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Learn about some of the characteristics of game engines and frameworks in general, and how Slick2D fits those characteristics. Learn how to write a minimal Java application in conjunction with a set of Slick2D jar files to create your own Slick2D game engine.

Table of contents

Preface

This module is one in a collection of modules designed to teach you about the anatomy of a game engine.

Although the modules will concentrate on the Java game library named Slick2D, the concepts involved and the knowledge that you will gain is applicable todifferent game engines written in different programming languages.

The purpose of this module is to teach you about some of the characteristics of game engines in general, and to teach you how Slick2D fits those characteristics.

Viewing tip

I recommend that you open another copy of this module in a separate browser window and use the following links to easily find and view the Figuresand Listings while you are reading about them.

Figures

  • Figure 1 . Steps for writing a Slick2D game program.
  • Figure 2 . Output from Slick2D during program startup.
  • Figure 3 . A default Slick2D game window.
  • Figure 4 . Abstract methods declared in the Game interface.

Listings

  • Listing 1 . Simplest Slick2D program.
  • Listing 2 . The file named CompileAndRun.bat.
  • Listing 3 . Beginning of the class named Slick0110a.

The bottom line at the top

In order to write a game program using the Slick2D game library that will run as a Java application, you must, as a minimum,perform the steps shown in Figure 1 .

Figure 1 . Steps for writing a Slick2D game program.
1. Define a class containing a main method that will run as an application. 2. Define and instantiate an object from a class that implements Slick2D'sGame interface. (Can be combined with item 1 above.)3. Instantiate an object of Slick2D's AppGameContainer class, passing the Game object's reference (from item 2 above) as a parameter to theAppGameContainer constructor.4. Call the start method on the object of type AppGameContainer (from item 3 above).

Preview

The purpose of this module is to teach you about some of the characteristics of game engines in general, and to teach you how Slick2D fits those characteristics.

What you have learned

In the previous module, you learned how to download Slick2D and how to install Slick2D in such a way that you can easily compile and execute Slick2D programs fromthe command line with no need for a high level IDE such as Eclipse or NetBeans.

What you will learn

To begin with, you will learn what we often mean when we speak of a "game engine." You will also learn how that terminology relates to something that we often refer to as a "software framework."

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Source:  OpenStax, Anatomy of a game engine. OpenStax CNX. Feb 07, 2013 Download for free at https://legacy.cnx.org/content/col11489/1.13
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