Problem creating levels using inherited classes/polymorphism

Question

I'm trying to write my level classes by having a base class that each level class inherits from...The base class uses pure virtual functions.

My base class is only going to be used as a vector that'll have the inherited level classes pushed onto it...This is what my code looks like at the moment, I've tried various things and get the same result (segmentation fault).

//level.h
class Level
{
  protected:
    Mix_Music *music;
    SDL_Surface *background;
    SDL_Surface *background2;

    vector<Enemy> enemy;

    bool loaded;
    int time;
  public:
    Level();
    virtual ~Level();

    int bgX, bgY;
    int bg2X, bg2Y;
    int width, height;

    virtual void load();
    virtual void unload();

    virtual void update();
    virtual void draw();
};
//level.cpp
Level::Level()
{
  bgX = 0;
  bgY = 0;
  bg2X = 0;
  bg2Y = 0;
  width = 2048;
  height = 480;

  loaded = false;
  time = 0; 
}
Level::~Level()
{
}
//virtual functions are empty...

I'm not sure exactly what I'm supposed to include in the inherited class structure, but this is what I have at the moment...

//level1.h
class Level1: public Level
{
  public:
    Level1();
   ~Level1();

    void load();
    void unload();

    void update();
    void draw();
};
//level1.cpp
Level1::Level1()
{
}
Level1::~Level1()
{
  enemy.clear();

  Mix_FreeMusic(music);
  SDL_FreeSurface(background);
  SDL_FreeSurface(background2);

  music = NULL;
  background = NULL;
  background2 = NULL;

  Mix_CloseAudio();
}

void Level1::load()
{ 
  music = Mix_LoadMUS("music/song1.xm");
  background = loadImage("image/background.png");
  background2 = loadImage("image/background2.png");

  Mix_OpenAudio(48000, MIX_DEFAULT_FORMAT, 2, 4096);
  Mix_PlayMusic(music, -1); 
}
void Level1::unload()
{
}
//functions have level-specific code in them...

Right now for testing purposes, I just have the main loop call Level1 level1; and use the functions, but when I run the game I get a segmentation fault. This is the first time I've tried writing inherited classes, so I know I'm doing something wrong, but I can't seem to figure out what exactly.

Answer 1

You're doing it wrong. Making a class for each level? No, levels are data, not code. Make a generic Level class, and then load .level (or whatever) files into it. The files then should just have a list of all the resources that need to be loaded, a list of events/scripts, and so on.

Why? Because then you can make a separate level editor, that creates the .level files for you, and you don't even have to touch your game's code (which generates bugs and so on).

Classes are here to group similar behaviors and data (objects) together, creating a new class for each instance of an object is illogical and defies the very purpose of classes.