Game engine

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Game engine

A game engine is a software framework designed for the creation and development of video games. Developers use these engines to create games for consoles, mobile devices, and personal computers. The core functionality typically provided by a game engine includes a rendering engine ("renderer") for 2D or 3D graphics, a physics engine or collision detection (and collision response), sound, scripting, animation, artificial intelligence, networking, streaming, memory management, and a scene graph.

Components

Game engines are composed of several key components:

• Rendering Engine: Handles the drawing of graphics on the screen.
• Physics Engine: Simulates physical systems such as gravity, collision detection, and fluid dynamics.
• Sound Engine: Manages the playback and manipulation of sound effects and music.
• Scripting Engine: Allows developers to write game logic and behaviors.
• Animation Engine: Manages the animation of characters and objects.
• Artificial Intelligence: Provides the logic for non-player characters (NPCs) and other game elements.
• Networking: Facilitates multiplayer features and online connectivity.
• Memory Management: Optimizes the use of memory resources.
• Scene Graph: Organizes and manages the objects in the game world.

Popular Game Engines

Some of the most popular game engines include:

• Unreal Engine
• Unity
• CryEngine
• Godot
• Frostbite

History

The concept of a game engine dates back to the early days of video game development. Early game engines were often custom-built for specific games, but as technology advanced, more general-purpose engines were developed. The rise of 3D graphics in the 1990s led to the development of more sophisticated engines, such as the Quake engine and the Unreal Engine.

Applications

Game engines are used not only in the development of video games but also in other fields such as simulation, virtual reality, and architecture. They provide a versatile platform for creating interactive experiences and visualizations.

Related Pages

• Video game development
• Rendering (computer graphics)
• Physics engine
• Artificial intelligence in video games
• Virtual reality
• Simulation