Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 1.2.
Diagram showing an imaginary dependency graph. Compilers are displayed
as rounded boxes, with a different color representing alternative transformation steps.
Dependencies connect compilers, input files, and output files. Explicit and implicit de-
pendencies are drawn as solid and dotted lines respectively. (See Color Plate I.)
be consumed by the game. Each input is modeled as a
dependency
for the node,
the node becomes a direct dependency for each of the outputs, and the outputs
themselves are dependencies for later processing steps. In its minimal implemen-
tation, the system will be composed of a method to extract the dependencies, so a
set of tasks can be
scheduled
and
executed
.
Our focus will be on the framework itself, not on the details of each individual
compiler. Each compiler can integrate complex conversions involving geometry,
image and sound processing, database accesses, etc. which can also probably be
implemented using alternative methods. Together with custom editors and tools,
they deserve an independent discussion and will not be covered in this chapter.
We have implicitly assumed that the target of a build is the production game
assets. From a broader point of view, other professional environments use con-
ceptually similar frameworks that are wired to compile source code, render and
postprocess CG images, process natural language, crunch physics simulations, or
