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| − | The code of VCMI is divided into several main parts: client, server, lib and AIs, each one in a separate binary file.
| + | {{Template:MovedToWebpage|https://vcmi.eu/developers/Code_Structure/}} |
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| − | = The big picture =
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| − | VCMI contains three core projects: VCMI_lib (dll / so), VCMI_client (executable) and VCMI_server (executable).
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| − | [[Server]] handles all [[game mechanics]] and events. [[Client]] presents [[game state]] and events to player and collects input from him.
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| − | During the game, we have one (and only one) server and one or more (one for each player computer) clients.
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| − | Important: State of the game and its mechanics are synchronized between clients and server. All changes to the game state or mechanics must be done by server which will send appropriate notices to clients.
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| − | == Game state ==
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| − | It's basically CGameState class object and everything that's accessible from it: map (with objects), player statuses, game options, etc.
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| − | == Bonus system ==
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| − | One of the more important pieces of VCMI is the [[bonus system]]. It's described in a separate article.
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| − | == Configuration ==
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| − | Most of VCMI configuration files uses Json format and located in "config" directory
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| − | === Json parser and writer ===
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| − | Capable of error checking and basic error recovery. Also have optional schema validation. Located at lib/JsonNode.h.
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| − | Currently supports only local encoding - no conversion from unicode.
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| − | Main class JsonNode represents one "node" from Json file (array, string, etc.).
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| − | Basic usage:
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| − | <pre>
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| − | const JsonNode node("some_config.json");
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| − | std::string value = node["value"].String();
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| − | </pre>
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| − | = Client =
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| − | == Main purposes of client ==
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| − | [[Client]] is responsible for:
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| − | * displaying state of game to human player
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| − | * capturing player's actions and sending requests to server
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| − | * displaying changes in state of game indicated by server
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| − | == Rendering of graphics ==
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| − | Rendering of graphics relies heavily on SDL. Currently we do not have any wrapper for SDL internal structures and most of rendering is about blitting surfaces using SDL_BlitSurface. We have a few function that make rendering easier or make specific parts of rendering (like printing text). They are places in client/SDL_Extensions and client/SDL_Framerate (the second one contains code responsible for keeping appropriate framerate, it should work more smart than just SDL_Delay(miliseconds)). In rendering, Interface object system is quite helpful. Its base is CIntObject class that is basically a base class for our library of GUI components and other objects.
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| − | === Video player ===
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| − | Located in client/VideoHandler.cpp/.h, have several platform-specific versions:
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| − | * For 32-bit Windows - using original 32-bit libraries (binkw32.dll, smackw32.dll)
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| − | * For *nix systems - using ffmpeg libraries, this player can't play original bink videos (only smack video or video from native release by LOKI)
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| − | * Empty player for 64-bit Windows
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| − | === [[Primitive controls]] ===
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| − | == [[Adventure map interface]] ==
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| − | TBD
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| − | == [[Town interface]] ==
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| − | TBD
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| − | == [[Battle interface]] ==
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| − | = Server =
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| − | == Main purposes of server ==
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| − | [[Server]] is responsible for:
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| − | * maintaining state of the game
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| − | * handling requests from all clients participating in game
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| − | * informing all clients about changes in state of the game that are visible to them
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| − | = Lib =
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| − | == Main purposes of lib ==
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| − | VCMI_Lib is a library that contains code common to server and client, so we avoid it's duplication.
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| − | Important: the library code is common for client and server and used by them, but the library instance (in opposition to the library as file) is not shared by them! Both client and server create their own "copies" of lib with all its class instances.
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| − | [[Lib]] contains code responsible for:
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| − | * handling most of Heroes III files (.lod, .txt setting files)
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| − | * storing information common to server and client like state of the game
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| − | * managing armies, buildings, artifacts, spells, bonuses and other game objects
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| − | * handling general game mechanics and related actions (only adventure map objects; it's an unwanted remnant of past development - all game mechanics should be handled by the server)
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| − | * networking and serialization
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| − | = [[Artificial Intelligence]] (AI)=
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| − | == [[GeniusAI]] ==
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| − | Genius AI is first and obsolete battle AI.
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| − | == [[StupidAI]] ==
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| − | Stupid AI is recent and used battle AI.
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| − | == [[Adventure AI]] ==
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| − | == [[Programming challenge]] ==
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| − | == [[Neural network]] ==
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| − | Neural network is an unused and abandoned part of [[GeniusAI]].
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| − | == [[Expert System]] ==
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| − | Expert system is unfinished AI module which could allow understanding of game mechanics in rule-based fashion. It is supposed to utilize [[bonus system]] which holds info about many different game mechanics and could be potentially used to build complex strategies.
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| − | = [[Modding tools]] =
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| − | Modding engine and tools are not yet finished nor avaliable to end user.
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| − | [[Mod system proposal]]
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| − | == [[ERM parser]] ==
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