Re: Gaming Engines

From: MindShift Design <teammsd@mindshiftdesign.com>

Date: Thu, 26 Oct 2000 15:41:04 +0000

In article <39f83b22$0$238@hades.is.co.za>,
  "Johan van Niekerk" <johanvn@spamlesspetech.ac.za> wrote:
> I've also toyed with the idea of an OO based generic gaming engine
over the
> years. I've never really gotten down to doing any of the coding
though.
> The way I see it is you'll need a VERY modular approach for it to be
truly
> generic. As an example: Combat would probably be handled very
different in a
> sci-fi based game as opposed to the way it is handled in a fantasy
game
> where magic etc. can play a big role.
> Therefor IMHO you should not have a fixed combat module but rather a
fixed
> interface specification for the combat module and then use the same
> interface for different implementations. (or you might have seperate
modules
> for different genres?) That way you'd actually pick which module to
use when
> defining a new game.

Yes. Each combat routine for each game genre is independently built
using core functions that are accessible to all. Then you create small
procedures that can be reused, such as movement, firing weapons etc
that are then used by larger procedures that handle the real flow of
combat for that module.

For example:

include master_module_math
include game_module_combat
include game_module_movement

The math module contains the functions for adding, subtracting etc. The
module for combat uses some of these functions as does the movement
module.

In the math module there is a function  to add two numbers together

define function add_numbers (A,B: Return C)
begin
     C = A+B
     Return C
end

Then in the combat module perhaps there is a procedure that handles
calculating the damage amount, which is referenced by the procedure
that handles attacking someone:

efine procedure attack_someone
begin
     �
     use procedure combat roll
     use procedure calculate damage
     �
end

define procedure calculate_damage
begin
     �
     use function add_values (A, B)
     �
end

> What I'd like to see is everyone's opinion on which "modules" should
exist
> in a fully computer moderated game, which are generic, and which
should
> maybe be genre specific.

> A couple I've thought of (not all, just those I can currently think
off)
> would be:
>
> GENERIC
>
> Mail-handler

This should be probably be a delivery handler, which will send email,
print turns and also fax on the outbound. On the inbound it can handle
email or client program requests.

> pdf/html/whatever report generator (basically a module that would
allow some
> form of scripting interface and then produce goodlooking reports
based on
> that ?)

Definitely. Outputting the results in XML would then allow any output
format of results as desired.

> Player data/accounting module

> Main program (the one that will run the turns/ and call the others as
> required)
> skills (assuming magic etc. is not handled as a skill)
> Mapping module (not sure about this one)

I think this would need to be core functions, but that each game uses
it�s own modul for creating maps

Others:

Game control module (for handling multiple games at a high level )
Item/Inventory modules (for creating, editing, and updating items)
Position control module (for handling player positions in the game)

There are others I�m sure.

--
Jason Paul McCartan - jasonm@mindshiftdesign.com
CEO/President
MindShift Design LLC
http://www.mindshiftdesign.com

Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.

References

Re: Gaming Engines
"Enno Rehling" <schick.mir.spam@gmx.de>
Tue, 24 Oct 2000 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Gaming Engines
madcentral@aol.com (MadCentral)
Wed, 25 Oct 2000 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Gaming Engines
"MindShift Design" <teammsd@mindshiftdesign.com>
Wed, 25 Oct 2000 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Gaming Engines
"Johan van Niekerk" <johanvn@spamlesspetech.ac.za>
Thu, 26 Oct 2000 14:09:22 +0000

Referenced By

Re: Gaming Engines
"Enno Rehling" <schick.mir.spam@gmx.de>
Tue, 24 Oct 2000 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Gaming Engines
madcentral@aol.com (MadCentral)
Wed, 25 Oct 2000 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Gaming Engines
"MindShift Design" <teammsd@mindshiftdesign.com>
Wed, 25 Oct 2000 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Gaming Engines
"Johan van Niekerk" <johanvn@spamlesspetech.ac.za>
Thu, 26 Oct 2000 14:09:22 +0000