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- 1). Make a game using an existing game engine like Ogre, Irrlicht or 3-D Rad. For each engine you make a game with, write answers to the following questions: "What tools of the engine do developers use to create a game's characters, props, environment, and vehicles? How do developers specify the objective and dynamics of the game to the engine?"
- 2). Delete all engines from your PC except the one that best represents your ideas for a new game engine.
- 3). Write on paper in the most detailed manner you can exactly how your game engine will work. An effective way of doing this is to answer questions like "What would a game developer who's never used my program before have to do to apply the engine's tools to make a game? What menus, commands and wizards would she see and use?"
- 4). List and write a detailed description for each virtual object your engine will need to manifest the functions and interfaces you described in the previous step. For example, your engine might offer a generic or blank humanoid character that game developers can design with mouse clicks to produce new, unique characters for their game. A set of virtual objects could represent the humanoid's parts and features, including the "torso, legs, arms, skin" and other virtual objects. A description of the "arm" object might include the following: "The 'arm' object extends forward when clicked, backward when double-clicked. It takes on the texture and color that developers drag to it from a palette."
- 5). Write pseudocode that directs the objects you just described to manifest the scenario you detailed in step 3. For example, you could write "set leftArm to a rest state. If leftArm is double-clicked, call the extendForward subroutine." Pseudocode consists of only three essential statements:
Set <Variable> = <value>
If <variable> = <value> then <execute a particular pseudocode statement>
While <variable = value>, continue <statements to execute]
End while - 6). Repeat the previous step until you have pseudocode handling every object your game engine needs.
- 7). Read, at least twice, the specification for a programming language like C++ or Java. This provides the information you need to convert your pseudocode into source code.
- 8). Write in a text editor the source code based on your pseudocode.
- 9). Compile your engine using a free compiler such as the one for Java on Oracle's site. If your engine is in C++, use Microsoft's Visual C++ or GNU's C++ compiler.
- 10
Run your game engine by double-clicking it in Windows Explorer.
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