49
votes
5answers
14k views
Good 2D Platformer Physics
I have a basic character controller set up for a 2D platformer with Box2D, and I'm starting to tweak it to try to make it feel good. Physics engines have a lot of knobs to tweak, and it's not clear to ...
49
votes
10answers
3k views
How do I determine my games minimum hardware/software requirements?
With me going it alone in development I only have limited resources at my disposal i.e one pc with which I develop and test the game. so I only know for certain my game works with that setup.
What ...
49
votes
5answers
8k views
Huge procedurally generated 'wilderness' worlds
I'm sure you all know of games like Dwarf Fortress - massive, procedural generated wilderness and land. Something like this, taken from this very useful article.
However, I was wondering how I could ...
48
votes
6answers
5k views
Implementing a 2D destructible landscape (like Worms)
What steps would be involved in constructing a destructible 2D landscape, like in Worms? Ideally, What are some ways that this process could be made efficient as possible?
47
votes
5answers
6k views
How does Dwarf Fortress keep track of so many entities without losing performance?
In Dwarf Fortress you can have hundreds of Dwarves, animals, goblins, etc in game at any one time, each with their own complex AI and pathfinding routines. My question is how does this not produce ...
47
votes
7answers
3k views
What are the dangers of self-teaching game development?
I am about to embark upon a journey into game development. Following answers to my last question, I will be using C# and XNA.
However, I don't personally know any other game developers and I don't ...
46
votes
8answers
3k views
How can you put all images from a game to 1 file?
I've just finished a basic RPG game written in C++ SFML, I've put a lot of effort into the game and I'd want to distribute it, however I've ran into a small issue.
Problem is, I have well over 200 ...
46
votes
8answers
2k views
How to prevent homing entities from orbiting their targets
I am developing a 2D space game with no friction, and I am finding it very easy to make a homing entity orbit a target. I am curious about anti-orbiting strategies.
A simple example is a homing ...
45
votes
11answers
3k views
How does A* pathfinding work?
I would like to understand on a fundamental level the way in which A* pathfinding works. Any code or psuedo-code implementations as well as visualizations would be helpful.
44
votes
7answers
10k views
How to develop RPG Damage Formulas?
I'm developing a classical 2d RPG (in a similar vein to final fantasy) and I was wondering if anyone had some advice on how to do damage formulas/links to resources/examples? I'll explain my current ...
44
votes
15answers
26k views
Are there any 2D gaming libraries/frameworks/engines for Android? [closed]
Are any such things available to help me build my Android game?
44
votes
9answers
5k views
How does a one-man developer do its games' sounds?
Before anything, that's not a "oh, where can I find resources?" question.
Well, I've been curious about one thing in the indie games industry.
For the development of the game, such tasks like game ...
44
votes
5answers
2k views
How could I implement something like Minecraft's crafting grid?
The crafting system in Minecraft uses a 2x2 or 3x3 grid. You place ingredients on the grid, and if you put the right ingredients in the right pattern, it will activate the recipe.
Some interesting ...
44
votes
6answers
2k views
Is there a pedagogical game engine?
I'm looking for a book, website, or other resource that gives modern 3D game engines the same treatment as Operating Systems: Design and Implementation gave operating systems.
I have read Jason ...
43
votes
17answers
14k views
C++ low-level optimization tips
Assuming you already have the best-choice algorithm, what low-level solutions can you offer for squeezing the last few drops of sweet sweet frame rate out of C++ code?
It goes without saying that ...
43
votes
8answers
5k views
Why do we move the world instead of the camera?
I heard that in an OpenGL game what we do to let the player move is not to move the camera but to move the whole world around.
For example here is an extract of this tutorial: OpenGL View matrix
...
43
votes
7answers
2k views
Why no night sky with realistic star constellations?
As an amateur stargazer I noticed that many games which have night scenarios use textures for the night sky where the stars seem to be arranged entirely randomly. It seems like they were created by an ...
43
votes
18answers
15k views
What are good JS libraries for game dev? [closed]
If I decide to write a simple game both text and graphical (2d) what libraries would I use? (Assume we are using a HTML5 compatible browser)
The main things I can think of
Rendering text on screen
...
43
votes
10answers
6k views
How can I get involved with open source game projects?
I have a limited experience in game development and would like to get involved with open source game project. Where should I look and how should I begin?
43
votes
1answer
6k views
Using component based entity system practically
Yesterday, I've read a presentation from GDC Canada about Attribute / Behaviour entity system and I think it's pretty great. However, I'm not sure how to use it practially, not just in theory. First ...
43
votes
7answers
3k views
2D Platformer AABB collision problems
I have a problem with AABB collision resolution.
I resolve AABB intersection by resolving the X axis first, then the Y axis.
This is done to prevent this bug: http://i.stack.imgur.com/NLg4j.png
...
42
votes
13answers
3k views
1% idea, 99% execution?
I keep reading in the game development community that the idea of a game is 1% and the execution of the game is 99%.
Do you believe that to be true? Not necessary in those percentages..
I always ...
42
votes
2answers
2k views
How can I get textures on edge of walls like in Super Metroid and Aquaria?
Games like Super Metroid and Aquaria present the terrain with the other facing parts having rocks and stuff while deeper behind them (i.e. underground) there's different detail or just black.
I ...
42
votes
12answers
8k views
What C# libraries can be used to support game development?
As games are based on many different subsystems things like graphics (DirectX, OpenGL, ...), sound (OpenAL, Ogg Vorbis, ...) or physics (collisions, ...), what libraries do you know that are useful ...
41
votes
6answers
4k views
Which image format is more memory-efficient: PNG, JPEG, or GIF?
Which image format is more efficient to save memory? PNG, JPEG, or GIF?
41
votes
2answers
31k views
What programming language was Super Mario Bros. written in? [closed]
Super Mario Bros. is definitely the most famous videogame created yet, selling a scorching 40.23 million copies. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_video_games
What programming ...
41
votes
18answers
3k views
Where is quality paid game music? [closed]
Where may I find quality game music for reasonable fees? I'm willing to pay for the music, but I hope it is well done.
41
votes
4answers
14k views
How is 2D lighting implemented?
I am wondering what the best way to approach a "lighting" effect in 2D games is. For instance, if my main character is glowing, what techniques can I use to complete the visual effect of the character ...
40
votes
13answers
2k views
How to make some monsters appear more dangerous than others?
My game is an open-world co-op MMO with retro graphics, permadeath and no leveling system.
The problem I'm facing, is the fact that I don't know how to make some monsters appear harder than others. ...
40
votes
6answers
6k views
Why do we use scripts in development?
In my current project, Lua scripts are called by the C++ functions on the server side.
After that, the scripts again call the C++ functions still in that solution.
Why should we do such things and not ...
40
votes
7answers
7k views
Why don't more games use vector art?
It would seem to me that vector art is more efficient in terms of resources/scalability; however, in most cases I have seen artists using bitmap/rasterized art. Is this a limitation put on the artists ...
40
votes
3answers
7k views
Optimizing an XNA 2D game
Does it make sense to implement the logic to skip rendering objects outside the viewport or should I not care about it and let the Framework do it?
40
votes
11answers
4k views
How can I implement dialog trees into my game?
What is the best way to implement a dialog tree system in my game? I want an NPC to give the player different sets of responses, some which may only appear when the Player has an item or a previous ...
40
votes
10answers
4k views
New to creating AI - where to start?
I am new to game programming and am trying to make a basic 2d top-down space game with 2 space ships that fight each other. I am doing well with the user controlled space ship, but have no idea how ...
40
votes
10answers
5k views
What are the challenges and benefits of writing games with a functional language?
While I know that functional languages aren't the most commonly used for game writing, there are a lot of benefits associate with them that seem like they would be interesting in any programming ...
40
votes
5answers
3k views
What's the newest trend / method for terrain rendering?
The last time I checked in on terrain rendering, ROAM was the new hotness. Yes, that was a long time ago. I liked ROAM a lot, though, because it was extremely simple to program, and gave pretty ...
39
votes
9answers
23k views
Good GUI for OpenGL [closed]
I am starting to learn OpenGL with FreeGLUT using the Superbible and the knowledge i have from my elementary graphics to brush up on my skills.
To get more from this experience i want to integrate a ...
39
votes
4answers
775 views
How to determine which thrusters to turn on to rotate the ship?
The configuration of the ship changes dynamically, so I have to determine which thruster to turn on when I want to rotate the ship clockwise or counter clockwise. The thrusters are always axis aligned ...
38
votes
12answers
2k views
Why can we recognize game engines?
About many games you can say "oh that's the Unreal engine for sure", "this was made by upgrading GTA 4", etc. We can often recognize the engine used for a game just by looking at its graphics ...
38
votes
9answers
6k views
38
votes
7answers
2k views
How can I set up a flexible framework for handling achievements?
Specifically, what is the best way to implement an achievement system flexible enough to handle going beyond simple statistics-driven achievements such as "kill x enemies."
38
votes
5answers
1k views
Looking for a good technique for character movement in hack&slash game
I'm making hack&slash game and I want my characters move like for example in Torchlight, Diablo, etc.
Currently I generate set of nodes for all walkable areas of a floor. When I click somewhere ...
37
votes
8answers
2k views
What can make a peaceful game successful?
Today, the most successful games are action games like FPS, RPG, MMORPG...
I'd like to make a peaceful game, but I don't know how to attract people. I can make good graphics, but that's not the main ...
37
votes
4answers
4k views
What to consider when deciding on 2D vs 3D for a game?
How much "harder" is 3D than 2D in terms of:
Amount/complexity of the code
Level of math skills required
Time involved in making art assets
Original title: How hard is 3D game development versus ...
37
votes
10answers
6k views
Game State 'Stack'?
I was thinking about how to implement game states into my game. The main things I want for it are:
Semi-transparent top states-being able to see through a pause menu to the game behind
Something ...
37
votes
1answer
2k views
Why is this beat detection code failing to register some beats properly?
I made this SoundAnalyzer class to detect beats in songs:
class SoundAnalyzer
{
public SoundBuffer soundData;
public Sound sound;
public List<double> beatMarkers = new ...
36
votes
9answers
3k views
What kind of project management should a solo developer project use?
I’m working by myself on a game project whose development could be seperated into 3 independent parts (map generation, the “overworld” engine and the battle engine), but as the development progresses, ...
36
votes
12answers
2k views
Coming up with manageable game ideas as a hobbyist game developer
I'm trying to come up with ideas for games to develop - as per the advice on this question I've started jotting down and brainstorming my ideas as I get them, and it has worked relatively well - I now ...
36
votes
4answers
3k views
How closely can a game resemble another game without legal problems
Majority of games build on successes of other games and many are downright clones, so where goes the limit of emulating before legal issues come into the field. Is it down to literary or graphic work ...
36
votes
10answers
8k views
Where to promote your indie game? [closed]
Possible Duplicate:
Where to advertise my game?
Let's say I have developed a game and I want to "get it out there". What I have in mind is open-source, non-commercial games.
What websites ...
