Yes, you can absolutely make games with C++! C++ is one of the most commonly used programming languages for game development and has been used to create many popular games over the years. Some key reasons why C++ is a great choice for game development include:
- Performance – C++ is a compiled language which makes it faster than interpreted languages like Python or Ruby. The high performance of C++ makes it well suited for developing high speed games, especially 3D games where you need to squeeze as much performance out of the hardware as possible.
- Control – In C++, you have a lot of control over memory management and other low level operations. This control enables you to write code that is very optimized for the specific game you are building.
- Existing libraries – There are many robust and full featured libraries and game engines built with C++ like Unreal, Unity, SDL, etc. These can handle a lot of the common functionality needed for games like graphics rendering, physics engines, input handling etc. This allows you to focus on your game logic and content.
So in summary, C++ hits the sweet spot of being a high performance language with lots of control while also having great game dev libraries and engines built with it. Major game studios use C++ for AAA games, but it works equally well for indie devs building their own engines or using existing frameworks.
Requirements for Developing Games with C++
To start developing games with C++, here are some of the main things you will need:
C++ Compiler
You need a C++ compiler like GCC or Clang to compile your C++ code into executable programs. These compilers are available on most platforms like Windows, MacOS and Linux. Some popular IDEs used for C++ game dev like Visual Studio and Xcode come bundled with compilers as well.
Sound and Graphics Libraries
To add graphics, audio, input handling etc. in your games, you need to link C++ with multimedia libraries like SDL, SFML, Allegro etc. Or you can use a full engine solution like Unreal or Unity that provides all these features built-in.
Math Libraries
For game physics and other mathematical calculations, libraries like OpenGL Mathematics (GLM) are very useful. These provide vector, matrix and quaternion functions needed for 3D math.
Source Code Editor
A good code editor like Visual Studio Code for writing your C++ game code and building it. An IDE can also be used for larger projects as it provides additional tools for debugging, profiling etc.
Art and Asset Pipeline
You need tools to create game art assets like 3D models, textures, audio files etc. and import them into your game. Most engines provide asset import pipelines and editors.
So in summary, essential things you need are a compiler, multimedia/math libraries, a source code editor and asset creation software. With these basics covered, you can start writing C++ code and building your game!
C++ Game Development Process Overview
Here is a general overview of the steps involved in developing games with C++ from scratch:
Game Engine Architecture
Define the core systems like renderloop, input handling, resource management, audio engine etc. that act as the foundation for your game engine in C++.
Gameplay Logic
Implement key gameplay elements using C++ – eg. physics, collision detection, AI logic, scripting etc. This is the core of your game mechanics.
Graphics Rendering
Use C++ alongside graphics APIs like OpenGL or Direct3D for rendering the game visuals, lighting, materials, post processing etc.
Audio Handling
Integrate an audio library to load and play sound effects, background music, apply effects in your C++ game code.
User Interface
Design and implement the game interface for elements like menus, HUDs, inventory etc. in C++ by utilizing a UI library.
Input Handling
Handle user input from keyboard, mouse, gamepad etc. and translate it into game actions by polling devices in C++.
Data Formats
Define binary formats for storing various game data assets, configuration files, save games etc. and load them in C++.
Content Pipeline
Import all your game assets like 3D models, textures, audio clips into formats usable by your game engine.
Putting It All Together
Finally integrate all the systems, tools, content to build your actual game using C++ and an engine architecture of your choice.
And those are the main steps involved in developing a full game with C++! Actual implementation has a lot more detail of course, but this should give you an idea of the whole process.
Choosing a C++ Game Engine
For quickly building a game in C++ without writing everything from scratch, you can utilize an existing game engine that provides reusable systems and tools. Here are some popular C++ game engines to consider:
Unreal Engine
Unreal Engine by Epic Games is one of the most advanced commercial game engines used by AAA studios. It uses C++ as its primary scripting language. Unreal provides a full editor, visual scripting, online services, cross platform support and amazing graphics rendering capabilities out of the box. There is a steep learning curve, but it enables building high quality 3D games easily.
Unity
Unity is the most popular indie game engine. While it uses C# as primary language, the core is implemented in C++ and it can be extended using C++. Unity provides an intuitive editor, asset store, strong community and multiplatform publishing. Its easy to use toolset has made it perfect for 2D & 3D mobile games.
Lumberyard
Amazon’s Lumberyard engine is based on CryEngine and uses C++ as its native language. It has dedicated online game features built-in thanks to AWS integration. Advanced rendering capabilities and integration with Twitch make it suitable for high end games.
Godot
Godot is a fully open source C++ based game engine. It is very lightweight and easy to use compared to engines like Unreal. Godot has great 2D support, visual scripting tools and a node based architecture. It’s a good choice for 2D or simple 3D games.
SDL
SDL (Simple DirectMedia Layer) library provides low level access to audio, input, graphics etc. in C++. It serves as a framework to build custom engines instead of a full blown engine solution. If you want more control, SDL is a great starting point.
So those are some of the popular C++ game engine options. Pick an engine that aligns with the type of game you want to build.
Key C++ Game Programming Concepts
Here are some core programming concepts that are very important for developing games with C++:
Game Loop
The game loop updates the game state continuously in a loop by handling user input, AI logic, physics, rendering etc. in each iteration. The game loop is the heart of every real-time game written in C++.
Memory Management
Manually allocating and freeing memory in C++ using new and delete operators is crucial. C++ games have real-time performance constraints so memory management should be optimal.
Data Oriented Design
Data Oriented Design focuses on data flow rather than objects for high cache efficiency in C++ games. Arranging data for optimal memory access speeds up key computations.
Multithreading
Using multiple threads with proper synchronization speeds up different game tasks like rendering, physics, AI in parallel on multi-core CPUs for performance gains.
Events and Messaging
An event system using callbacks or message passing enables different game subsystems to communicate without tight coupling for a modular C++ game architecture.
Graphics Programming
C++ is used together with rendering APIs like Direct3D and OpenGL to program graphics features like lighting, post processing, shadows etc. Math libraries help.
So mastering these programming concepts will help you write a robust game engine in C++ and fully utilize the capabilities of the language.
Developing Key Game Systems in C++
Here are some key game systems that are commonly implemented in C++ along with an overview of how to develop them:
Graphics Rendering
– Use a rendering API like Direct3D or OpenGL from C++ to set up the graphics pipeline
– Write shaders in languages like HLSL or GLSL to program the GPU
– Create materials and textures for models in assets
– Implement lighting models like Phong shading for scene illumination
– Add post processing image effects using shaders for improved visuals
– Use the fixed function pipeline or programmable shaders as suitable
Physics Simulation
– Integrate a physics library like Bullet Physics with C++
– Represent rigid bodies as collision objects in the physics world
– Implement collisions between objects using continuous collision detection
– Add joints like hinges, sliders between rigid bodies
– Use forces like gravity, magnetism, explosions for interactions
– Update object positions based on simulation results
Resource Management
– Make custom file formats to store game asset data efficiently
– Write C++ loaders to load resources like textures, models, audio clips
– Create a resource manager class to cache assets in memory
– Implement reference counting or garbage collection to free unused assets
– Handle streaming large open world data from storage
Input Handling
– Detect user input from mouse, keyboard, controllers in C++
– Queue or buffer input events and process them each frame
– Map inputs to meaningful game actions with key bindings
– Provide sensitivity andsmoothing options for analog inputs
– Differentiate between button down, held and up events
Audio System
– Use an audio library like OpenAL or FMOD to playback sound in C++
– Load audio clips from files into memory as buffer objects
– Adjust volume levels, pitch, loop settings from code
– Add effects like reverb, echo and spatialization
– Mix multiple sounds efficiently based on priority
– Update listener and source positions for 3D audio
So these are some key systems commonly developed in C++ as part of a game engine architecture.
Optimizing C++ Games for Performance
Since performance is critical for games, here are some optimization techniques that can help speed up C++ game code:
Profiling
Profile slow code using sampling and instrumentation to identify optimization hotspots. Focus efforts on most time consuming functions and algorithms.
Reducing Draw Calls
Minimize graphics API draw calls by batching models, using instancing and atlasing textures to improve rendering speed.
Memory Access Patterns
Structure data layouts like matrices, meshes for optimal memory access patterns instead of pure OOP principles.
Cache Friendly Code
Write cache friendly C++ code by improving locality, being aware of cache lines, and reducing cache misses.
Multithreading
Use task based parallelism with threads to accelerate jobs like physics, AI, culling across CPU cores.
Preallocation
Preallocate memory pools for game entities instead of allocating each frame to reduce fragmentation.
Math Libraries
Implement vectorized math using SIMD instructions via libraries like SSE or GPU compute shaders for parallelism.
Asynchronous Resource Loading
Load assets asynchronously on background threads to avoid stalling the main game loop and thread.
So it takes many iterations of measurement, analysis and targeted optimizations in C++ to achieve smooth, high FPS gameplay.
Debugging C++ Game Code
Debugging complex game code written in C++ requires using the right tools and techniques:
Logging
Extensively log to the console or files for debugging and tracing using a lightweight logger library.
Assertions
Use assert statements during development to catch errors and invalid conditions early.
Profiling
Profile on the subsystem and function level to drill down on costly code. Both sampling and instrumentation profiling are useful.
Memory Checking
Use memory debuggers like Valgrind to catch problems like leaks, accesses to freed memory etc.
Debugging Tools
Take advantage of IDE/debugger features like breakpoints, watches, step execution to understand code flow.
Code Analysis
Static code analysis helps detect bugs and ensure code quality without even running the program.
Reverse Debugging
Reverse debugging enables going backwards in time during execution useful for intermittent bugs.
Error Handling
Have good error handling both for crashes and in-game logic errors to make issues more obvious.
Mastering these tools and techniques will help you diagnose and fix even the trickiest C++ game bugs!
Best Practices for C++ Game Development
Here are some recommended best practices for developing great games in C++:
Use Rigid Coding Standards
Coding standards for naming, formatting etc. help code be more readable and maintainable long term.
Adopt Modular Architecture
Well defined modules with clean interfaces and separation of concerns aid in designing scalable game code.
Plan Memory Usage
Plan out memory allocation schemes for game elements wisely to optimize usage. Track allocations.
Handle Errors and Edge Cases
Handle errors, invalid input and edge case scenarios gracefully to make games robust.
DOCUMENT! DOCUMENT! DOCUMENT!
Document game code thoroughly using comments and wikis. Future you will thank past you!
Use Revision Control
Use version control systems like Git from the start to track code changes and enable collaboration.
Automate Builds
Automate build and asset pipeline processes as much as possible to improve iteration times.
Support Multiplatform
Consider supporting multiple platforms like consoles, mobile, PC, Mac early in development.
Adopting these coding best practices from the start will setup your C++ game project for success!
Conclusion
In summary, C++ is an excellent language for developing high performance games thanks to its speed, control and robust ecosystem. With the right tools and techniques, you can build everything from lightweight 2D games to cutting edge AAA 3D experiences in C++. Concepts like the game loop, graphics rendering, physics, input handling, audio and optimized math are key. Using proven techniques for debugging, profiling and architecting game code helps implement polished game mechanics efficiently. Finally adopting coding best practices recommended for game development will help you structure a solid C++ codebase. The C++ language empowers you to build the games you love across platforms and make your creative visions come true. So start harnessing the power of C++ to build your next gaming masterpiece today!
