This guide explains how to create sophisticated 2D computer games for the Web and the desktop using high performance Java techniques. The author introduces a Swing-based animation library, describes advanced graphics techniques, compares mechanisms for loading and saving game data within the various deployment frameworks, and documents a Java implementation of the A* artificial intelligence algorithm. HTTP tunneling, polling, and pulling are also discussed. Annotation ©2005 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)