- graphic display
- video game basics
- engine basics
- object orientated programming.
Compiled in VS 2010, 3.5. Recommended Visual Studios 2005 or greater and framework 3.5 or greater.
Preface 1: I am going to assume you know how to create a Windows Form project and add class files to it.
Preface 2: This will be a quick walk through morphing the a VB.NET form into a game engine, show casing interesting bits of form styles to make it work, and a good example of object orientated programming fundamentals. It's not a serious engine or game programming how to, but a fun exercise.
Video games - gotta love them, but sometimes you just need to prototype something out fast. It turns out with some forward thinking you can make a pretty quick proof of concept game in a .NET windows form!
It's at this point I would highly advocate hitting up the XNA subforum and the XNA tutorials for games to be done in a proper setting through .NET. The flexibility and reliability is greatly held there so when you are done playing with this example upgrade and move over to the game programming tutorials!
By and by, to get started let's break down what is a video game. You have a user input, a game engine to process the current state in a consistently periodic time slice, and a video display. With in a windows form this means your form's keydown or mouse movement is the user input, a simple timer control will provide the periodic time, and the form's paint even for the display!
Honestly, it's that simple.
When the timer ticks (aka engine) any of our objects must process it's state and then draw itself. The state is any processing for that object. The user class processes where to move. The 'enemy' processes where on the path it needs to move by itself. The 'user' class could be adapted for attacking, using items, or feeling the effects of gravity in a jump!
Conceptually this is how the classes interact:
The trick is to compartmentalize your code in to object for reuse. In this case I have an abstract class that holds the basic information I think future classes will need to function. The bare necessities. An image to draw, a location, a required paint method, a required state to process, and a few other things.
Public MustInherit Class Entity
Public Enum MovementDirection
NONE = 0
UP = 1
RIGHT = 2
DOWN = 3
LEFT = 4
End Enum
Protected _bitmapImage As Bitmap = Nothing '-- the image to be drawn.
Protected _pointLocation As Point = Nothing '-- where on the map is the user.
Protected _sID As String = String.Empty '-- ids are usually important
Protected _lMovementRate As Int32 = 0 '-- how fast the location changes when a move command is issued.
Protected _lScreenWidth As Int32 = 0 '-- used to determine the boundaries so the location is still visible.
Property _lScreenHeight As Int32 = 0 '-- used to determine the boundaries so the location is still visible.
Public WriteOnly Property ScreenHeight As Int32
Set(ByVal value As Int32)
_lScreenHeight = value
End Set
End Property
Public WriteOnly Property ScreenWidth As Int32
Set(ByVal value As Int32)
_lScreenWidth = value
End Set
End Property
''' <summary>
''' Print pertinent information
''' </summary>
''' <returns></returns>
''' <remarks></remarks>
Public Function Print() As String
Return String.Format("{0}: x={1}, y={2}", _sID, _pointLocation.X, _pointLocation.Y)
End Function
'-- Everything must be drawn!
Public MustOverride Sub Paint(ByVal e As Graphics)
'-- Everything must be provided a consistant entry point to process that state for that given time slice.
Public MustOverride Function ProcessState() As Boolean
End Class
I then have a 'user' and 'enemy' class that inherit from the 'entity' abstract class. This means user and enemy have all the functionality of 'entity' and can add to it! Future classes like items could also extend 'entity' and be mostly complete!
My 'user' class processes what action is next when the engine ticks. This means if a user pushed left then it moves left a set number of pixels. It's bound by the dimensions of the form so hopefully the location will not wander off the grid.
Note - you will need to define the path to the blue image here. If you don't it won't show up.
Public Class User
Inherits Entity
Private _enumNextAction As MovementDirection = MovementDirection.NONE
Private _lHealth As Int32 = 1
Public Property NextAction As MovementDirection
Get
Return _enumNextAction
End Get
Set(ByVal value As MovementDirection)
_enumNextAction = value
End Set
End Property
Public Sub New()
_pointLocation = New Point(50, 50)
_lMovementRate = 10
_sID = "User"
Try
_bitmapImage = New Bitmap("your file path\blue.jpg")
Catch ex As Exception
MsgBox(ex.Message, MsgBoxStyle.OkOnly, String.Format("Class: {0}", Me.GetType().Name))
_bitmapImage = New Bitmap(10, 10)
End Try
End Sub
''' <summary>
''' A constructor that takes in all the important bits of information to show the image on the screen.
''' </summary>
''' <param name="startingLocation"></param>
''' <param name="movementRate"></param>
''' <param name="imageLocation"></param>
''' <remarks></remarks>
Public Sub New(ByVal startingLocation As Point, ByVal movementRate As Int32, ByVal imageLocation As String)
_pointLocation = startingLocation
_lMovementRate = movementRate
_bitmapImage = New Bitmap(imageLocation)
_sID = "User"
End Sub
'-- Sets up drawing the image.
Public Overrides Sub Paint(ByVal e As System.Drawing.Graphics)
e.DrawImage(_bitmapImage, _pointLocation)
End Sub
Public Overrides Function ProcessState() As Boolean
'-- The only state the user needs to worry about is which direction the user wants to move.
Return DoMovement(_enumNextAction)
End Function
''' <summary>
''' Takes the information from the user's key press and update the location.
''' </summary>
''' <param name="direction"></param>
''' <returns></returns>
''' <remarks></remarks>
Private Function DoMovement(ByVal direction As MovementDirection) As Boolean
Dim bMoveOccured As Boolean = False
If _enumNextAction <> MovementDirection.NONE Then
Select Case direction
Case MovementDirection.UP
If _pointLocation.Y - _lMovementRate >= 0 Then '-- make sure user is not moving off the screen
_pointLocation.Y -= _lMovementRate
bMoveOccured = True
Else
_enumNextAction = MovementDirection.NONE
End If
Case MovementDirection.DOWN
If _pointLocation.Y + _bitmapImage.Height + _lMovementRate < _lScreenHeight Then '-- make sure user is not moving off the screen
_pointLocation.Y += _lMovementRate
bMoveOccured = True
Else
_enumNextAction = MovementDirection.NONE
End If
Case MovementDirection.RIGHT
If _pointLocation.X + _bitmapImage.Width + _lMovementRate < _lScreenWidth Then '-- make sure user is not moving off the screen
_pointLocation.X += _lMovementRate
bMoveOccured = True
Else
_enumNextAction = MovementDirection.NONE
End If
Case MovementDirection.LEFT
If _pointLocation.X - _lMovementRate >= 0 Then '-- make sure user is not moving off the screen
_pointLocation.X -= _lMovementRate
bMoveOccured = True
Else
_enumNextAction = MovementDirection.NONE
End If
Case Else
bMoveOccured = False
End Select
If bMoveOccured Then _enumNextAction = MovementDirection.NONE
End If
Return bMoveOccured
End Function
''' <summary>
''' This shows we can tack more information as we add variables to the print method already in the abstract class.
''' </summary>
''' <returns></returns>
''' <remarks></remarks>
Public Overloads Function Print() As String
Return MyBase.Print + String.Format(" Health: {0}", _lHealth)
End Function
End Class
The 'enemy' class displays a different graphic and just walks a two hundred pixel path. It's all hard coded and you can alter the class later on to make the path be different. Notice how this is very similar in setup to the 'user' class, but different in the state processing and a few other areas. Oh the joys of object orientated programming!
Note - you will need to define the path to the red triangle image here. If you don't it won't show up.
Public Class Enemy
Inherits Entity
Private _bDirection As Boolean = True
Private _pointStart As Point = Nothing
Private _pointEnd As Point = Nothing
Public Sub New()
_pointLocation = New Point(400, 50)
_lMovementRate = 10
_sID = "Enemy1"
SetupPath()
Try
_bitmapImage = New Bitmap("your path to\red_triangle.jpg")
Catch ex As Exception
MsgBox(ex.Message, MsgBoxStyle.OkOnly, String.Format("Class: {0}", Me.GetType().Name))
_bitmapImage = New Bitmap(10, 10)
End Try
End Sub
'-- determine the start and stop points for the path to follow.
'-- This is hard coded to be just two hundred pixels below the current starting position.
Private Sub SetupPath()
_pointStart = _pointLocation
_pointEnd = New Point(_pointStart.X, _pointStart.Y + 200)
End Sub
Public Overrides Sub Paint(ByVal e As System.Drawing.Graphics)
'-- Paints the image at the current location.
e.DrawImage(_bitmapImage, _pointLocation)
End Sub
Public Overrides Function ProcessState() As Boolean
'-- The only state the enemy is required to care about is if it is following the path hard coded.
WalkPath()
Return True
End Function
''' <summary>
''' A simple back and forth path. The location moves in one direction until it hits that direction, flips a boolean, and goes the opposite.
''' </summary>
''' <remarks></remarks>
Private Sub WalkPath()
If _bDirection Then
If _pointLocation.Y + _lMovementRate + _bitmapImage.Height <= _pointEnd.Y Then
_pointLocation.Y += _lMovementRate
Else
_bDirection = False
End If
Else
If _pointLocation.Y - _lMovementRate >= _pointStart.Y Then
_pointLocation.Y -= _lMovementRate
Else
_bDirection = True
End If
End If
End Sub
End Class
My form creates the user and enemy objects, reacts to keyboard input by setting the user's next action, takes care of the periodic engine processing for the user and enemy,and draws them both.
There are some critical styles set in the form's new that keep the movement smooth and not flickering. Also notice how when the key down is pushed and held only one 'next action' is set - this prevents a backup of key presses where the 'user' object tries to catch up and process a very long series of events.
Also notice the complexity of processing the states or graphics are all pushed into the objects. This makes the window form very simple to read and understand!
Public Class Form1
Private _IsDebug As Boolean = False '-- turn on if you want to see information in the debug window about the object's state.
Private WithEvents _timer As Timer = Nothing '-- the 'game engine'.
Private _oUser As User '-- our user class
Private _oEnemy As Enemy = Nothing '-- An enemy class that follows a way point that is hard coded.
Public Sub New()
' This call is required by the designer.
InitializeComponent()
' Add any initialization after the InitializeComponent() call.
'-- Setup the display to not flicker and procss the graphics smoothly.
Me.SetStyle(ControlStyles.UserPaint, True)
Me.SetStyle(ControlStyles.OptimizedDoubleBuffer, True)
Me.SetStyle(ControlStyles.AllPaintingInWmPaint, True)
Me.Height = 500
Me.Width = 500
'-- create our user to be drawn.
_oUser = New User
_oUser.ScreenHeight = Me.Height '-- to prevent moving off the screen!
_oUser.ScreenWidth = Me.Width '-- to prevent moving off the screen!
If _IsDebug Then Debug.WriteLine(_oUser.Print)
_oEnemy = New Enemy
_oEnemy.ScreenHeight = Me.Height '-- to prevent moving off the screen!
_oEnemy.ScreenWidth = Me.Width '-- to prevent moving off the screen!
If _IsDebug Then Debug.WriteLine(_oEnemy.Print)
'-- setup our timer as the engine to process.
_timer = New Timer
_timer.Interval = 100
_timer.Start()
End Sub
'-- the "game engine".
Private Sub _timer_Tick(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles _timer.Tick
'-- When the engine ticks proces the input into something our user class can do.
_oUser.ProcessState()
If _IsDebug Then Debug.WriteLine(_oUser.Print)
_oEnemy.ProcessState()
If _IsDebug Then Debug.WriteLine(_oEnemy.Print)
'-- Redraw the scene
Me.Refresh()
End Sub
'-- The take the form's input and set that action to our user object's next action on deck.
Private Sub Form1_KeyDown(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventArgs) Handles Me.KeyDown
'-- To avoid the issue of having a stack of key presses if the user holds the key down only accept one
'-- key stroke until it is processed and the graphics updated.
If _oUser.NextAction = Entity.MovementDirection.NONE Then
Select Case e.KeyCode
Case Keys.Up, Keys.W
_oUser.NextAction = Entity.MovementDirection.UP
Case Keys.Down, Keys.S
_oUser.NextAction = Entity.MovementDirection.DOWN
Case Keys.Right, Keys.D
_oUser.NextAction = Entity.MovementDirection.RIGHT
Case Keys.Left, Keys.A
_oUser.NextAction = Entity.MovementDirection.LEFT
End Select
End If
End Sub
Private Sub Form1_Paint(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.PaintEventArgs) Handles Me.Paint
_oEnemy.Paint(e.Graphics)
'-- Pain the changes to the screen.
_oUser.Paint(e.Graphics)
End Sub
End Class
In theory this is what your screen should look like when you run the code.
Zip
VBNET_VidoGame_Basics_1.zip (43.74K)
Number of downloads: 1075
Helpful links:
XNA subforum
Game Programming
MSDN: Object-Oriented Programming in Visual Basic .NET
Advance topics
- change the images to something you created.
- animation in a windows form
- collisions between objects
- inventory: tracking, collecting, and using.
- interaction between objects (attacking and damage!)
- menus - drawing them
- more complex way-points for the enemy to follow.
- flesh out the enemy's constructor
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