Structure

There are two base classes to be inherited and extended to implement the game logic in Game Framework:

• Extensible class Level - to describe the world
• Extensible class Entity - to describe the node (to be more exact, the node reference)

Class Game is used to manage the game and load the logic for levels and entities.

Information on the level, entity and game itself is stored in the *.level , *.entity and*.game files correspondingly.

All of the entities have assigned properties.

All the project information is stored in the following XML format files:

*.entity

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<entity name="EntityActor">
    <description/>
    <node>framework/samples/platformer/entities/entity_actor/entity_actor.node</node>
    <logic>framework/samples/platformer/scripts/entities/entity_actor.h</logic>
    <property>framework/samples/platformer/entities/entity_actor/entity_actor.prop</property>
</entity>

*.level

<level name="level_1">
    <world>framework/samples/platformer/levels/level_1/level_1</world>
    <logic>framework/samples/platformer/scripts/levels/platformer_level.h</logic>
    <logic_class>PlatformerLevel</logic_class>
    <description/>
</level>

*.game

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<game version="0">
  <info>
    <name>platformer game</name>
    <developer/>
    <copyright/>
    <version/>
    <description/>
    <window_title/>
    <entity_property>framework/samples/platformer/entity.prop</entity_property>
    <properties>framework/samples/platformer/platformer_properties.prop_list</properties>
    <parameters>
      <parameter name="new_level_path">levels/%name/%name.level</parameter>
      <parameter name="new_level_logic_path">scripts/levels/%name/%name.h</parameter>
      <parameter name="new_level_world_path">levels/%name/%name.world</parameter>
      <parameter name="new_entity_path">entities/%name/%name.entity</parameter>
      <parameter name="new_entity_logic_path">scripts/entities/%name/%name.h</parameter>
      <parameter name="new_entity_node_path">entities/%name/%name.node</parameter>
      <parameter name="new_entity_property_path">entities/%name/%name.prop</parameter>
    </parameters>
  </info>
  <levels>
    <level name="level_1" level="framework/samples/platformer/levels/level_1/level_1.level"/>
    <level name="level_2" level="framework/samples/platformer/levels/level_2/level_2.level"/>
  </levels>
  <entities>
    <entity name="EntityActor" entity="framework/samples/platformer/entities/entity_actor/entity_actor.entity"/>
    <entity name="PlatformerActor" entity="framework/samples/platformer/entities/paltformer_actor/paltformer_actor.entity"/>
    <entity name="Hero" entity="framework/samples/platformer/entities/hero/hero.entity"/>
    <entity name="Monster" entity="framework/samples/platformer/entities/monster/monster.entity"/>
    <entity name="DeadZone" entity="framework/samples/platformer/entities/dead_zone/dead_zone.entity"/>
    <entity name="EndLevel" entity="framework/samples/platformer/entities/end_level/end_level.entity"/>
    <entity name="MonsterBoss" entity="framework/samples/platformer/entities/monster_boss/monster_boss.entity"/>
    <entity name="Bonus" entity="framework/samples/platformer/entities/bonus/bonus.entity"/>
  </entities>
</game>

Working with the property is handy for both programmers and designers. Due to the usage of the most property capabilities in Game Framework, the property can identify the user entity, adjust all the user parameters (including the entity inheritance), pass the parameter into the user class script and much more.

For the entity to be recognized as a Node Reference wrapper, it must have the assigned property. Therefore, when the game is launched, the corresponding user class will be created automatically.

All of the properties need to be inherited from the entity_base property, located in the data/framework/game/properties/entity_base.prop directory. The entity_base property contains the only one class parameter, defining the name of the class. All the properties, inherited from the entity_base, share this parameter; it cannot be edited and is redefined automatically.

Property inheritance hierarchy is the same as for entity.

Fields

int

[get_int:my int parameter]
int getMyParameter() {
  return 0;
}

[set_int:my int parameter]
void setMyParameter(int v) {
  // do something
}

float

[get_float:my float parameter]
float getMyParameter() {
  return 0.0f;
}

[set_float:my float parameter]
void setMyParameter(float v) {
  // do something
}

double

[get_double:my double parameter]
double getMyParameter() {
  return 0.0;
}

[set_double:my double parameter]
void setMyParameter(double v) {
  // do something
}

vec3

[get_vec3:my vec3 parameter]
vec3 getMyParameter() {
  return vec3(0.0f,0.0f,0.0f);
}

[set_vec3:my vec3 parameter]
void setMyParameter(vec3 v) {
  // do something
}

vec4

[get_vec4:my vec4 parameter]
vec4 getMyParameter() {
  return vec4(0.0f,0.0f,0.0f,0.0f);
}

[set_vec4:my vec4 parameter]
void setMyParameter(vec4 v) {
  // do something
}

string

[get_string:my string parameter]
string getMyParameter() {
  return “my_string”;
}

[set_string:my string parameter]
void setMyParameter(string v) {
  // do something
}

color

[get_color:my color parameter]
vec4 getMyParameter() {
  return vec4(1.0f,1.0f,1.0f,1.0f);
}

[set_color:my color parameter]
void setMyParameter(vec4 v) {
  // do something
}

toggle

[get_toggle:my toggle parameter]
int getMyParameter() {
  return 0;
}

[set_toggle:my toggle parameter]
void setMyParameter(int v) {
  // do something
}

switch

[get_switch:my switch:”one,two,three”]
int getMyParameter() {
  return 0;
}

[set_switch:my switch]
void setMyParameter(int v) {
  // do something
}

file

[get_file:my file:”one,two,three”]
int getMyParameter() {
  return 0;
}

[set_file:my file]
void setMyParameter(int v) {
  // do something
}

mask

[get_mask:"Mask field"]
int getMaskField() {
  return mask_field;
}


[set_mask:"Mask field"]
void setMaskField(int value) {
  mask_field = value;
}

Field Type Auto Identification

[set:"Damage"] 
void setDamage(int value) {
  damage = value;
}

[get:"Damage"] 
int getDamage() {
  return damage;
}

A Level class is a base class to define the level logic. This class implements the work of all of the entities in the following ways:

• Dynamically add and delete the user entity.
• Delete the entity or relocate it into the pool.
• Control the periodic function call dispatcher.
• Provide the event system.
• Operate with the pool of relocated entities.

The virtual methods of the Level class, such asonWarm(), onInit(), onShutdown(), onPreUpdate(), onPostUpdate(), onFlush() andonRender(), can be redefined to implement the user logic of the level.

An Entity class is a base class to define the game object logic and provide the quick access to the node.

The virtual methods of the Entity class, such asonInit(), onShutdown(), onUpdate(), onFlush() andonRender(), can be redefined to implement the user logic of the level. Besides, you can disableonUpdate(), onFlush() andonRender() functions call for every user entity, if you don't need them to be called for this node.

You can dynamically enable or disable these functions calls with the Entity::setUpdateable(int mode), Entity::setFlushable(int mode) andEntity::setRenderable(int mode) methods (which are alsoToggle Fields and are passed to the base property for all the user Entities).

Every entity refers to the Level class instance, to which it belongs to.

A Game class is responsible for the entire user code work. It operates levels and load them dynamically by names or indices.

The framework logic is implemented in the world script and is reloaded every time the new world is loaded. The Game class executes the following operations:

1. Generates an Expression at the level initialization.
2. Places the user code in the Expression along with the implementation of all of the user entities and levels.
3. After the Expression compilation generates the corresponding Level class instance.
4. Place all the user entities in the world are reconstruct them.
5. While compiling, analyzes the user code and passes property parameters into Entity class instances.