Game Engines???

Any projects you create with Blitz wiklk contain 'engines' by default as all games are programmed with the core elements. However, in making your 'engine' generic or accessable/"moddable" you will need to do a lot more work and include a lot more non-specific functinality.

For example, you may be coding a FPS style game with specific weapon types, though these weapons all utilise a basic cosde structure for firing:

(example pseuddocode)

Gun=GetCurrentGun()
Dir=GetDirectionFacing(X,Y,Z)
DoGunfire(Gun,XYZ)

In a specific code structured 'engine' for a single specific game, you may restrict DoGunfire, knowing that all your weapon will act in a certain way:

function DoGunfire(Gun, XYZ)

   if (Ammo(Gun)>0)

       Hit=Check 1stTarget(XYZ)
       if (Hit=ValidTarget())
          GetGunDamage(Gun)
           DoDamageToTarget(Hit)
       endif
       ReduceAmmo(Gun) 
       return
    else
       DoNoAmmoLeft()
    endif
    
    return
end function

In creating a more general and 'moddable' engine, you would need to consider all possible modification factors within the core code, so DoGunFire() would be more complex such as:

function DoGunfire(Gun, XYZ)

   if (Ammo(Gun)>0)
   
   select (GunType)

   case GUN_TYPE_BALLISTIC
       Hit=Check 1stTarget(XYZ)
       if (Hit=ValidTarget())
          GetGunDamage(Gun)
           DoDamageToTarget(Hit)
       endif
       ReduceAmmo(Gun) 
       return

   case GUN_TYPE_BEAM
       For CheckHits=1 to Range()
          Hit=GetTarget(XYZ,CheckHits)
          if (Hit=ValidTarget())
             GetGunDamage(Gun)
             DoDamageToTarget(Hit)
          endif
       Next
       ReduceAmmo(Gun) 
       return

   case GUN_TYPE_GRENADE
       Distance=GetDistanceFunction(XYZ)
       SetGrenadeTime(Gun,Millisecs)
       ThrowGrenade(Distance)   
       ReduceAmmo(Gun) 
       return
   end select

    else
       DoNoAmmoLeft()
    endif
    
    return
end function

Of course, that's only a suggested example. In reality, grenades would likely be handled separately altogether, but I hope you see my point. :)