I was wondering if anyone knew where to find a simple 2d game engine. I want to start programming games. Also, any other engines would be nice, if you want to add those to the list.

Actually I was looking to make more of a strategy game. An Empire building game actually, like Civ (the orginal, I want to start small, although even this is a bit ambitious) only maybe simpler. The things I want are a lot of players, a tiled world map, cities, units, technological research, etc. Thanks.

quote:
a lot of players, a tiled world map, cities, units, technological research, etc

WHAT? No kitchen sink?

Seriously now, game engines are the game minus the game - ie. the functions that draw graphics to the screen, the functions that play your sounds.

Things like tech trees and unit management is something that you (the programmer) will have to add themselves.

You say "you want to start programming games". My detective skills tell me you are new to game programming, so first you''d better understand that when programming a game, the graphics and stuff make up maybe 20% of the work, then there''s AI, tech trees, mission trees, user input, etc. So much work.

I would give you a long speach about making a pong game, making a pacman game, making simple games and getting progressively more ambituous, but isn''t that what that New? Start Here link at the top of the page is for?

Umm yes.. feel free to ask more questions if you''re confused (i was very confused also when I started game programming.. but i think i''m more confused after rereading my post =)

later

that was me...

Yes I know I should start real small, but I got a couple friends who are into programming that will help me out. I know this one guy I e-mail a lot thats been programming for years. They all said if I wanted something like that get an engine, and build it. I looked at that engine however and I didn''t think it was the right one. Is it? I know graphics is a very small part, but that looked more suited for a different genre of games. So what part exactly is the engine? I mean if the game he made was a kind of walk around and kill things, can I really turn it into a civ type game?

And about the things I asked for, it''s a lot simpler than it sounds. Theres only gonna be a few units. A warship, a transport, a knight, a soldier, and maybe a cataplult (It''s sort of a mideval kingdom building game in Europe, not fantasy though) oops, forgot settler, too. The units get stronger with technology, ie I could write something like, if a tech increases in a field, lets say armor, then add +1 defense to soldier and knight. So tech is only gonna be a few fields. After an increase is gained, the cost of the next tech increases by a percentage, my friends told me something like that is relatively simple. Or are they just being nice?

The one thing I want is as many players as I can get. My friends told me that programming the AI will be a lot of work. It will be a simple game (actually to me it sounds sorta like a board game) so I dont think Ill need any complex algorithms. I am leaning towards variety, tell me what you think of this: I make a few AI scripts, at the beginning of the game, the scripts are randomly doled out. Some scripts emphasize infantry, others knights, etc. Some make the AI a naval power, some make it really expansionistic. So on and so on. Yes yes yes start small , I never listen do I?