Game Engines

[andrew]

I've been studying different books and articles on what makes a game engine and I've come across a few that are worth looking at.

Eniginuity - A cross-platform engine written with C++ using SDL and OpenGL. (2003?)

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http://www.gamedev.net/reference/programming/features/enginuity1/

Code on the Cob - An engine using DirectX 6 (1999)

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http://www.gamedev.net/reference/list.asp?categoryid=215

Neither was finished, but there are many helpful concepts and bits of code to be studied.

I also was experimenting with a task framework thing using SDL: tasktrafficlights3.zip

[doomtoo]

Very cool! I'll have to check it out-

I started an openGL+SDL game engine based on NeHe's tutorials+SDL files for it. Got a decent amount of the basic rendering system done, able to load in OBJ files and render them with textures, + move around with the mouse and keyboard.

I would like to get back into it- especially if I can find a port of SDL for the android- So I can use it as a framework to make games that can run all all systems! (I know SDL is already ported for the iphone). The android is Java based, but has a way to allow you to program in C++ as well!

[andrew]

I would like to get back into it- especially if I can find a port of SDL for the android- So I can use it as a framework to make games that can run all all systems! (I know SDL is already ported for the iphone). The android is Java based, but has a way to allow you to program in C++ as well!

I found this searching on google, I don't know if it works, but it could be worth the time to check it out.
http://jiggawatt.org/badc0de/android/index.html

I was toying with SDL on Windows Mobile a few months ago, but I didn't figure out how to build the library with gcc. The library has to be linked dynamically unless you buy a commercial license from them. Not really a big deal unless you want to make money with it.

Here is the site to get in touch with them:

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http://www.galaxygameworks.com/

[doomtoo]

Wow, very nice!

The first link is just what I need to get back to the android, and I could probably use my starting out engine pretty easily (but might have to convert for openGL ES).

I had thought SDL was free to use before? Looks like you're right, the "commerical" version has some extras, but it would probably still be fine to use the "free" version. I'll have to try out something basic, and see if I can get touch screen input natively too!

I think openGL eventually has to overpass directX, especially with macs becoming more popular due to the iphone, and mobile gaming growing quickly. Although jharbour brought up that XNA can run on windows, the ZUNE HD and xbox now, I still don't see microsoft being able to pull it off mainstream.

[andrew]

It is free to use, you just have to include the DLL files when you distribute your game and/or source code for the libraries if they've been modified. If you use a standard version of the libraries that is available for download you can give them a link to the main SDL repository.

XNA is an interesting idea, but I don't have any experience with C# and I'm not that interested in it. I think Microsoft will still dominate the market with legacy code, but over the next 5 to 10 years the field will even out from all the open source projects. I'd be running Linux full time right now if all my Windows games worked on it.

[doomtoo]

Yeah, I need to get back into Linux and get good with the shell. I can use it, and it would be no difference than windows for browsing the web, listening to music, and watching movies, but I also use 3ds max, photoshop and games!

WINE will allow you to play most games that have been out for at least a few months, but you normally can't play brand new ones, and some may never come. Still, it might be nice to setup all my old computers on linux and use them for starcraft

I'll have to try out and get good with blender and GIMP, and see if I can do everything I need to in them.