Help to design RTS engine.
Author
Hi everybody,
i want to create my own next-gen RTS engine, but don't know how to design engine structure.
Who can help me?
Well right off the bat you should know that if you don't know how to design an engine yet you won't be able to make a next generation RTS engine. You will not be able to compete with Age of the Empires III.
First question: How much do you know?
First question: How much do you know?
Author
I know a lot;) you can see my with friend 2 years work (FPS engine): rvision.gamedev.lt/RVEngine/index.php.
But now i want to create RTS engine. I just need to think it's structure.
But now i want to create RTS engine. I just need to think it's structure.
Well can you be less vague as to what your trying to achomplish and what you want to know?
The basic structure of an RTS engine is this:
map data structure
unit data structure
render - renders the map and units to the screen.
controls - allows the user interact with the game world.
AI - handles path finding and unit behaviour.
Those are pretty much the basics of an RTS engine design. I'm not really sure what you want to know, that's why you have tell us what your trying to do, and what you want to know.
The basic structure of an RTS engine is this:
map data structure
unit data structure
render - renders the map and units to the screen.
controls - allows the user interact with the game world.
AI - handles path finding and unit behaviour.
Those are pretty much the basics of an RTS engine design. I'm not really sure what you want to know, that's why you have tell us what your trying to do, and what you want to know.
Author
THANX TechnoGoth! you are on the way :) this structure is that i need but this i know, i need much more detailed structure.
Author
i don't think so, because engine is next-gen and need very portable structure with ai scripts parsers, graphics optimizatios, and need to think what things...
Are you making an engine or a game?
If you're making a game then you should come up with the game design first then *and only then* come up with an engine specification that would meet your requirements.
Example:
In our game you control a squad of five monkeys which must kill all the rival monkeys as quickly as possible. The terrain is rolling hills and trees with the odd river. The monkeys can use sub machine guns and grenades. Enemy monkeys will be controlled by the computer and can hide in trees.
So for your engine you need to break it down until you have something that will realise you're vision.
Top level : Engine
Second level: Graphics, Input, Audio, AI?
Graphics level: terrain rendering? sprites for trees and players? what kind of lighting?
Input: What kind of control?
Audio: Music? Sound effects?
AI: Pathfinding? Enemy States?
etc...
So for our final design we might make an engine that uses a heightmap for the terrain, some overlay to position trees and enemy units, sprites for the trees and monkeys, a basic sound effect system, mouse control etc etc.
If you're making a general engine then you've got to think why you're doing it? If it's to be the next generation RTS engine then look at existing games and see what features they have and figure out how they'd fit in to the engine. What new features are you going to add (e.g. you might want to add a first person view so you can check what your units are seeing)
Regardless of what I've said above you need to break the game down in to finer levels of detail starting from the top (e.g. a graphics system) and going all the way down (e.g. the way you render your units)
If you're making a game then you should come up with the game design first then *and only then* come up with an engine specification that would meet your requirements.
Example:
In our game you control a squad of five monkeys which must kill all the rival monkeys as quickly as possible. The terrain is rolling hills and trees with the odd river. The monkeys can use sub machine guns and grenades. Enemy monkeys will be controlled by the computer and can hide in trees.
So for your engine you need to break it down until you have something that will realise you're vision.
Top level : Engine
Second level: Graphics, Input, Audio, AI?
Graphics level: terrain rendering? sprites for trees and players? what kind of lighting?
Input: What kind of control?
Audio: Music? Sound effects?
AI: Pathfinding? Enemy States?
etc...
So for our final design we might make an engine that uses a heightmap for the terrain, some overlay to position trees and enemy units, sprites for the trees and monkeys, a basic sound effect system, mouse control etc etc.
If you're making a general engine then you've got to think why you're doing it? If it's to be the next generation RTS engine then look at existing games and see what features they have and figure out how they'd fit in to the engine. What new features are you going to add (e.g. you might want to add a first person view so you can check what your units are seeing)
Regardless of what I've said above you need to break the game down in to finer levels of detail starting from the top (e.g. a graphics system) and going all the way down (e.g. the way you render your units)
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