C++ Game Development – Why Use C++ For Developing Your Game

Since you are searching for C++ game development, it is clear that you want to know more about this language and how it can help you develop amazingly gripping titles.

So, let’s delve a bit deeper into it and see how things actually work:

What is C++?

C++ is an object-oriented programming language developed at Bell Labs Circa in 1980. It is one of the best languages for game development that is widely used globally, and it can be found in today’s operating systems, GUIs, and embedded devices.

“C++ gives programmers a high level of control over system resources and memory” and in this article, we will talk about C++ Game Development.

How C++ works?

The basic workflow for developing a C++ program is as follows:

You have a series of source files in which you type real text, and it is then made to transit through a compiler, which converts it into some form of binary. We don’t know what kind of binary it is right now; it may be a library or an actual executable application.

Execution Process of a C++ Program:

A C++ program is executed in four steps, each of which uses a specific compilation tool. These tools are a collection of in-built programs that aid in program execution.

• Pre-processor
• Compiler
• Linker
• Loader

All of them are distinct programs and modules that manage the complete execution process.

The first step (Pre-processor) processes the program before sending it to the next stage for compilation.
The created output processed file (from the first step) with source code is handed to the compiler for compilation at this stage.

After compilation, the compiler checks for errors and creates the assembly code’s object file. Until here, the process of execution is halfway done.

The linker step connects one or more object files or libraries to produce the executable file.

The last step isn’t actually a step; it’s merely a section where the code is modified. It is an independent program or module that loads the whole program into memory. So it doesn’t modify the code; it simply puts it into the main memory, which is your device’s RAM.

Why Use C++ For Developing Your Game?

There are a variety of reasons why game developers like the programming language C++ for game creation, but it largely relies on personal choice as well as the sort of game you want to make. Some of the reasons for preference of C++ Game Development are:

Performance:

This programming language is compiled directly to machine instructions, which means you are really close to your computer’s CPU, closer than using an interpreted language.

Memory Management:

You do not have to employ garbage collection in C++; you may be the master of creation. Although the trash/garbage collection is convenient since it eliminates the need to worry about memory, C++’s new features include a garbage collection as well, but it allows you to manage when memory is allocated and removed.

Relying on a garbage collector implies that there may be unanticipated performance issues and difficulties that are beyond your control, particularly in more extensive projects with a lot of scripting code which might have a substantial negative impact.

So, if you want to get the highest possible speed while maintaining deterministic control over the resources consumed, you should consider utilizing C++ for your Game.

Programming Concepts:

As a non-programmer, starting with C++ is a solid and wise move. You may encounter difficulties that are difficult to fix, such as when the linker generates errors that are difficult to grasp or the compiler generates errors created in a completely different context, which may frustrate a new developer.

The objective should always be to study and grasp programming ideas, and after you’ve done that, you may go on to learning C++. In reality, if you grasp the basics of Memory Management, OOP (Object Oriented Programming), Compiling, and Linking, you’ll be able to learn and use any language with ease.

People expect results as soon as possible, yet this may conflict with writing effective code.

C++ drives you to build clean solutions and to be mindful of memory else your game will not function.

Community:

Another factor is the availability of C++ support. It is an old language with a strong community of thousands of C++ developers ready to assist you if you run into a problem. Stack Overflow is the most remarkable example of such a platform, with the highest answer rate for C++ programming, as interest in learning this language continues to rise.

This language is in great demand since the major game and application development businesses want C++ professionals, which you should bear in mind when determining what language to utilize for your game.

Disadvantages of using C++:

As with any good thing, there are certain negatives to utilizing this language as a game development language, some of which are listed below:

C++ uses pointers, as opposed to other languages, that consume a considerable amount of system memory, which is undesirable while working on large projects.

Because of characteristics like pointers, global variables, and so on, C++ has a number of security vulnerabilities.

Because C++ does not provide built-in code threads, your process will be much slower and more complex.

Because C++ lacks a garbage collector, it is difficult to filter out excessive data while letting it consume a lot of space.

In comparison to other languages, object orientation systems are considered relatively simple.

FAQs:

Is C++ good for game development?
I can certainly declare that C++ is ideal for game creation because of its superior performance compared to other languages and platform independence, which allows the user to execute the same application on other operating systems or interfaces with ease.

Is Python or C++ better for game development?
C++ is a more established language in the industry than Python, which was only recently introduced. Despite the fact that Python has English-based syntax and is easy to learn and adapt, many developers choose C++ because of the many functionalities it provides.

Is C++ better than C# for game development?
Because they have the same origins as the C language, we can argue that both languages may be used to make games, but one must clearly have an advantage over the other. C++ is used to write nearly all computer and console games. Companies employ C#, but C++ is the language of choice in most cases.

Conclusion:
As far as the dispute over which language is best for game development goes, C++ is the clear winner. Compared to other languages on the market, it has the benefit of being an old language that has been modified three times and incorporated suitable functionality. It’s used to create games from scratch, from the graphics calls to the sound, mapping your program hardware, etc., while it may also be utilized in pre-existing engines such as Unreal Engine.