Nice post, Vlad.

I especially agree with the multi-genre game engine; yes, it can be done.

Took me a long time to develop the engine, but it handles all the needed “low-level” details, and I can just focus on the “game code”. Quite a beast, it has a ton of classes, and it’s over 20K lines of code.

Both of my games, Blast Force and Laser Stryker, use the SAME game engine, yet they are two entirely different games. Furthermore, I’m working on a third project which will use the same engine as well, and it will be a different genre from the first two.

I haven’t looked at the engine code in a while though, because there was no need. The only time I really need to touch the code is if I’m fixing a bug, optimizing a class, or something like that. It’s not necessary to “modify the engine code so that it suits the game code”. Thus, once the engine was done, it sort of turned into Pandora’s Box, if that makes sense.

I would also like to add another misconception to your blog. It goes with your first part, “Each game is am engine”. Take that tool, Game Maker, for example. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen someone release their game “engine” for certain type of game. In my opinion, you cannot write an “engine” for a game that you made using Game Maker (or any of these other game-making software kits), because Game Maker IS the engine! (-:

Finally, if I may digress, in regards to your other blog about selling source code: If someone wanted the source to my engine, they’re gonna have to pay me a QUITE a bit of moola!

Take care, soldier.

* salutes *

____________________
- Ziro out.