Scratchpad Games

The Fundamentals of C++ Game Development

Resources, downloads and community for Brian Beuken's game development books

Website Updates

UPDATE 15 May 2025: There are now a lot of Book 2 holding pages using a new template I've set up. The content is not currently all working and it's all WIP so don't expect too much functionality yet.

I had to nuke the forums again, sorry... but I think it's all fixed now and you can sign up and use them. We'll see how quick the trolls jump in.

I will be updating the Pi3 content 1st to make use of a new general template that allows for PC/Pi3 and PC/Pi4/Pi5 cross building. I can't do much about the deprecation of the 1st edition content, but I will try to explain how the new code can replace the old examples with mostly the same results.

A Pi3 (and 4/5 but with GLES2.0) test demo is currently available on the pi3 content page. You will need the latest Raspberry OS (Bookworm). It also runs on 99% of PCs.. instructions to come soon.

A new forum has been started. I will keep trying to recover the old one but I think it's beyond saving. The new Forum is here.

Press here to check out updates on latest Raspberry Pi Projects from Brian on my Patreon site (free to sign up).

Book Cover

Important Notice

The website is being reformatted. I will try to bring you the new version ASAP. In the meantime, contact Brian at brianbeuken5@gmail.com if you need help.

Website Rebuild in Progress

Notice: The website is undergoing rebuild. Not all content is in place or active at this point.

Scratchpad Games is the informal trading name for Game Developer, Brian Beuken. It is primarily here to provide support for his Fundamentals of C/C++ Game Programming books. The site contains useful tips and tricks, links to download code content and some video content on different aspects of the books.

Over time it should also include some project content from readers of the book and hopefully create a 1-stop resource for all new game programmers wishing to develop their skills.

About Brian Beuken

I've been writing Games for over 43(gulp) years, on all kinds of systems, and have over 75 projects published, some good, some bad, and a couple of bloody terrible ones, but when you are a contract coder you can't always get to pick the good titles. In that time I've built up a lot of experience which I now pass on to a new generation of coders by teaching at Breda University of Applied Sciences, IGAD program in Breda, The Netherlands, which has been my home since 2008. By teaching many 100's of brand new students I've found ways to get them interested and excited about coding and worked out ways to move them beyond just learning languages so they can start to understand and enjoy some of the more challenging aspects of game development.

In Feb/March 2018 My book, The Fundamentals of C/C++ Game Programming: Using Target-based Development on SBC's was released, which allowed me to share some of these teaching ideas and get more new game developers interested in the nuts and bolts of game development and not rely on Engines to do all the work for them.

In 2024, I was asked to update the book, and was very happy to do so, as the 1st edition sadly became a little outdated by the release of the Raspberry Pi4 which had a different graphic set up from the older Pi3. Much of the Pi3 content in the book has now deprecated for all but the most staunch lovers of the 2018-2020 era of Raspbian OS. The new book attempts to overcome that rapid deprecation, by having more generic code that does not depend on the Pi's specific graphic systems and with the addition of a PC build that emulates the Pi3/4/5 graphic methods.

The second edition is available in Sept/Oct 2025.

I have provided updated code content for the Pi3 for users of the 1st edition, which will allow them to continue to work through the book, even though the code is now a little different, the basic methods and frameworks remain much the same, so all we need is a little adaptability to work through the 1st edition and a few extra pages of specific Pi3 content on this site will explain where that adaptability is needed.

If you bought either book, please take the time to register on the forums, say hello, and feel free to ask for help if you need it. I will respond as quickly as I can to all questions.

Resources & Extras