Game Engines
I was wondering if anyone here uses game engines to make games. I downloaded the unreal development kit and have only messed around with it a little bit. So far I have not used any 3D APIs, I've only used Allegro and for a short time I used SFML, I'm not completely comfortable with doing 2D yet, I did the UDK just to look over it. So yeah, just wondering if anyone uses any.
closed account (N36fSL3A)
no. i program with switches in machine code.
I can make a call of duty game in only about 50 years.
Lol JK.
No I don't. If I make any game I make my own game engine or it feels like I'm a copy & paster.
I can make a call of duty game in only about 50 years.
Lol JK.
No I don't. If I make any game I make my own game engine or it feels like I'm a copy & paster.
closed account (3qX21hU5)
I recommend this article to everyone that wants to get into game development
http://scientificninja.com/blog/write-games-not-engines
It is worth the read.
http://scientificninja.com/blog/write-games-not-engines
It is worth the read.
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You will never finish a good game if you make your own engine.
See Fez.
http://forum.unity3d.com/threads/134046-Fez-programmer-Reynald-Bedard-says-he-should-have-used-unity!
See Fez.
http://forum.unity3d.com/threads/134046-Fez-programmer-Reynald-Bedard-says-he-should-have-used-unity!
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I never said anything about making an engine. I have no desire to whatsoever, I've also never used one, I downloaded one to check it out. I was just wondering if anyone on here had used one
@Fredbill30
What Zereo linked to is actually fact. If you start a game and worry about the engine more than the game you will never make the game. Sure simple games like platformers may seem like an easy task, but if you decide to make say a detailed Doom game (FPS) you will spend more time making the engine than the game itself.
Simply put, make the game as rag tag as you can, build as basic an engine as you can and make the game you want. Then if you feel the lighting, physics, sound, etc need tweaked you can go back after and adjust and edit your code. That was one of my problems, I would worry about what kind of engine I needed to have for making the game I wanted, once I stopped worrying about I actually started getting tons of tests done for my ideas I had.
What Zereo linked to is actually fact. If you start a game and worry about the engine more than the game you will never make the game. Sure simple games like platformers may seem like an easy task, but if you decide to make say a detailed Doom game (FPS) you will spend more time making the engine than the game itself.
Simply put, make the game as rag tag as you can, build as basic an engine as you can and make the game you want. Then if you feel the lighting, physics, sound, etc need tweaked you can go back after and adjust and edit your code. That was one of my problems, I would worry about what kind of engine I needed to have for making the game I wanted, once I stopped worrying about I actually started getting tons of tests done for my ideas I had.
UDK is great, currently using it to make an indie game. The downside is unrealscript suuuuucks.
closed account (N36fSL3A)
BHX that's what I do. I was taking it as he meant you should never write your own engine under any circumstances and to just use pre-made ones.
Awesome article, and it makes sense too. All major game engines (as far as I know) started off as an actual "game" (besides Unity I suppose).
closed account (N36fSL3A)
I thought Unity is just like an editor. Anyway, your question doesn't really make sense because all games have game engines.
An editor for what? It HAS editors for different things but it itself is not really an editor. And I think the OP is asking if people use a pre-existing game engine (ie. unity, source, udk, cryengine etc.) or if people build their own.
closed account (3qX21hU5)
Sigh fredbill I really suggest you read that article and read up on what a game engine actually is. All games don't have engines... A Game Engine and a game are two completely different things. There have been many games made without game engines and from my own experience and from reading and listening to what other developers have said it is much easier to make a game(not a AAA game) without making a engine.
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I've just spent the best part of the last two months building a game from the ground up on a PS3 console.
Trust me, use an engine.
Trust me, use an engine.
Make games not engines. Pull reusable stuff from a game you made and put it into a library. Make another game. Pull more reusable stuff from that game and add it to the library. Rinse and repeat. That's the only way to keep your sanity.
| Make games not engines. Pull reusable stuff from a game you made and put it into a library. Make another game. Pull more reusable stuff from that game and add it to the library. Rinse and repeat. That's the only way to keep your sanity. |
Which brings me to a question I've been wondering as to which is a better practice. I'm assuming the latter option but wanted to ask. When making the library is it better to do what you said and compile it into a *.lib/*.a library and include the header while linking the library or to simply keep them in a header file and C++ source file that you just drop into your projects?
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If it's your own code you might as well import the source, I guess. It's easier.
As far as I'm aware, the main uses of libraries are to allow use of functionality within them without revealing source and to update programs/fix bugs (using dynamic libraries).
For your own game, personal preference is probably what governs it (unless you're planning to release your game).
As far as I'm aware, the main uses of libraries are to allow use of functionality within them without revealing source and to update programs/fix bugs (using dynamic libraries).
For your own game, personal preference is probably what governs it (unless you're planning to release your game).
@op:
Use a game engine only if you need to for the game you are working on. You should pick the engine based on your game, not the other way around, that's messy.
Use a game engine only if you need to for the game you are working on. You should pick the engine based on your game, not the other way around, that's messy.
@BHXSpecter
For reusable code that I create, I have a certain directory that I keep it in and give it to my compiler as an additional include directory. So I don't copy and paste the code into each project, but I don't create *.lib/*.a files either (i've yet to be given a reason to.)
For reusable code that I create, I have a certain directory that I keep it in and give it to my compiler as an additional include directory. So I don't copy and paste the code into each project, but I don't create *.lib/*.a files either (i've yet to be given a reason to.)