Engine-design related questions. How code is structured.
5
votes
3answers
382 views
Why should I use separate initialization and clean up methods instead of putting logic in the constructor and destructor for engine components?
I'm working on my own game engine and I am currently designing my managers. And I've read that for memory management using Init() and CleanUp() functions are better then using Constructors and ...
0
votes
2answers
313 views
adventure game architecture
I would like to make an adventure type game functioning similarly to machinarium or broken sword. The only way I can think of doing this is to draw an image as a background on a canvas and use some ...
4
votes
2answers
276 views
Game state management: the buck doesn't stop “here” soon enough
I realize there are already many Q&As on this site about GameState/GameScreen management, state machines, state stacks, etc. This question is meant as a follow-up:
Suppose hypothetically I ...
1
vote
2answers
176 views
How to store different abilities in player class?
So, I have a player class with basic actions.
During the gameplay he unlocks new abilities.
I don't know how to store new actions within the player class.
To be precise - I know how, but my method ...
-1
votes
1answer
353 views
How to store data in a data-driven RPG [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Would it be better to use XML/JSON/Text or a database to store game content?
I'm working on a 2D data-driven RPG. I intend for it to be modabble; my intention is to ...
1
vote
3answers
209 views
Actors with multiple Textures - class Hierarchy?
In my 2D side-scroller game I have a bunch of actors being drawn, each of which has a single, non-animated Texture (a png image). These actors all inherit from a base GameActor class.
I want to add ...
1
vote
1answer
169 views
Server architecture software side
I'm making a game some like Terraria. I have a couple of prototypes, but most of them use a "entity-component-system"(ESC) and some custom terrain implementation. Now I've reached the part where I ...
1
vote
4answers
428 views
What is a good way to load more than a million images for a collectible card game?
I'm using C# with MonoGame and I'm wondering what would be an efficient way to load more than a million card images for a collectible card game. More cards would be continuously added in future ...
13
votes
5answers
736 views
Dictionary of common names for code objects
I'm looking for a common dictionary of terms (much like design patterns have a common language for how things interact) that are specific to games.
For instance, if I'm making a game of pong with a ...
0
votes
0answers
64 views
Using boost function to wrap execution of a boost signals2 signal
I am considering using the boost library to design a simple yet effective callback event notification framework for my game application. The idea is that objects that can raise events would have a ...
1
vote
0answers
103 views
What part of my engine should load images and fonts?
Right now, I have an AssetLoader interface, which has one implementation per platform. There can only be one instance of it, because it has some state (e.g. the path to the APK on Android).
It has ...
3
votes
2answers
652 views
Tips for Component Based Entity System message handling
I'm trying to implement a component-based entity system but am a bit confused on how I should handle the messaging. There are two problems I'd like to resolve so I can test the system. Below is the ...
-4
votes
1answer
111 views
What's an effective way to manage special effects? [closed]
I'm having issues with graphical things like flying bullets, explosions, etc that are only created and played on the client side. In my current turn-based games effects are managed by the actions ...
1
vote
1answer
144 views
Alternative to JSF for browser-based 4X game [closed]
I intend to make browser based MMO game. Something from Master of Orion genre but with more accent on command ship operations.
I've done some tests and research and turns out that indeed, for ...
0
votes
2answers
122 views
Good Tools & Methodologies for designing Game Arch
I'm currently developing a multiplayer and turnbased silverlight card game and using WCF Polling Duplex communication. I've almost finished the game but I'm still dealing with the methods and ...
0
votes
3answers
95 views
Passing information between states created at different times
I have two states, a configuration state and a gameplay (simulation) state.
After configuring the game details (gametype, scoring type, win condition, etc. etc.) As each state is isolated, what is a ...
10
votes
3answers
223 views
Sound effects system design
I'm creating a RPG/RTS game in Unity. There are a lot of characters and potentially a lot of different environments. I'm fairly confident with the coding part (so this question isn't really tied to ...
4
votes
2answers
159 views
Flow/design of steering behaviors implementation
I am implementing some simple steering behaviors like: follow the leader, separation, cohesion and flee(from the leader when he walks in our direction - aka spread the group for him).
I am having ...
-4
votes
1answer
239 views
Team sports (soccer, basketball, hockey) game engine design [closed]
Currently I'm working on architecture design of online soccer manager game (web app). I have couple ideas and even already building POC. But I'm wondering if there is any guide or useful docs on how ...
2
votes
2answers
388 views
In an Entity-Component System, how to represent the world/level/gameboard?
I am trying to learn more about Entity-Component Systems, and something that kinda stuck out at me was the question of how to represent the world in such a system? More specifically, I'm trying to do ...
1
vote
2answers
152 views
persistence of objects between game states
What are the possible ways of sharing different objects between game states and how do other engines implement such system?
Lets say a game has a couple of states (a menu state and a game state for ...
11
votes
4answers
887 views
Why do MMORPGs still use multiple servers?
MMORPGs, some MOBAs like League of Legends or even StarCraft 2 usually force you to pick a server. Usually they are US, EU and SEA, in MMORPGs many per location. I can see that that was necessary a ...
2
votes
3answers
340 views
Component / Entity-based design => no inheritance at all?
[I understand that this this could be seen as a rather theoretical question, but I think it has real-application impact].
"Academic" base
With a component-based design one wants to get rid of the ...
2
votes
1answer
366 views
Code structure in Android 2D game
Well I've finnaly decided to start Android game dev, and my first project will be simple 2d canvas based game.
I have some experience in game developing with C# and XNA, and I'm a bit confused now.
...
3
votes
2answers
257 views
Making character's skills and abilities as commands, good practice?
I am designing for a game that consist of characters who have unique offensive skills and other abilities such as building, repairing, etc. Players can control multiple of such characters.
I'm ...
5
votes
4answers
641 views
Retrieving components from game objects (entities)
Using C# and XNA 4, I've made the decision to go for an entity-component based design for my game after reading such posts as this and this, but I'm now struggling to find how to retrieve components ...
1
vote
1answer
173 views
Game design and SoC
I've been working on a little game for the last few months, trying to approach it as a software engineer and employ best patterns and practices in my coding. I have gotten to the point where I have to ...
1
vote
3answers
89 views
DirectX Objects in a struct
I am playing around directx lately and I am learning from rasterek.com tutorials. He passes pointers to directx objects (like ID3D11Device, ID3D11DeviceContext etc.) for almost every class he creates. ...
0
votes
0answers
76 views
custom action - class design
I have a character sprite which walks to different points frequently. The walking animation is a CCSpawn of CCMoveTo and CCAnimate, where CCMoveTo moves the sprite in screen and CCAnimate show walking ...
-3
votes
1answer
177 views
Real-Time-Strategy control structures/achitecture [closed]
I am looking at building a real time strategy game (of at least the framework for one) in Unity, and was wondering what control structures and/or architecture I should focus on using.
current ...
4
votes
1answer
463 views
Implementing a camera / viewport to a 2D game
What is the most practical way to implement camera/viewport to a 2D-game?
I've read, that I should store the object world position instead of position relative to the screen?
Current situation:
I ...
-2
votes
2answers
167 views
What can go wrong with this technique/game architecture? [closed]
So this is something kind of new, as I've never saw anywhere, but maybe already exists:
The game is divided in 3 pieces: the actual game logic (game), the visual part (view) and something that link ...
4
votes
2answers
272 views
Why is keeping a constant FPS harder than keeping high FPS?
I've noticed this ever since I started playing games, and now see it in my own experiments. If I don't do any capping my game runs at 200~250 FPS, with random drops to 150FPS, but if I cap the FPS to ...
3
votes
2answers
339 views
Where to generate data in an Entity-Component System?
So I'm making a small game where I generate 2D landscape using perlin noise when the game first loads.
I've got it working in a OO way, but want to move over to an ES architecure, and I'm just ...
0
votes
1answer
118 views
Behavior Trees and Animations
I have started working on the AI for a game, but am confused how I should handle animations. I will be using a Behavior Tree for AI behavior and Cocos2D for my game engine.
Should my ...
2
votes
1answer
150 views
Abstract skill/talent system implementation
I've been making small 2D games for about 3 years now (XNA and more recently LWJGL/Slick2D). My latest idea would involve some form of "talent tree" system in a real time game.
I've been wracking my ...
3
votes
1answer
250 views
XNA Moddable Game - Architecture Design and Reflection
I've decided to embark on an XNA moddable game project of a simple rogue style. For all purposes of this question, I'm going to not be using a scripting engine, but rather allow modders to directly ...
0
votes
1answer
67 views
Efficiency concerning thread granularity
Lately, I've been thinking of ways to use multithreading to improve the speed of different parts of a game engine. What confuses me is the appropriate granularity of threads, especially when dealing ...
1
vote
4answers
685 views
How do I create a 2D tile map?
I'm new to game development and I want to try it out, like many others amongst us :)
I need to create a gridmap. The map needs to be divided in squares. Each square represents a location. For ...
1
vote
1answer
150 views
How should I organise classes for a space simulator?
I have pretty much taught myself everything I know about programming, so while I know how to teach myself (books, internet and reading API's), I'm finding that there hasn't been a whole lot in the way ...
1
vote
3answers
472 views
Question on the implementation of my Entity System
I am currently creating an Entity System, in C++, it is almost completed (I have all the code there, I just have to add a few things and test it). The only thing is, I can't figure out how to ...
2
votes
3answers
484 views
SceneManagers as systems in entity system or as a core class used by a system?
It seems entity systems are really popular here. Links posted by other users convinced me of the power of such system and I decided to try it. (Well, that and my original code getting messy)
In my ...
3
votes
4answers
384 views
Is there an isometric 2d game that doesn't use tilemapping? [closed]
Is there an isometric 2d game that doesn't use tilemapping?
I want to do this in tilemap but the client doesn't want to use it (since it's easier to design maps without using tiles).
I've tried to ...
-2
votes
1answer
499 views
The best way to structure/design game code [closed]
My question is quite broad and related to the 2D game code design/architecture/structure.
Usually the main game consists of the main loop where you update & render your world states.
However, ...
5
votes
1answer
337 views
Component based design, but components rely on each other
I've begun stabbing at a "Component Based" game system.
Basically, each entity holds a list of components to update (and render)
I inherit the "Component" class and break each game system into it.
...
8
votes
2answers
307 views
Many sources of movement in an entity system
I'm fairly new to the idea of entity systems, having read a bunch of stuff (most usefully, this great blog and this answer).
Though I'm having a little trouble understanding how something as simple ...
15
votes
7answers
518 views
Do I need a Point and a Vector object? Or just using a Vector object to represent a Point is ok?
Structuring the components of an engine that I am developing along with a friend (learning purposes), I came to this doubt.
Initially we had a Point constructor, like the following:
var Point = ...
0
votes
3answers
129 views
Multiple objects listening for the same key press
I want to learn the best way to implement this:
I have a hero and an enemy on the screen. Say the hero presses "k" to get out a knife, I want the enemy to react in a certain way.
Now, if in my game ...
1
vote
3answers
155 views
When to unload graphics object from main memory?
I writing my resource mangaer, and I consider about how it can work for graphics objects (like textures, meshes). I think about this :
I want to load texture (in pseudocode):
Texture t = ...
2
votes
4answers
251 views
Getting into the details of game engine programming [closed]
I am interested in learning game programming, but I really have an interest in the lower level engineering in games. I have OpenGL experience, and I am really interested in learning more about ...
