How to create a game using C++ language
Introduction:
Nowadays, computers and online games have become more and more popular since the invention of technology. People of every age love to use their phones, tablets, and laptops for playing the games. Because of the rise in popularity, game creators all around the world are investing more of their time, creative thinking, and expertise to creating a variety of games.
This tutorial will concentrate on a detailed process for using C++ to create a game.
Steps for creating a game using C++:
In order to create an effective game using C++ language below steps needs to be followed
Step 1: Select your required game libraries:
You'll probably wish to get a game library, except you're willing to write all the complicated sound and graphics programming yourself. Although there are numerous game libraries available, they all provide the same fundamental features.
Features that you would prefer to see in your library:
- A method to render as well as load the images
- A technique for loading and playing audio.
- Basic picture manipulation, such as rotation.
- Fundamental drawing skills (lines, dots, rectangles, circles, etc.).
- Text rendering capability.
- The capability to wait and track time.
- The capacity to start and manage threads (preferable but not necessary)
Some of the game libraries are:
- Simple Fast Multi-Media Library (SFML)
- DirectX
- Allegro
- Irrlicht (3D library)
- Simple Direct Media layer (SDL)
- OpenGL
Step 2: Explain the Idea:
Here is where all games begin as simple ideas in someone's mind. Start by thinking of a game concept. Whenever you have a basic concept, develop it further. For instance, what is the goal, and how do you achieve it if it's a board game? What kind of rules will be there? etc. Create characters and stories for your game if necessary. After your game is completed, ensure that you have a fairly clear idea of what it will be. The more complicated the game, the more it is best to plan it out before so that you can code without being concerned about the game itself. Remember that your game is going to modify as you develop it.
Step 3: Organize your engine:
You may skip this step and just program the game yourself if you're creating a board game or its simpler arcade equivalent. However, you might want to consider developing your own "engine" or utilizing a pre-made engine for more complicated games. You may question, what exactly is a game engine? You may think regarding the game engine as an extremely powerful library that offers higher-level features like resource handling, physics, along with game entity management, even if they differ greatly in terms of structure as well as overall capability. It's your responsibility of you to decide how much coding you actually wanted to do or whether you'll utilize an existing engine or, in a way, build your own. The simplest way for a programmer to ease their work while writing gameplay or events is to utilize an existing engine.
Since you probably won't be developing the next Elder Scroll, you can build a kind of "engine" of your own. Remember that you won't be writing your subsequent Unreal Engine, which means the majority of the source code you develop with the intention of making it reusable, which is an engine's main purpose, will instead get so closely linked with your game logic which will be difficult to reuse. Always ensure that the code is easily understood, well-structured, and functional rather than concentrating on creating an entirely reusable, extremely durable framework. Prioritize developing the game before attempting to produce portable components. Resource managers, along with various utility categories, are wonderful places to start if you have to develop something beneficial and reusable.
Step 4: Create your engine (If you are building it on your own):
If you decide to go this way, this is the perfect time for you to actually begin writing your engine. This refers to fundamental visualization, physics, as well as file management, which are basically the functions along with the classes which will be utilized to build your game rather than the game itself. Simple games can be programmed simply utilizing your game library, as well as won't really need much of a basis. The resource manager serves as one of the most crucial yet frequently neglected aspects of larger games. Perhaps the resource management class is in charge of loading resources (for example, visuals and audio), making sure resources have been loaded just once, and discharging resources whenever they are finished.
The interface of the engine or framework was another crucial component. It shouldn't require you four hours to develop the main game loop while you're coding the logic of the game itself, even if you have to go over hundreds of updated functions to determine which ones you really need. Keep it brief and easy to understand. You're in the proper neighborhood if you are able to modify all of the game logic using just a one or two function calls, along with display the scene using an additional track. Making use of object-oriented concepts, such as inheritance along with pure virtual base classes, serves as a fantastic method for building a well-structured framework.
Step 5: Media (Graphics and Audio)
In this step, a game's graphics and sounds are added. On Google, you may find a ton of free images and sound effects. The two most important editing tools are GIMP and Audacity.
Step 6: Start writing your game:
The next stage for the programmer is to begin coding to the game logic after selecting an engine. The foundation for object interaction should be established by the game framework, which also takes care of all graphics and low-level details.
The following is defined by the game logic:
- Object interaction (for instance, by creating a GameObject subclass).
- The game's regulations (such as what wins and losses).
- The game's beginning conditions (which map loads first, which resources you start with, etc.)
- This will have the primary game loop.
Step 7: Package and then distribute:
Putting your game online for players to play is the last stage. After being assembled into a zip file, zipped archive, or executable installer, all necessary files can be made publicly accessible.
Example for creating a game in C++:
Tic tac toe game using C++:
#include <iostream>
#include <string>
using namespace std;
int main() {
char tictactoe_game_board[3][3] = {
{' ', ' ', ' '},
{' ', ' ', ' '},
{' ', ' ', ' '}
};
const char player_one = 'X';
const char player_two = 'O';
char present_player = player_one;
int rows = -1;
int columns = -1;
char winner_of_the_game = ' ';
for (int i = 0; i < 9; i++) {
cout << "Printing the tic tac toe game board : " << endl;
cout << " | | " << endl;
cout << " " << tictactoe_game_board[0][0] << " | " << tictactoe_game_board[0][1] << " | " << tictactoe_game_board[0][2] << endl;
cout << "___|___|___" << endl;
cout << " | | " << endl;
cout << " " << tictactoe_game_board[1][0] << " | " << tictactoe_game_board[1][1] << " | " << tictactoe_game_board[1][2] << endl;
cout << "___|___|___" << endl;
cout << " | | " << endl;
cout << " " << tictactoe_game_board[2][0] << " | " << tictactoe_game_board[2][1] << " | " << tictactoe_game_board[2][2] << endl;
cout << " | | " << endl;
if (winner_of_the_game != ' ') {
break;
}
cout << "The present Player is : " << present_player << endl;
while (!false) {
cout << "Provide the required row and column number between 0 and 2 : ";
cin >> rows >> columns;
if (rows < 0 || rows > 2 || columns < 0 || columns > 2) {
cout << "Input is invalid. Please try again" << endl;
}
else if (tictactoe_game_board[rows][columns] != ' ') {
cout << "The Tile you have chosen is already occupied; please try again by choosing another tile." << endl;
}
else {
break;
}
rows = -1;
columns = -1;
cin.clear();
cin.ignore(10000, '\n');
}
tictactoe_game_board[rows][columns] = present_player;
present_player = (present_player == player_one) ? player_two : player_one;
for (int rows = 0; rows < 3; rows++) {
if (tictactoe_game_board[rows][0] != ' ' && tictactoe_game_board[rows][0] == tictactoe_game_board[rows][1] && tictactoe_game_board[rows][1] == tictactoe_game_board[rows][2]) {
winner_of_the_game = tictactoe_game_board[rows][0];
break;
}
}
for (int columns = 0; columns < 3; columns++) {
if (tictactoe_game_board[0][columns] != ' ' && tictactoe_game_board[0][columns] == tictactoe_game_board[1][columns] && tictactoe_game_board[1][columns] == tictactoe_game_board[2][columns]) {
winner_of_the_game = tictactoe_game_board[0][columns];
break;
}
}
if (tictactoe_game_board[0][0] != ' ' && tictactoe_game_board[0][0] == tictactoe_game_board[1][1] && tictactoe_game_board[1][1] == tictactoe_game_board[2][2]) {
winner_of_the_game = tictactoe_game_board[0][0];
}
else if (tictactoe_game_board[0][2] != ' ' && tictactoe_game_board[0][2] == tictactoe_game_board[1][1] && tictactoe_game_board[1][1] == tictactoe_game_board[2][0]) {
winner_of_the_game = tictactoe_game_board[0][2];
}
}
if (winner_of_the_game != ' ') {
cout << "Winner of the game is player : " << winner_of_the_game << endl;
}
else {
cout << "Game is a tie!" << endl;
}
}
Output:
Conclusion:
In the end, you can make a game by following the instructions. Be sure to maintain organized and understandable, clean code. Then tic tac toe game is designed using the C++ language. Make sure the game is enjoyable because that's the major reason people play games.