Post subject: How to build a Game engine from scratch?
I have heard a lot about it and also studied some articles abt this. But want to be clear. I know there are lots of free game engine on the net. But I am not intersted abt the codes. I am the interested abt it's structures. Suppose I am developing a FPS game. What should my game engine be capable of in general
Fri Jul 16, 04 12:00 am
quantum Site Admin
Joined: 07 Mar 2004 Posts: 1048
Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh
Post subject: Beginning to develop a game engine
Hi,
Welcome to the community.
I do not have any experience in game engine development. But I once did some research on it and gave up because it seemed to be a tremendous task to handle with limited resources and time.
From your post, it seems the best strategy would be to go through some game engine development process documentations and case studies and follow their footsteps. If you did your homework, you already know that building a standard game engine is no spare time job for a lone programmer. You will need a dedicated and enthusiastic team of developers and state of the art hardwares.
As this article points out at:
[http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20001013/hannibal_pfv.htm]
Quote:
You've developed an object viewer, a Quake-level viewer, a radiosity renderer and a patch tessellator. You know 3D math, OpenGL and the 3DS file format by heart. Now you want to go further -- you want to use this knowledge to develop an entire engine.
Does this seem like a large task for you? Well let me tell you, it is. Anyone who has developed a complete game will agree with me. Many people give up or start over along the way. But there are a number of things you can do that will increase your chances of reaching your goal.
The process to develop a game engine would be as followed:
Rendering engine
Audio engine
Networking engine
Scripting system
Tools programming
AI engine
Physics engine
Perhaps, all the links to required resources can be found here:
[http://www.cyberloonies.com/]
The site looks clumsy but the links are good.
As I said, you should read some real documentation of the engine development process. Here are some open source game engines that you can check out to know how it goes.
Quote:
Wild Tangent
[http://www.wildtangent.com/default.asp?pageID=dev]
The WildTangent Web Driver platform enables the creation of visually-rich, immersive, Internet-delivered games with advanced features and game play not found anywhere else online.
Genesis 3D
[http://www.genesis3d.com/faq.php]
Genesis3D is a real-time 3D rendering environment for all of your real-time 3D needs. With a large online community, free online forums, and many links to Genesis3D developers, you will find all the support and tools that you need to begin developing world-class, real-time 3D applications.
DarkBasic Professional
[http://darkbasicpro.thegamecreators.com/]
DarkBASIC Professional is the most advanced games development package built on the BASIC language currently available.
Macromedia Flash MX, and/or Macromedia Director MX
[http://www.macromedia.com/software] Use Macromedia Flash if you want to create rich content, user interfaces, and web applications that can be immediately deployed across all web browsers and devices. Use Director if you want to create rich content that includes real-time content that can be deployed to the web, and on kiosks and CDs, by using the Macromedia Shockwave Player.
Torque
[http://www.planettribes.com/torque/torque.shtml]
The Torque Game Engine is the engine that powers Tribes 2 developed by Dynamix. It is a full featured AAA title engine with the latest in scripting, geometry, particle effects, animation and texturing, as well as award winning multi-player networking code.
Quake II and/or Quake II.Net
[http://www.idsoftware.com/business/home/techdownloads/]
[http://www.vertigosoftware.com/Quake2.htm]
Id Software makes the Quake source code available from their site. QuakeII.NET is a port of the Quake II game engine to native and managed C++ under Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003. The code has also been extended to allow the display of radar of items in the Quake world.
BASS Sound System
[http://www.un4seen.com/]
BASS is a sound system for use in Windows software. It's purpose is to provide developers with a set of powerful yet easy to use sample, stream, MOD music, MO3 music, audio CD and recording functions.
Read the Game Engine Anatomy here:
[http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,594,00.asp]
Thanks a lot for your helpful answer.I will try these.
One more thing. This may be off be topic. But I'm just curious.When I have completed developing my game, how can I make it available for the people? I mean is there any software company to help me or shall I have to try that myself?
Fri Jul 16, 04 6:35 am
quantum Site Admin
Joined: 07 Mar 2004 Posts: 1048
Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh
Post subject: Game engine : sponsorship
You are most welcome.
If you cannot do your own marketing, you should associate yourself with some company that has the experience and resources in marketing CDs in Bangladesh. And if it is really a quality games you can try to gain some international visibility. It may be little difficult,given the attitude of Bangali people, who are very reluctant to encourage any new idea, specially in tech sector.
As a company quantumcloud has released 7 cds in the market. If you are interested about it we will be pleased to have a look at your work.
Thanks again for your reply.I really feel lucky to join this community, where people are really helpful.
Since you said that you, as a company quantumcloud, have marketed few cds I think you are quite familiar with the test of people and may be you can suggest me what catagory of game should be attractive to people? like action, strategy etc.
I think I am not proving myself stupid by asking all these stupid questions.
Fri Jul 16, 04 8:27 am
quantum Site Admin
Joined: 07 Mar 2004 Posts: 1048
Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh
Post subject:
Hey think nothing of it. And the stupid questions are the ones not asked.
Now we did not market any games CD yet. Only CD magazines, yellow pages, tutorial cds etc. To be honest I am not really into games so I am not the best person to recommend you game ideas. A first person shooter game set in the environment of Dhaka sounds really attractive to me. With all the violence going on, I think, people would love such a game where the good guys win at last!
What programming language are you planning on using? Have you had experience on building any game before? If you ever want to anything with flash, let me know. I will be very interested. _________________
Dust fills my eyes / Clouds roll by / and I roll with them / Centuries cry / Orders fly / and I fall again
Afford best design, implement best solution. Outsource your web design.
I believe C++ will be best and yes, I have experience in building some games, but most of them are not that big game and all of them are before learning data structure,algorithm etc. Now that I have decided to start a big one, I am trying to know all about it asking people all over the net. Hope they are not getting disturbed.
About the game ideas, I have few of mine. One of them is certainly an FPS game in the surroundings of Dhaka. There is already a game named Dhaka Mission like that. Another action game named Orunodoyer Ognishikha regarding our liberation war is in the market. Sometimes I think of a strategy game in the environment of 1971 will be the best. What you think?This question may be for the General discussion part.
I have my exam coming up next month, but I will start developing game after it ends and let you know whenever I have finished it. Thanks for your helpful answers.
Fri Jul 16, 04 8:09 pm
quantum Site Admin
Joined: 07 Mar 2004 Posts: 1048
Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh
Post subject:
Hi Illusionist, nice job. I split your post into a new topic, so that everyone notices it. Good luck. _________________
Dust fills my eyes / Clouds roll by / and I roll with them / Centuries cry / Orders fly / and I fall again
Afford best design, implement best solution. Outsource your web design.
