C++ Game Dev Resource Loader Best Practices

The engine should load ALL resource descriptions at the start of the game and create all handles for them. When a component requests a resource the handle is returned. That way functions can proceed as normal (they can still request the size etc.). Aug 16, 2016  50 Tips and Best Practices for Unity (2016 Edition) Resource. I wouldn't worry too much about best practices when you're a complete noob. It's good to look into of course, but don't be afraid to just hack things together however you can. You could use an empty game object, or even a.

  • C++ Basics
  • C++ Object Oriented
  • C++ Advanced
  • C++ Useful Resources

C++ Game Dev Resource Loader Best Practices List

  • Selected Reading

C++ is a middle-level programming language developed by Bjarne Stroustrup starting in 1979 at Bell Labs. C++ runs on a variety of platforms, such as Windows, Mac OS, and the various versions of UNIX. This C++ tutorial adopts a simple and practical approach to describe the concepts of C++ for beginners to advanded software engineers.

Why to Learn C++

C++ is a MUST for students and working professionals to become a great Software Engineer. I will list down some of the key advantages of learning C++:

  • C++ is very close to hardware, so you get a chance to work at a low level which gives you lot of control in terms of memory management, better performance and finally a robust software development.

  • C++ programming gives you a clear understanding about Object Oriented Programming. You will understand low level implementation of polymorphism when you will implement virtual tables and virtual table pointers, or dynamic type identification.

  • C++ is one of the every green programming languages and loved by millions of software developers. If you are a great C++ programmer then you will never sit without work and more importantly you will get highly paid for your work.

  • C++ is the most widely used programming languages in application and system programming. So you can choose your area of interest of software development.

  • C++ really teaches you the difference between compiler, linker and loader, different data types, storage classes, variable types their scopes etc.

There are 1000s of good reasons to learn C++ Programming. But one thing for sure, to learn any programming language, not only C++, you just need to code, and code and finally code until you become expert.

Hello World using C++

Just to give you a little excitement about C++ programming, I'm going to give you a small conventional C++ Hello World program, You can try it using Demo link

C++ is a super set of C programming with additional implementation of object-oriented concepts.

There are many C++ compilers available which you can use to compile and run above mentioned program:

  • Apple C++. Xcode

  • Bloodshed Dev-C++

  • Clang C++

  • Cygwin (GNU C++)

  • Mentor Graphics

  • MINGW - 'Minimalist GNU for Windows'

  • GNU CC source

  • IBM C++

  • Intel C++

  • Microsoft Visual C++

  • Oracle C++

  • HP C++

It is really impossible to give a complete list of all the available compilers. The C++ world is just too large and too much new is happening.

Applications of C++ Programming

As mentioned before, C++ is one of the most widely used programming languages. It has it's presence in almost every area of software development. I'm going to list few of them here:

  • Application Software Development - C++ programming has been used in developing almost all the major Operating Systems like Windows, Mac OSX and Linux. Apart from the operating systems, the core part of many browsers like Mozilla Firefox and Chrome have been written using C++. C++ also has been used in developing the most popular database system called MySQL.

  • Programming Languages Development - C++ has been used extensively in developing new programming languages like C#, Java, JavaScript, Perl, UNIX’s C Shell, PHP and Python, and Verilog etc.

  • Computation Programming - C++ is the best friends of scientists because of fast speed and computational efficiencies.

  • Games Development - C++ is extremely fast which allows programmers to do procedural programming for CPU intensive functions and provides greater control over hardware, because of which it has been widely used in development of gaming engines.

  • Embedded System - C++ is being heavily used in developing Medical and Engineering Applications like softwares for MRI machines, high-end CAD/CAM systems etc.

This list goes on, there are various areas where software developers are happily using C++ to provide great softwares. I highly recommend you to learn C++ and contribute great softwares to the community.

Audience

This C++ tutorial has been prepared for the beginners to help them understand the basic to advanced concepts related to C++.

Prerequisites

Before you start practicing with various types of examples given in this C++ tutorial,we are making an assumption that you are already aware of the basics of computer program and computer programming language.

The International Game Developers Association is measuring the “crunch time” practices, or mandatory uncompensated overtime required to finish games, at major game companies.

The group is measuring crunch time by surveying employees, and it will report on the companies with the best crunch time practices later this year. And next year, the IGDA will reward the companies that are doing the best. If companies refuse to change, the IGDA might publicly report companies that continue to force employees to work uncompensated crunch time.

Kate Edwards, executive director of the IGDA, said in an interview with GamesBeat that the nature of creative work is that it is never really done, and poor planning can lead to uncompensated crunch. Surveys for the past two years show at least 37 percent of game developers say they are not compensated for crunch time, when they work long hours in a day or week to finish a game.

“We all know crunch is an issue, and that compensation can be an issue related to crunch,” Edwards. “That’s a huge percentage of developers who aren’t getting compensated for crunch. We know it is a persistent problem. Now, what do we do about it? We’d prefer to highlight the companies that are doing really well. If there’s an exemplary company, we will highlight them. If we found an example that is grievous, we’ll probably highlight that as well.”

The IGDA made the announcement at the Game Developers Conference, which is expected to draw more than 26,000 people to San Francisco this week. The IGDA is launching its third annual voluntary survey for developers today.

Uncompensated crunch time has been a challenge in the industry for the longest time, and it was drawn into the open by the “EA Spouse” controversy, when developer Erin Hoffman wrote an anonymous screed criticizing Electronic Arts for requiring employees to work long hours in the final process of shipping games — and then moving them on to new crunch time projects as soon as they finished. The 2004 episode drew a lot of attention to crunch time, but the issue has almost been forgotten again.

C Game Dev Resource Loader Best Practices For School

Above: Kate Edwards of the IGDA and Stewart Rogers of VentureBeat.

Edwards said the IGDA board of directors will privately raise their concerns with leaders at companies practicing uncompensated crunch. If those companies do not change their practices, then the IGDA may take more action, including publicly speaking out about those companies, Edwards said.

The IGDA will determine which firms have good or poor crunch time practices by collecting data in its 2016 Developer Satisfaction Survey (DSS), which the company also conducted in 2015 and 2014. Then it will break down the results from each individual employer on a percentage base.

But Edwards said that the IGDA may partner with a third party such as Glassdoor.com or Indeed.com, which allow employees to rate companies on a variety of measures. Such groups have already figured out how to handle things like degrees of anonymity afforded employees, who may fear retribution from management if they speak honestly about their employees, Edwards said.

C++

“We could roll out all kinds of different issues once we set this up, like how are the companies doing on diversity,” Edwards said.

Game developers who would like to see their employer rewarded for treating them fairly or a change in practices at companies that do not compensate for crunch time are highly encouraged to take part in this year’s DSS, the IGDA said. Such companies may succeed in recruiting employees.

But not all is happy in the game industry. Edwards noted, “During the DICE Awards, I noticed the award winners going up and saying that they missed their kids. I’d like to ask you as a parent, ‘Ten years from now, would you like to have that award in your hand, or the lost time with your kid.’ Crunch has a real cost. If you crunch 70 hours a week, that will affect your health.”

Based on its DSS data collected in 2014 and 2015 and to be continued in 2016, the IGDA is acting upon the strong concern developers have expressed that uncompensated crunch time continues to be an ongoing factor that negatively affects job satisfaction and ultimately the longevity of game developer careers. When the IGDA has asked which company employees would like to work for, Valve Software in Bellevue, Wash., the maker of the Half-Life games and owner of Steam, is always at the top.

C Game Dev Resource Loader Best Practices For College

According to the surveys, of those experiencing crunch, nearly half are working more than 60 hours per week, with 17 percent working more than 70 hours. However, during these periods of crunch time, in 2014, 38 percent of employee respondents reported that their employers do not or are unable to offer any additional compensation for working overtime. In 2015, that number was comparable at 37 percent of employee respondents, Edwards said.

As previously reported in the IGDA’s DSS results, poor working conditions are the second leading factor contributing towards society’s negative perception of the game industry, with 55 percent of respondents selecting it among a list of provided factors. It also remains a major factor why game developers would choose to leave the industry in favor of non-game related technology jobs.

Edwards said the IGDA will undertake several actions to better track uncompensated crunch in the industry and work directly with companies to help them understand the effects of uncompensated crunch on their employees.

C++ Game Dev Resource Loader Best Practices 2017

Edwards said that good managers will create realistic schedules and also encourage employees to take breaks or head home when they’re putting in too many hours. If the company does require uncompensated crunch time, it should inform employees of that fact at the outset.

The IGDA’s board members will have conversations with companies that get bad reports from employees. They will check into special circumstances, management beliefs, and the level of awareness of the forced crunch. If those companies do nothing, the IGDA will consider outing them publicly, Edwards said.

C Game Dev Resource Loader Best Practices List

“We want to do a quiet engagement and give the company a chance to engage with us,” Edwards said. “I don’t think it’s going to be swift because you want to give the company a chance, if they are open-minded about it. But I’m sure there are some that won’t. The last thing we would do is out the company as a potentially problematic company. That’s a last resort.”