring data to prepare it for being applied to models. The projects covered in this book can be developed for different industries, including banking, healthcare, media, and security. These projects will enable you to develop an AI mindset and guide you in developing smart data-driven projects, including automating supply chains, analyzing sentiment in social media datasets, and developing personalized recommendations. By the end of this book, you'll have learned how to develop solutions for process automation, and you'll be able to make better data-driven decisions to deliver an excellent customer experience. ...
Complete Guide to Test Automation
Rely on this robust and thorough guide to build and maintain successful test automation. As the software industry shifts from traditional waterfall paradigms into more agile ones, test automation becomes a highly important tool that allows your development teams to deliver software at an ever-increasing pace without compromising quality. Even though it may seem trivial to automate the repetitive tester's work, using test automation efficiently and properly is not trivial. Many test automation endeavors end up in the "graveyard" of software projects. There are many things that affect the value of test automation, and also its costs. This book aims to cover all of these aspects in great detail so you can make decisions to create the best test automation solution that will not only help your test automation project to succeed, but also allow the entire software project to thrive. One of the most important details that affects the success of the test automation is how easy it is to m ...
Rely on this robust and thorough guide to build and maintain successful test automation. As the software industry shifts from traditional waterfall paradigms into more agile ones, test automation becomes a highly important tool that allows your development teams to deliver software at an ever-increasing pace without compromising quality. Even though it may seem trivial to automate the repetitive tester's work, using test automation efficiently and properly is not trivial. Many test automation endeavors end up in the "graveyard" of software projects. There are many things that affect the value of test automation, and also its costs. This book aims to cover all of these aspects in great detail so you can make decisions to create the best test automation solution that will not only help your test automation project to succeed, but also allow the entire software project to thrive. One of the most important details that affects the success of the test automation is how easy it is to m ...
Beginning AI Bot Frameworks
Want to build your first AI bot but don't know where to start? This book provides a comprehensive look at all the major bot frameworks available. You'll learn the basics for each framework in one place and get a clear picture for which one is best for your needs. Beginning AI Bot Frameworks starts with an overview of bot development and then looks at Google Wit.ai and APi.ai functions, IBM Watson, AWS bots with Lambda, FlockOS and TensorFlow. Additionally, it touches on Deep Learning and how bot frameworks can be extended to mixed reality with Hololens. By the end, you'll have mastered the different bot frameworks available and finally have the confidence to develop intelligent AI Chatbots of their own. Review key structural points for building bots; Understand the basic requirements for building a bot in each framework; Integrate some of the frameworks; Compare the features of each framework. ...
Want to build your first AI bot but don't know where to start? This book provides a comprehensive look at all the major bot frameworks available. You'll learn the basics for each framework in one place and get a clear picture for which one is best for your needs. Beginning AI Bot Frameworks starts with an overview of bot development and then looks at Google Wit.ai and APi.ai functions, IBM Watson, AWS bots with Lambda, FlockOS and TensorFlow. Additionally, it touches on Deep Learning and how bot frameworks can be extended to mixed reality with Hololens. By the end, you'll have mastered the different bot frameworks available and finally have the confidence to develop intelligent AI Chatbots of their own. Review key structural points for building bots; Understand the basic requirements for building a bot in each framework; Integrate some of the frameworks; Compare the features of each framework. ...
Hands-On Neural Network Programming with C#
Neural networks have made a surprise comeback in the last few years and have brought tremendous innovation in the world of artificial intelligence. The goal of this book is to provide C# programmers with practical guidance in solving complex computational challenges using neural networks and C# libraries such as CNTK, and TensorFlowSharp. This book will take you on a step-by-step practical journey, covering everything from the mathematical and theoretical aspects of neural networks, to building your own deep neural networks into your applications with the C# and .NET frameworks. This book begins by giving you a quick refresher of neural networks. You will learn how to build a neural network from scratch using packages such as Encog, Aforge, and Accord. You will learn about various concepts and techniques, such as deep networks, perceptrons, optimization algorithms, convolutional networks, and autoencoders. You will learn ways to add intelligent features to your .NET apps, such as ...
Neural networks have made a surprise comeback in the last few years and have brought tremendous innovation in the world of artificial intelligence. The goal of this book is to provide C# programmers with practical guidance in solving complex computational challenges using neural networks and C# libraries such as CNTK, and TensorFlowSharp. This book will take you on a step-by-step practical journey, covering everything from the mathematical and theoretical aspects of neural networks, to building your own deep neural networks into your applications with the C# and .NET frameworks. This book begins by giving you a quick refresher of neural networks. You will learn how to build a neural network from scratch using packages such as Encog, Aforge, and Accord. You will learn about various concepts and techniques, such as deep networks, perceptrons, optimization algorithms, convolutional networks, and autoencoders. You will learn ways to add intelligent features to your .NET apps, such as ...
Distributed Computing with Go
Distributed Computing with Go gives developers with a good idea how basic Go development works the tools to fulfill the true potential of Golang development in a world of concurrent web and cloud applications. Nikhil starts out by setting up a professional Go development environment. Then you'll learn the basic concepts and practices of Golang concurrent and parallel development. You'll find out in the new few chapters how to balance resources and data with REST and standard web approaches while keeping concurrency in mind. Most Go applications these days will run in a data center or on the cloud, which is a condition upon which the next chapter depends. There, you'll expand your skills considerably by writing a distributed document indexing system during the next two chapters. This system has to balance a large corpus of documents with considerable analytical demands. Another use case is the way in which a web application written in Go can be consciously redesigned to take dist ...
Distributed Computing with Go gives developers with a good idea how basic Go development works the tools to fulfill the true potential of Golang development in a world of concurrent web and cloud applications. Nikhil starts out by setting up a professional Go development environment. Then you'll learn the basic concepts and practices of Golang concurrent and parallel development. You'll find out in the new few chapters how to balance resources and data with REST and standard web approaches while keeping concurrency in mind. Most Go applications these days will run in a data center or on the cloud, which is a condition upon which the next chapter depends. There, you'll expand your skills considerably by writing a distributed document indexing system during the next two chapters. This system has to balance a large corpus of documents with considerable analytical demands. Another use case is the way in which a web application written in Go can be consciously redesigned to take dist ...
SQL Server Advanced Data Types
Deliver advanced functionality faster and cheaper by exploiting SQL Server's ever-growing amount of built-in support for modern data formats. Learn about the growing support within SQL Server for operations and data transformations that have previously required third-party software and all the associated licensing and development costs. Benefit through a better understanding of what can be done inside the database engine with no additional costs or development time invested in outside software. Widely used types such as JSON and XML are well-supported by the database engine. The same is true of hierarchical data and even temporal data. Knowledge of these advanced types is crucial to unleashing the full power that's available from your organization's SQL Server database investment. SQL Server Advanced Data Types explores each of the complex data types supplied within SQL Server. Common usage scenarios for each complex data type are discussed, followed by a detailed discussion on ...
Deliver advanced functionality faster and cheaper by exploiting SQL Server's ever-growing amount of built-in support for modern data formats. Learn about the growing support within SQL Server for operations and data transformations that have previously required third-party software and all the associated licensing and development costs. Benefit through a better understanding of what can be done inside the database engine with no additional costs or development time invested in outside software. Widely used types such as JSON and XML are well-supported by the database engine. The same is true of hierarchical data and even temporal data. Knowledge of these advanced types is crucial to unleashing the full power that's available from your organization's SQL Server database investment. SQL Server Advanced Data Types explores each of the complex data types supplied within SQL Server. Common usage scenarios for each complex data type are discussed, followed by a detailed discussion on ...
Hacking Product Design
Understand how designing a technology product in a startup environment is markedly different from product design at established companies. This book teaches product designers how to think and frame problems in the dynamic context of startups. You will discover how to enhance your soft skills that are often not taught, but are crucial to your success. In the emerging field of design for technology products, there are many books and resources covering the hard skills—such as visual design, interface design, prototyping, and motion design. These skills are necessary to design work; however, without an understanding of the true potential of design and the skills required to unleash that potential in a startup setting, the impact of design may remain at a production level and not reach a position where it can positively impact product strategy and the business bottom line. Hacking Product Design addresses that gap in knowledge. Gain foundational knowledge: know what startups are, t ...
Understand how designing a technology product in a startup environment is markedly different from product design at established companies. This book teaches product designers how to think and frame problems in the dynamic context of startups. You will discover how to enhance your soft skills that are often not taught, but are crucial to your success. In the emerging field of design for technology products, there are many books and resources covering the hard skills—such as visual design, interface design, prototyping, and motion design. These skills are necessary to design work; however, without an understanding of the true potential of design and the skills required to unleash that potential in a startup setting, the impact of design may remain at a production level and not reach a position where it can positively impact product strategy and the business bottom line. Hacking Product Design addresses that gap in knowledge. Gain foundational knowledge: know what startups are, t ...
Mastering Microsoft Power BI
This book is intended for business intelligence professionals responsible for the design and development of Power BI content as well as managers, architects and administrators who oversee Power BI projects and deployments. The chapters flow from the planning of a Power BI project through the development and distribution of content to the administration of Power BI for an organization. BI developers will learn how to create sustainable and impactful Power BI datasets, reports, and dashboards. This includes connecting to data sources, shaping and enhancing source data, and developing an analytical data model. Additionally, top report and dashboard design practices are described using features such as Bookmarks and the Power KPI visual. BI managers will learn how Power BI's tools work together such as with the On-premises data gateway and how content can be staged and securely distributed via Apps. Additionally, both the Power BI Report Server and Power BI Premium are reviewed. B ...
This book is intended for business intelligence professionals responsible for the design and development of Power BI content as well as managers, architects and administrators who oversee Power BI projects and deployments. The chapters flow from the planning of a Power BI project through the development and distribution of content to the administration of Power BI for an organization. BI developers will learn how to create sustainable and impactful Power BI datasets, reports, and dashboards. This includes connecting to data sources, shaping and enhancing source data, and developing an analytical data model. Additionally, top report and dashboard design practices are described using features such as Bookmarks and the Power KPI visual. BI managers will learn how Power BI's tools work together such as with the On-premises data gateway and how content can be staged and securely distributed via Apps. Additionally, both the Power BI Report Server and Power BI Premium are reviewed. B ...
Design, Launch, and Scale IoT Services
The Internet of Things is causing major industry disruption, so companies need to plan and manage their "IoT journey" to maximize all business opportunities. In this book companies can learn how to successfully create, launch and manage Internet of Things services. It takes the reader through the process of specifying, implementing, and deploying IoT services; detailing how to scale and manage an IoT business. It introduces the fundamentals of IoT services, explaining IoT service building blocks and the key factors to be considered in the design of IoT services. Moving into the IoT field requires speed. This book provides a fast track approach to IoT; summarizing the global experiences of the author, detailing the discussions, mistakes, successes, learnings and conclusions. Building an Internet of Things Service enables readers to accelerate their own on-boarding in their IoT journey. Create new IoT Services; Review the basic IoT concepts and business implications you need ...
The Internet of Things is causing major industry disruption, so companies need to plan and manage their "IoT journey" to maximize all business opportunities. In this book companies can learn how to successfully create, launch and manage Internet of Things services. It takes the reader through the process of specifying, implementing, and deploying IoT services; detailing how to scale and manage an IoT business. It introduces the fundamentals of IoT services, explaining IoT service building blocks and the key factors to be considered in the design of IoT services. Moving into the IoT field requires speed. This book provides a fast track approach to IoT; summarizing the global experiences of the author, detailing the discussions, mistakes, successes, learnings and conclusions. Building an Internet of Things Service enables readers to accelerate their own on-boarding in their IoT journey. Create new IoT Services; Review the basic IoT concepts and business implications you need ...