Object-oriented game development

This book addresses how program teams can develop complex games within the constraints of deadlines, budgets, and changing technologies. It establishes a set best practices taken from real-world experiences, while making sure readers understand that there are not any absolute solutions. Readers are taught how to write reusable code that they will actually reuse along with games that require component technology. Practical object-oriented design methodologies with examples drawn directly from commercial code are also discussed. This book is useful for the entire game development team, including producers, designers, artists, and programmers. Cover......Page 1 Object-oriented Game Development......Page 4 Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgements......Page 14 What is this book?......Page 16 Who are you?......Page 17 So what will you read about?......Page 18 A brief history of games......Page 19 Philosophy......Page 24 Reality bites......Page 29 Summary......Page 36 The peasants are revolting......Page 38 The lords are revolting......Page 39 Stopping the rot......Page 40 The choice of language......Page 66 A C++ coding policy......Page 78 Summary......Page 82 Notation......Page 84 The design process......Page 87 Patterns......Page 91 Summary......Page 149 Motivation......Page 150 Some guiding principles......Page 153 Meet the components......Page 164 Summary......Page 242 Introduction......Page 244 Summary......Page 280 Open your GOB......Page 282 Game object management......Page 296 Summary......Page 341 Design-driven control......Page 344 Decoupling behaviour from game code......Page 345 Simplifying the creation and management of high-level behaviour......Page 346 Event management details......Page 356 Language issues......Page 362 Summary......Page 364 Introduction......Page 366 Incremental delivery......Page 367 Iterated delivery......Page 370 Summary......Page 381 The cultural divides......Page 382 The programming team......Page 383 The art team......Page 390 The design team......Page 394 Putting it all together......Page 399 Summary......Page 400 Technical analysis......Page 402 Summary......Page 429 Appendix: coding conventions used in this book......Page 430 Bibliography......Page 432 Web resources......Page 434 Index......Page 436 Cover 1 Object-oriented Game Development 4 Contents 8 Acknowledgements 14 Introduction 16 What is this book? 16 But why? 17 Who am I? 17 Who are you? 17 So what will you read about? 18 A brief history of games 19 The game development process 24 Philosophy 24 Reality bites 29 Summary 36 Software engineering for games 38 The peasants are revolting 38 The lords are revolting 39 Stopping the rot 40 The choice of language 66 A C++ coding policy 78 Summary 82 Object-oriented design for games 84 Notation 84 The design process 87 Patterns 91 Summary 149 The component model for game development 150 Definition: game engine 150 Motivation 150 Some guiding principles 153 Meet the components 164 Summary 242 Cross-platform development 244 Introduction 244 Summary 280 Game objects 282 Open your GOB 282 Game object management 296 Summary 341 Design-driven control 344 Decoupling behaviour from game code 345 Simplifying the creation and management of high-level behaviour 346 Event management details 356 Language issues 362 Summary 364 Iterative development techniques 366 Introduction 366 Incremental delivery 367 Iterated delivery 370 Summary 381 Game development roles 382 The cultural divides 382 The programming team 383 The art team 390 The design team 394 Putting it all together 399 Summary 400 Case study: Cordite 402 Technical analysis 402 Summary 429 Appendix: coding conventions used in this book 430 Bibliography 432 Web resources 434 Index 436 Games software has its roots in a'cottage'industry, ignoring formal methodologies, instead leaving the programmers to find homespun solutions to the technical problems faced. The picture has now changed: the scale of the problems faced by programmers means that more methodical techniques must be applied to game development to prevent projects spiralling out of control, both in terms of technical complexity and cost. The book addresses how program teams can develop ever more complex entertainment software within the constraints of deadlines, budgets and changing technologies. It establishes a set of best practices tempered with real-world pragmatism, understanding that there is no'one size fits all'solution. No member of the game development team should be working in isolation and the book will be useful to producers, designers and artists as well as the programmers themselves. In addition, the book addresses the needs of the growing number of Game Development courses offered in academia, giving students a much-needed insight into the real world of object-oriented game design. Games software has its roots in a "cottage" industry, ignoring formal methodologies, instead leaving the programmers to find homespun solutions to the technical problems faced. The picture has now the scale of the problems faced by programmers means that more methodical techniques must be applied to game development to prevent projects spiralling out of control, both in terms of technical complexity and cost. The book addresses how program teams can develop ever more complex entertainment software within the constraints of deadlines, budgets and changing technologies. It establishes a set of best practices tempered with real-world pragmatism, understanding that there is no "one size fits all" solution. No member of the game development team should be working in isolation and the book will be useful to producers, designers and artists as well as the programmers themselves. In addition, the book addresses the needs of the growing number of Game Development courses offered in academia, giving students a much-needed insight into the real world of object-oriented game design. "No member of the game development team should work in isolation. Whether you're a producer, designer, artist or programmer, this book will help you develop today's ever more complex entertainment software within the constraints of deadlines, budgets and changing technologies." "If you're a student taking a games degree or module, the balance of the best practice meets real-world know-how will give you the understanding you need to begin your career with confidence."--Jacket Addresses how program teams can develop complex entertainment software within the constraints of deadlines, budgets and changing technologies. Topics covered in the book include writing reusable code; writing multi-platform titles efficiently and using iterative techniques in programming.