Hello community !

A project was recently launched in my school, it's about creating a full 3d game engine form scratch.

Here is a short pitch :

- It should be cross-platform (for the moment we are targeting only windows (desktop) and linux platform with a Direct3D and OpenGL renderer but the architecture should be well designed in order to add more platform in the future).

- The less library we use, the better it will be (it's an educational project).

- It must be a complete game engine, we are thinking about studying multi-threading architecture, physics management, a "easy to use" level editor, scene management, debugging tools, ...

- When I write this post, we are about 10 students from any level on this project, and we will use Redmine for project management.

- Also the engine should be used as a base for future students to make their first shaders.

We are aware that it's a very big project, and so other students will work on it later.

To give you an idea of our level, we are all 2nd years student in a full time game programming school (C/C++ all the day ! and some C#), the language is not an obstacle, but the general architecture is.

For the engine core we are thinking about entity-component system such as Unity (we still have to put a concrete idea about what will be an entity) and should have obvious feature such as AI component, physics, input, scripting, ...

So here is my question, as I say earlier, the main problem is the architecture. We are thinking about starting with the threading system and the networking system.

I'm asking for some advises or tips about how designing this kind of project from the beginning.

Feel free to ask questions if I forget something or if you need further information.

Thank you in advance, and good luck with your games !

Thank you for your answer.

It's a great idea, I think we could make a simple fps, this should give us the basic features.

About the multi-thread, we already have a small experience using them with the famous dining philosophers problem, then later we made a http server using a thread pool system. So maybe for more simplicity we could stay on our main thread at first, then after try to thread our AI system or other systems.

I totally agree with you concerning singleton, if we could avoid having to much static classes or variables it would be great.

I got the idea, stay simple. We will discuss about it with the group next week anyway.

I think its the right way to focus on a game (and not an engine), too.

You probably want to drop even more features, for example making a D3D and a OpenGL renderer is duplicated effort. OpenGL also works on windows and if you concentrate all calls in a few classes its possible to add the other later, but you most likely will want to focus your effort on unique features that add value.

You also should probably not let those people program all low level things like window creation(that is quintupled effort if you want to keep cross-platform), pointer loading(use GLEW), vector/matrix library(just use glm) and so on themself. Better let them use good tools that enable them to actually see something on screen in a week than let them stumble around for years and only have the third generation of students actually see some useful result.

- It should be cross-platform (for the moment we are targeting only windows (desktop) and linux platform with a Direct3D and OpenGL renderer but the architecture should be well designed in order to add more platform in the future).
- The less library we use, the better it will be (it's an educational project).
- It must be a complete game engine

I like how the first three bullet points are, basically, mutually unfeasible. I realize that's a pretty downer thing to say, but unless you're targeting a very low tech level (2003-era graphics) I have trouble believing a team of second-year students is going to be successful.

Hi

Does it really have to be created in C++? Because i thought the same thing what Winfield said.

Crossplatform , that will be a pain in the ass creating it in C++.

I highly recommend using a crossplatform langauge like Java.

It also reduces that time creating a engine, C++ can't take more time.

how long is the project length?

if it's more 1 year then it's possible.

if it's 3-5 months i don't believe that that is a project from school.

create a framework instead.

regards,

HyperV

There is no date limit for this project, we will work on it until June, after that, other students will work on it. If they want they can restart from scratch or continuing what we have done already.

I like how the first three bullet points are, basically, mutually unfeasible. I realize that's a pretty downer thing to say, but unless you're targeting a very low tech level (2003-era graphics) I have trouble believing a team of second-year students is going to be successful.

I'm aware that this going to be difficult or maybe unfaisable as this is an optional project and we still have to work on our primary projects. But as I said it's a school project, there is no money or time to loose. We want to make it for the experience.

I highly recommend using a crossplatform langauge like Java.

We don't have the choice of the langage, C++ is imposed.

Thanks again for your answers !

I was out of town last days; I just saw the two last post.

Thanks a lot for the two engines.

We should take a look at them tomorrow !