How To Create a “Select Levels Games” using JavaFX?

Are you ready to take your JavaFX skills to the next level? In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of creating a “Select Levels Games” using JavaFX. Yes, you read that right – we’ll be building a game that lets users select different levels to play! So, buckle up and let’s get started.

What You’ll Need

Before we dive into the coding part, make sure you have the following:

• Java Development Kit (JDK) installed on your computer
• Eclipse or any other IDE of your choice
• A basic understanding of Java and JavaFX

Understanding the Game Structure

Our “Select Levels Games” will consist of three main components:

1. Main Menu: This is where the user will select the level they want to play.
2. Level Selection Screen: This screen will display the available levels, and the user can select one to play.
3. Game Screen: This is where the actual game will be played.

Main Menu

The main menu will contain a button that says “Select Level”. When the user clicks on this button, they will be taken to the Level Selection Screen.

// Create a button
Button selectLevelButton = new Button("Select Level");

// Add an event handler to the button
selectLevelButton.setOnAction(e -> {
    // Show the Level Selection Screen
    levelSelectionScene.setVisible(true);
});

Level Selection Screen

The Level Selection Screen will display a list of available levels. We’ll use a ListView to display the levels.

// Create a ListView
ListView<String> levelListView = new ListView<>();

// Add some sample levels to the ListView
levelListView.getItems().addAll("Level 1", "Level 2", "Level 3", "Level 4", "Level 5");

// Add an event handler to the ListView
levelListView.getSelectionModel().selectedItemProperty().addListener((obs, oldVal, newVal) -> {
    // Get the selected level
    String selectedLevel = levelListView.getSelectionModel().getSelectedItem();
    
    // Show the Game Screen with the selected level
    gameScreen(selectedLevel);
});

Game Screen

The Game Screen is where the actual game will be played. We’ll create a simple game that displays a message based on the selected level.

// Create a label to display the message
Label messageLabel = new Label("");

// Create a method to show the Game Screen with the selected level
private void gameScreen(String selectedLevel) {
    // Clear the Game Screen
    gameScene.getRoot().getChildren().clear();
    
    // Set the message based on the selected level
    switch (selectedLevel) {
        case "Level 1":
            messageLabel.setText("You selected Level 1!");
            break;
        case "Level 2":
            messageLabel.setText("You selected Level 2!");
            break;
        // Add more cases for each level
    }
    
    // Add the label to the Game Screen
    gameScene.getRoot().getChildren().add(messageLabel);
}

Putting it All Together

Now that we have the individual components, let’s put them together to create the complete game.

// Create the Main Menu
Scene mainMenuScene = new Scene(new VBox(selectLevelButton), 300, 200);

// Create the Level Selection Screen
Scene levelSelectionScene = new Scene(new VBox(levelListView), 300, 200);

// Create the Game Screen
Scene gameScene = new Scene(new VBox(), 300, 200);

// Show the Main Menu
primaryStage.setScene(mainMenuScene);
primaryStage.show();

Running the Game

Run the game by clicking on the “Run” button in your IDE or by executing the JavaFX application from the command line.

Step	Action
1	Click on the “Select Level” button in the Main Menu.
2	Select a level from the Level Selection Screen.
3	The Game Screen will display a message based on the selected level.

Conclusion

And that’s it! You’ve successfully created a “Select Levels Games” using JavaFX. Pat yourself on the back, because you’ve just taken a major step in becoming a JavaFX master.

Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg. You can add more features, levels, and complexity to your game as you see fit. The possibilities are endless!

Bonus Materials

Want to take your game to the next level? Here are some bonus materials to get you started:

• JavaFX CSS Reference: Learn how to style your game with CSS.
• JavaFX Samples: Explore more JavaFX examples and samples.
• JavaFX on Stack Overflow: Get answers to your JavaFX questions from the community.

Happy coding, and remember to have fun!

Frequently Asked Question

Are you ready to level up your JavaFX game development skills? Here are the answers to the most frequently asked questions about creating a “Select Levels” game using JavaFX: