Links
Alien Invasion
Home About Tutorials Projects Downloads
Introduction and some terminology
What is a gaming platform, framework and then engine and Game. All four are different
parts of a game and when build with clear walls makes for a great and reusable set of tools.
The terms and distinctions talked about here are our own but as a rule the concepts are
fairly common.
Seperations
j4Game is such a platform arguable so is DirectX and the SDK’s that you would purchase
with Console applications.

A platform is the base set of tools that give access to the Hardware for the purposes of
building your Game Framework. j4Game goes a bit further then most Platforms in that it
offers rather then a timing and threading model to build your game control loop it offers
you a controlled game management solution.

Game Framework
A Framework is a particular implementation of a style or format of game. For example a
scrolling platform game or a first person shooter. A Framework is geared specifically for
that style of game and has various functions that assist towards the goals and
requirements of that style of game.

Stability
Additionally Java offers far better stability at the cost of some performance. Honestly these
days machines are so powerful we can spend some performance to gain some stability.
I have heard many arguments that C++ can give the same levels of stability but I have
personally had to patch too many games and still have them unstable to buy into that.

Game Engine
A Game engine is the implementation of a Framework for a specific game. So in the case
of a strategy game it would be the full implementation of that game on a Framework.
Part of every Game Engine is a series of game designers that allow the actual game
content to be built.

Game
The final implementation of a Game is developed in the Game Engine by the game
designers. Here levels are build items are specified and the plot is scripted.
About J4Game
Summary
To summarize its not necessary to have all these layers and keep the concepts perfectly
Separated.
For example in the Toxic Bunny port the Game Framework and Engine are built
as a single unit. This is due to the way the game was build originally and it would be a lot
of work to separate the layers now.
However if we were to build it from scratch today you can rest assured we would separate
all the layers.
License
GNU LESSER GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE
CLICK HERE to download and view the license agreement