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There is an enormous amount of resources and source code for XNA game development available online. Creating a game engine may be easier than I anticipated. Most of the components I need have already been developed and optimized. I need to figure out the best approach to integrating everything into one package. Design wise, I’m still unsure if I should develop an internal GUI or use winforms. After several tests using windows forms (with and XNA Game embedded), there has been lots of slowdown and menu glitches. It’s easier to design interfaces using winforms but it may faster to develop games with an internal GUI. Further testing is required.
So far this is what I have planned for the Nelxon XNA Engine…
Graphical Interfaces:
- Content Asset Manager: import & manage models, textures, audio, etc.
- Props Sets Builder: create props sets using primitive shapes or from imported assets
- Vehicle Builder/Library: import, create & manage vehicles (tests changes in real time)
- Level Builder/Library: WYSIWYG Editor to create & manage levels using assets and props sets
- Character Builder/Library: import & manage skinned characters (setup textures, bones, etc.)
- Animation Library: import/manager animation data to apply to skinned characters
- Character Animation Manager: define a list of animations for the each character
- Cinematic Editor: Tool to create in-game cut scenes
- Scene Manager: manage all the scenes states
- GUI Editor: import/position images & define events to create the Game’s GUI in a WYSIWYG
Other Details:
This is not the full list of the features I have planned, just the ones I plan to develop first. I will post videos and images of my progress in the upcoming weeks as well new implemented features. Also, to eliminate confusion, I’m not developing an engine to distribute or sell commercially, I am creating it so that I can develop games easier and faster based on my work flow. I’m sharing the details about it, in case others are interested in making there own engine.
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