This invaluable textbook/reference provides a hands-on guide to the application of good software development practices to the construction of distributed simulation systems, with a particular focus on High Level Architecture (HLA). Emphasizing a learning-by-doing approach supported by examples, the text offers practical advice on real-world development issues for all engineers and programmers entering the field.Topics and features: explains how to rapidly develop an HLA federation, offering an implemented sample for each service area of the HLA federate interface specification; describes this implementation using the freely available software tools SimGe and RACoN; provides numerous step-by-step examples, code snippets, and case studies, as well as links to downloadable sample source code; uses the Microsoft .NET platform and the C# programming language in all examples and case studies; includes review questions throughout the book for further study; examines not only federate application development, but also object model construction; discusses the employment of HLA in multi-agent simulations. Providing an accessible introduction and all-in-one resource for HLA-based distributed simulation development, this book is an essential guide for students and practitioners training in distributed simulation and distributed interactive simulation.