Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 8.1
This is how data flows from game resource files to your game subsystems.
work with, on the other hand, because the best storage format is completely depen-
dent on its use in the game and what it looks like.
These conversions are also dependent on the hardware platform. You can count on
the fact that the Sony PS3 and the Microsoft Xbox360 will want sounds and textures
presented in two completely different formats. This process will result in different
resource files for each platform you support.
Most everyone is familiar with the Zip file, originally created back in 1989 by Phil
Katz, first implemented in PKWARE
s PKZIP utility. There might be better compres-
sion and storage formats for storing particular bits of game data, but for our pur-
poses it will do nicely as a general-purpose resource file. Later in this chapter, I
'
ll
show you how this is implemented in code, packing all your game assets into one
neat file format.
If your game is more of an open world design, your technology has to be more com-
plicated and manage resources streaming from disc into memory and being released
as the player moves through the game world.
More likely than not, you
'
ll be streaming resources not from disc, but from the Web.
The concepts are exactly the same, but the bandwidth can be extremely variable and
'
 
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