Hi, I browsed the articles here on GameDev and can't say I found any great articles on game engine designs. Is there any? I'd like some class diagrams (UML) or similar to get me a jump start, language independant preferably... Thanks in advance.

You can maybe take a look at something like Ogre3D design (ex: http://www.ogre3d.org/docs/manual/manual_4.html#SEC4). There are a couple of open source game engines out there and they probably all offer a view at their design. Sorry I'm not able to give out more links, but googling should prove usefull.

Unfortuanely, when you design a game engine, there's no universal design. You just have to think about your options and choose the best structure of those.

Game engines are used to make games. Unless you know what a game needs, any engine you make won't work very well. Look around the 'net for a few minutes and you'll find a bunch of "game engines" which have never been used for anything more than making tech demos. I can guarantee that making a game with any of these engines would be as fun as having teeth pulled. If you want learn how to make an engine, make a game. And then make another. And so on. Be product oriented. After doing it a few times, it will become apparent what the games share in common... and then you make an engine.


Try checking out the popcap game framework.

http://developer.popcap.com/index.php

It’s a little messy, and a little low tech, but it’s been tried and tested.