Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 11-3.
Skeleton editor UI application and settings dialog, with the plug-in manager (made with Qt)
Conclusion
Decoupling the UI from core editing functionality helps the development and fast feature-set iteration of game
creation tools, since fewer hard-coded dependencies and monolithic schemes are used. The tools can be extended
and used for a wide range of projects, the editor itself being quite agnostic to the game type and even the engine used.
The solution presented here can be implemented in many ways, from the command system interfaces to the UI or
plug-in system. In all cases, one thing remains constant: the use of UI-independent editing operations is separated
from the tools' GUI using the command layer. I hope this article inspires you to make the right choices when creating
extensible, elegant solutions for your game development tools.
