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CryENGINE Game Programming with C++, C#, and Lua

Book Image

CryENGINE Game Programming with C++, C#, and Lua

Overview of this book

CryENGINE is a complete 3D game development solution that can run on multiple platforms. It is orientated around giving intuitive tools to the developer. A variety of interactive video games can be created using CryENGINE. CryENGINE is one of the most beginner-friendly engines out there to learn. If you are interested in diving into the various systems and understanding their workings in a way that is easily understood, then this book is for you. This book provides you with the knowledge to tame the powerful but hard-to-master CryENGINE. CryENGINE Game Programming with C++, C#, and Lua dives into the various systems and explains their workings in a way that can be easily understood by developers of all levels. It provides knowledge on the engine along with step-by-step exercises and detailed information on the backend implementation of the subsystems, giving you an excellent foundation to build upon when developing your own CryENGINE games. Written by developers with years of CryENGINE experience, this book breaks down the common confusion that encompasses the CryENGINE engine code, guiding you through a series of chapters aimed towards giving you the ability to create your own games in a rapid yet productive fashion. You will learn everything you need to know in order to create your own CryENGINE-powered games as well as detailed information on how to use the engine to your advantage. By teaching systems such as audio, particle effects, rendering, AI, networking, and more, we'll be exposing the most inner parts of CryENGINE that commonly confuse programmers. If you want to quickly gain the knowledge required to create your own CryENGINE game title, then this book is for you.

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CryENGINE Game Programming with C++, C#, and Lua
Nov, 2013 | 276 pages
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Table of Contents (19 chapters)
CryENGINE Game Programming with C++, C#, and Lua
CryENGINE Game Programming with C++, C#, and Lua
Credits
Credits
About the Authors
About the Authors
About the Reviewers
About the Reviewers
www.PacktPub.com
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
Preface
Free Chapter
1
Introduction and Setup
Introduction and Setup
Installing Visual Studio Express 2012
Choosing your CryENGINE installation type
Downloading the book's CryENGINE sample installation
Using a custom or newer CryENGINE installation
Registering your CryDev account
Running the sample application
Compiling the CryGame project (C++)
The CryENGINE folder structure
Summary
2
Visual Scripting with Flowgraph
Visual Scripting with Flowgraph
Concept of flowgraphs
Opening the Flowgraph Editor
A tour of the Flowgraph Editor
Creating a flowgraph
The stock flownode overview
Flowgraph modules
Custom flownodes
Creating a custom node in C++
Creating a custom node in C#
Summary
3
Creating and Utilizing Custom Entities
Creating and Utilizing Custom Entities
Introducing the entity system
Creating a custom entity
Entity flownodes
Game objects
Summary
4
Game Rules
Game Rules
Introduction to game rules
Implementing the game rules interface
Scripting
Creating a basic game mode in C#
Summary
5
Creating Custom Actors
Creating Custom Actors
Introducing the actor system
Creating custom actors
Camera handling
Player inputs
Animated characters
The Mannequin animation system
Summary
6
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence
The Artificial Intelligence (AI) system
Creating custom AI
AI base definition breakdown
Summary
7
The User Interface
The User Interface
Flash movie clips and UI graphs
Creating a main menu
Engine ActionScript callbacks
Creating UI game event systems
Summary
8
Multiplayer and Networking
Multiplayer and Networking
The networking system
Setting up a multiplayer game
Networking using game object extensions
Exposing Lua entities to the network
Summary
9
Physics Programming
Physics Programming
CryPhysics
Physical entity actions, parameters, and status
Physicalized entity type details
Static
Rigid
Wheeled vehicle
Living
Particle
Articulated
Rope
Soft
Ray world intersections
Creating a physicalized entity
Simulating explosions
Summary
10
Rendering Programming
Rendering Programming
The renderer details
Render nodes
Rendering breakdown
Rendering new viewports using render contexts
Shaders
Manipulating static objects at runtime
Modifying materials at runtime
Summary
11
Effects and Sound
Effects and Sound
Introducing effects
Creating and triggering material effects
Animation-based events and effects
Spawning particle emitters
Exporting sounds by using FMod
Playing sounds
Summary
12
Debugging and Profiling
Debugging and Profiling
Debugging the game logic
Profiling
The console
Summary
Index
Index

Rendering breakdown

The rendering of games is divided into two steps:

  1. Pre update

  2. Post update

Pre update

The initial step in rendering each frame to the scene occurs in the IGameFramework::PreUpdate function. Pre update is responsible for updating most game systems (such as flowgraph, view system, and more) and makes the initial call to ISystem::RenderBegin.

Note

PreUpdate is most commonly called from CGame::Update, in the stock CryGame.dll. Always keep in mind that this process only applies to the Launcher application; the Editor handles game updates and rendering uniquely.

RenderBegin signals the start of a new frame, and tells the renderer to set the new frame ID, clear buffers, and more.

Post update

After updating the game systems, it's time to render the scene. This initial step is done via the IGameFramework::PostUpdate function.

Prior to rendering, systems that are crucial to the new information retrieved from the game update done within and after PreUpdate must be updated. This includes flash...

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