Questions tagged [component-based]
Component-based designs rely on separating the multiple logical attributes of business objects and game objects into small components dedicated only to specific tasks. Whereas game objects are usually modeled to reproduce the attributes and behavior of "real world" objects by aggregating them together and allowing specialized objects to inherit from general ones, component based design relies on composition rather than inheritance.
294 questions
2
votes
1
answer
125
views
Component communication in Component-based design
In my turn-based game, I have decided to make a separate layer of non-visual objects (everything is precalculated in my game and all of the visual effects are pushed to the animation queue).
these non-...
- 55
1
vote
2
answers
1k
views
What exactly is component-based architecture and how do I get it to work?
My problems with OOP:
For a while now, I have been attempting to make full games on Godot, but I keep running into issues around poor organization and planning with my classes and OOP architecture. ...
1
vote
2
answers
263
views
Would it be practical if I used composition for everything?
I've been learning C++ and SDL2 and I'm trying to improve at using composition and for the longest time I thought it was only useful for making things like players, enemies, coins, etc, and I think ...
- 61
12
votes
3
answers
5k
views
What's the appropiate way to achieve composition in Godot?
How?
I think I still don't properly understand how composition in Godot works. So, as far as I know, you 'compose' stuff in Godot, right? Like, if you want to make a rock you create a mesh node with ...
- 535
0
votes
2
answers
972
views
Interactable actors should be implemented via components or inheritances?
I am new to game development and I am learning Unreal Engine right now.
When a player character APlayer wants to interact with other actors (such as ...
- 103
2
votes
1
answer
808
views
Decoupling Components
I am working on my first Tower Defense game and I got stuck with architecture.
I found some past Q&A "Should the entity handle his own movement?", read about Entity Component approach, ...
- 105
3
votes
2
answers
1k
views
How do different compositions/types of entities interact in an ECS-system?
I have a working ECS-system set up, largely inspired by this brilliant article (not at all required reading to be able to answer my question) on https://indiegamedev.net/ showcasing an ECS-system with ...
- 157
0
votes
0
answers
135
views
Best architecture for describing interaction between spells
Interactions serve as retroactions. I'm currently looking the best way to describe interactions between different abilities.
For instance, if we take a fire ability and a water one, a lot of different ...
- 1
2
votes
1
answer
2k
views
What should be an entity/component, and what shouldn't?
I've recently been reading the book Game Programming Patterns by Bob Nystrom, and one chapter I've found a bit hard to grip is the chapter about the Component pattern.
In the example he uses (which ...
- 157
0
votes
0
answers
191
views
ECS multithreading without value types?
Im working with an Java based ECS framework called "Artemis ODB".
Its great so far but it lacks multithreading or jobs.
So i wanted to add them by myself. I actually wanted to give each job ...
- 517
1
vote
1
answer
3k
views
Component-based ability system for turn-based rpg
I am trying to make a component-based ability system for my new turn based game that I am working on. I not sure with the architecture and the approach I am following.
So here my idea:
Every Ability ...
- 13
2
votes
2
answers
4k
views
How to Implement ECS Archetypes in C#?
I'm trying to figure out how to implement a simple ECS with an Archetype approach, similar to what Unity's ECS uses.
An archetype is just a category for entities that have a specific set of components....
- 123
0
votes
0
answers
180
views
How to draw the player standing behind a tree in an Entity Component System?
I'm making a top-down Javascript canvas game using the Entity Component System architecture.
For an entity to be drawn on the screen every frame, it needs a ...
- 235
0
votes
1
answer
143
views
Should abilities have their state and functionality separated?
I'm developing a top-down game using Javascript and Canvas in an ECS architecture.
I'm wondering, which of these is better from a design / elegance point of view?
Method 1: Combining the ability ...
- 235
0
votes
1
answer
571
views
Cannot decide between using a MessageBus and entities for events in my ECS game
For example, let's say that the player walks into an enemy and in response, a chain of events should occur (such as: his score goes up, the enemy dies, a cinematic starts, etc.)
I see two "proper&...
- 235
0
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Two Colliders on the same GameObject for different purposes
I'm somewhat new to Unity and am trying to build a battle system.
Right now, I have an attack that checks collisions with enemy objects like this:
...
- 111
1
vote
0
answers
128
views
Entity Component System: Dependency Between Systems
Inspired by the Entity Component System Architecture, I started to refactor my 2D tiled-based game to follow the rule "favor composition over inheritance".
However, after writing the ...
- 111
2
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Component instance reference in Unreal Engine 4
I'm creating a C++ script and I want to get a reference to a component instance.
For example, imagine that I want to get the player camera, which is a ...
- 265
1
vote
1
answer
731
views
Component Based Spells/Abilities
This has been a bit of a long time coming challenge for me, if you look back at previous questions for Component based spells you are likely to find my old questions, given that they are 1 + 2 years ...
- 554
0
votes
0
answers
294
views
C++ OpenGL: Object Components
I've been trying to make a barebones engine/game in VS C++ with OpenGL.
So far it's worked well, I've managed to render two green triangles on the screen and can accelerate one using WASD input.
...
- 1
0
votes
0
answers
79
views
How would I go about creating dynamic weapons using EC architecture?
I currently have a weapon component that contains common functionality across weapons (mainly guns).
...
anon
0
votes
0
answers
170
views
Unity Vector3 y and z Components being set 0
So I'm working on an RTS game and I'm trying to set pre-defined positions for units using my own formula. It takes the list of units and makes a position for each one in an array. The array then goes ...
- 27
1
vote
1
answer
339
views
Should fields in components in an ECS use polymorphism?
I've just started to try and learn how to use ECS (Entity component systems), but I'm having trouble understanding the concepts behind components.
Should adding more types of components, or trying to ...
- 59
1
vote
1
answer
224
views
Where should I put units and items in a squad-combat ECS-based game?
So I'm working on a game where squads of varied units would explore, fight, trade and build on an overworld map. Combat would be automated more or less, and happen on the overworld. Basically, ...
- 297
1
vote
1
answer
4k
views
Unity get component throwing NullReferenceException only in standalone build
I'm having a very frustrating issue with GetComponent().
...
- 2,779
0
votes
2
answers
2k
views
In Unreal Engine 4, how do I get the component's "game object" via C++?
I have an ACharacter instance with a weapons component that inherits from UActorComponentattached to it. I'm currently writing ...
- 219
5
votes
1
answer
5k
views
Dealing with more complex entities in an ECS architecture
Preamble: I'm working on a level editor for my engine, which uses an ECS architecture. I have around a dozen component types so far, mostly dealing with graphics, like lighting components, model, and ...
- 1,043
2
votes
1
answer
651
views
Pass data down to components
In the game I have, I'm using an architecture close to what I've seen of Unity components :
Basically, the universe implements the game loop, entities implement and ...
user130356
3
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Should components in Entity Component System pattern have logic?
Is often read that in entity component system pattern we should treat components just as a passive data structure with no logic at all, this way we follow to a data oriented design approach with ...
- 31
0
votes
1
answer
402
views
Why even use coroutines in Unity?
I have been thinking about the use of Unity's coroutines recently, and while I've used them in the past, and am already aware of their bad reputation (although I've also seen posts on the unity forums ...
- 131
2
votes
3
answers
241
views
How do you make sure that a component can be applied to very different entities?
I've been reading about the SOLID principle and component-based game development. Lots of these posts explain it but don't really give examples on it.
For example, in a hypothetical RPG game, say ...
- 21
1
vote
2
answers
704
views
Best Practice for Validating Components in Unity/C#?
In my game there's a Unit class, which all soldiers use. Not all soldiers have special abilities which require unique class components (like Stealth class). Special abilities either exist on a unit ...
user83633
3
votes
1
answer
158
views
How to react properly to component field changes?
Let's say, that we have the following components:
Direction, which contains direction the object moves:
...
- 183
0
votes
2
answers
277
views
How to: Duplicating and updating component data in systems
I am new to game development. Coming across the ECS (entity-component system) pattern I generally quite liked the idea. I have implemented the current version of my engine using the OOP style approach....
4
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Appropriate Cache Friendly Associative Container For An Entity Component System
The intro to this problem is a bit of a long one so my apologies in advance. In short I am asking for suggestion as to what type of collection I should use to store data for a particular part of my ...
- 187
2
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Are references between entities in Entitiy Component System allowed?
I've got a player entiy in my game that can pick up weapons when colliding with item entities. The player can hold and use the weapon in their hand (the weapon sprite is rendered relative to the ...
- 228
0
votes
2
answers
432
views
How to handle component-based objects in a game loop?
I've been writing my own game engine and I was wondering the correct way to handle my game objects. Each game object is different. The only thing they have in common is a set of operations to handle ...
- 115
5
votes
2
answers
9k
views
How do components access one another in a component based entity system
---Most of the stuff I am talking about I read here---
I am currently tring to wrap my head around component based systems to make a simple game engine of sorts.
I am having a hard time understanding ...
- 197
0
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Should a system be able to render things? (ECS)
I'm currently building an entity component system and I just have one question... Should a system be allowed to render things to the screen?
For example, should I make a SpriteComponent that contains ...
user102158
1
vote
3
answers
2k
views
Binding c++ templated functions to lua
I have started using Lua as a scripting language for my game engine. It works perfectly for things like input, audio etc. However, I'm now trying to bind my entity component system functions which ...
- 97
3
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Where is 'game logic' implemented in component based design?
I have been trying to get my head around using an entity component system for a game. But I am struggling to understand how I should do 'game-logic'.
What I have so far:
Components are essentially ...
- 97
0
votes
1
answer
121
views
Guidelines for determining what should be a component?
Background:
So I'm developing my first 2d C++ fighting game (for learning purposes) and I have a setup where I have 'components' which are really just data holders with maybe some simple utility ...
- 423
0
votes
1
answer
75
views
How to determine the values of parameters controlling the game objects? [closed]
I am a C# developer and now trying to change to my dream field: Game Development.
I am new to Game Development and currently self learning Unity3D.
To me Unity is component based tools and we can ...
- 101
5
votes
2
answers
693
views
Where to store contiguous arrays of components?
I've been working on an entity component system and have the trouble of where to define/put the arrays of each component type. Each component type is user defined so I do not know what or how many ...
- 97
1
vote
0
answers
204
views
Communication in an entity-component through public variables or public member functions [closed]
I am currently coding my own ECS to get a deeper understanding of how such an engine works. I am currently putting together systems. I am aware that there is no right answer to my question as there ...
- 123
2
votes
1
answer
6k
views
What is a faster alternative to a GetComponent from a RaycastHit?
I have a basic AI car script which needs to interact with other cars around it. I would like to access variables from the other cars to help one car identify what the other cars are doing so they can ...
- 2,779
2
votes
1
answer
801
views
Component based architecture in TypeScript
I'm doing a game using Phaser with TypeScript. I want to implement a component based architecture for Actors.
What I'm trying to achieve is this:
...
2
votes
1
answer
2k
views
ECS - Components inside components?
Reading up on ECS, I've tried to implement a simple 'game', if you can call it that.
Basic concepts :
You have planets(entity), they produce gold. (gold is a component inside planet)
Planets can ...
- 163
0
votes
1
answer
90
views
Changing the current state of an entity in the middle of an update step or wait for the end?
Let's say that I use a behaviour component that holds a function call to be called every update step assigned to an entity. Inside that function call I'm changing the active state for the entity to ...
- 113
0
votes
0
answers
149
views
Change entity's size based on health [ECS]
I'm making a kind of entity component system framework and I have a doubt:
I have two components 'health_damage', 'physic' (which contains position, weight,...) and 'sprite' (position, dimensions...)....
- 595