Game Programming Class4

Game Components

About components Application Overview

Game Components are reusable and easy to add to a game.

• GameComponent Class
• DrawGameComponent Class

http://blogs.msdn.com/xna/archive/2006/08/31/734204.aspx

Game Service

A game service is a game component that uses an interface to enforce a singleton pattern and make a single instance of a game component accessible to all other components. It's a nice mechanism to maintain a loose coupling between components.

A singleton is a class that only allows a single instance of the class to be created. A game service is not a true singleton as it uses a unique interface to identify and expose it at the game level.

A game service is a built in mechanism that allows a game to create and manage a single instance of a component ans allows other components access to the service.

Good candidates for a game service are.

• InputHandler
• GameConsole
• Profiling Service
• Scoreboard

Microsoft has added the

• GamerServices

Console Class

Separate IntroGameLibrary Project to help Encapsulate Reusable Code.

• IntroConsole.zip
• IntroGameLibrary.zip

IntroGameLibrary/GameConsole.cs To add the Component to the Game we make an declare in the game class. Then we need to add the component to the Game Components Collection.

<csharp>

       GameConsole gameConsole;

       public Game1()
       {
           graphics = new GraphicsDeviceManager(this);
           Content.RootDirectory = "Content";

           gameConsole = new GameConsole(this);
           this.Components.Add(gameConsole);
       }
           

</csharp>

IntroConsole/Game1.cs

Homework

• Use the fps component to create a baseline log
• Convert Project 3 to use the inputHandler service

Bonus

• Create your own game service and use it in an xna project