This guide covers the basics of game development with the framework, as well as gives references to more detailed feature descriptions and usage guides.
To create a new project make a repository using this project as a template.
The project will consist of two parts: the framework itself (located in the ./lib directory) and a template project (./src).
Warning: the procedure might be changed in the future to allow projects to change the framework version post-creation.
There are a number of basic actions which need to be learned before attempting to do any modifications to the template.
The project can be build and ran with a $ make run command.
It will create a ./build directory where the executable file of the project will be located along with the asset folder. This folder is what players of the game should receive to play it.
Almost any file can be modified in the most straightforward manner, with the project accounting for the changes the next time the $ make run commend is ran.
The only exception to the rule are .h (header) files. As for now, the project has to be either completely rebuilt ($ make rm, $ make run) or have all the dependent .o files removed before the next build.
All .c and .cpp files taking part in the current build should be registered in the appropriate .flist files (src.flist or lib.flist).
Other files can be used without explicit registration.
The system of file registration is here because it allows to create build-dependant executable lists in case the project has version-dependant or system-dependant files.
Level and actor creation is described in the Logics System documentation.
Although it is possible to get creative with the framework after this point, it is still recommended to get familiar with the other systems.
The Asset System allows your game to use external files for models, levels, sounds, control bindings e.t.c.
The Graphics System implements the visual part of the game. Getting familiar with it allows the developer to create custom visual objects other than simple light sources and static models, available in the framework library by default.
The Input System is an essential system that allows the game to receive user's input.
The Physics System allows game objects to have a robust physical representation.
Although debugging is completely up to the user's interpretation, there are a few build-in tools for debugging.
Sanitizer can be enabled by including $(CPP_SANITIZER_FLAGS) into the CPPFLAGS definition in the makefile of the project.
The project requires a reset ($ make rm) to be performed before it is ran again.
There is a shortcut command $ make debug for GDB debugging.
GDB build flags are included into the flag list by default. To exclude them, remove $(CPP_DEBUG_FLAGS) from the CPPFLAGS definition.
The project has a logging system in place. It is recommended to use logs instead of the console for debug output.
#include "logger/logger.h"
log_printf(STATUS_REPORTS, "status", "Loading the %lu-th chunk.\n", chunk_id);
log_printf(STATUS_REPORTS, "debug", "Requested chunk ID: %lu, hash: %0lX.\n", chunk_id, chunk_hash);
log_printf(WARNINGS, "warning", "The requested chunk is too big. Chunk size: %lu.\n", chunk_size);
log_printf(ERROR_REPORTS, "error", "Invalid chunk ID of %lu.\n", chunk_id);
// Ignore messages below a certain level of importance
set_logging_threshold(WARNINGS);
// Other log message types (levels of importance):
// DATA_UPDATES - miscellaneous messages, less important than status reports,
// STATUS_REPORTS - execution status reports,
// AUTOMATIC_CORRECTIONS - user input overrides,
// WARNINGS - warnings,
// ERROR_REPORTS - non-fatal, recoverable (in the short run) errors,
// TERMINATE_REPORTS - fatal irrecoverable errors,
// ABSOLUTE_IMPORTANCE - messages that are more important than anything.The project also utilizes GTest for unit testing.
Test suits can be assembled and ran with the $ make test command.
Test suits are located in the ./gtest directory along with the core test file.
To add a test suit, create a .hpp file with the suit and include it into the gtest.cpp file.