Game Objects

Discover the different types of Game Objects in the Engine

Game Objects Types

The Engine currently provides nine (9) Types of Game Objects. Among those nine (9) types, six (6) can be added to the Game World through the Editor, the three others are generated automatically by the Engine when you play your Scene.

Within the Editor, your Game Scene has two main states : World Edition and Play Time. During the Game World Edition, you can add the following Game Objects

Sprite Object
Animation Object
Text Object
Mesh Object
Meshed Sprite Object
Meshed Animation Object

When you switch to Play Time by clicking the button Play, All the Objects you had during the World Edition get transformed into new Objects. During that transformation, Sprite Objects, Animation Objects, and Text Objects remain the same, while Mesh Objects, Meshed Sprite, and Meshed Animation become respectively Physic Objects, Solid Objects, and Solid Animation Object.

Simple vs Composite Objects

The Game Objects can be classified into two groups of objects : Simple and Composite.

A Simple Object has nothing special, it’s just a Game Object existing in the form of a C++ Class. For example for Sprite Objects you have a class nero::SpriteObject, for Mesh Objects you have a class nero::MeshObject. The Engine has currently five (5) Simple Games Objects.

A Composite Object is an object made of several Simple Objects. Composite Objects only exist virtually inside the Engine. For example, for Solid Objects, no class nero::SolidObject exist to represent such Objects. Instead, a Solid Object is simply a combination of one nero::PhysicObject and one nero::SpriteObject.

All the Engine Composite Objects are made of two Simple Objects, one Object being the child of the other one.

Mesh Object & Physic Object

The Mesh Object is the most powerful object of the Engine. It allows you to create different types of shapes : polygons, circles, and lines. When a Scene is played, All Mesh Objects get transformed into Physic Objects. Simply put Meshes allows you to create Physic Objects.

You can build your Entire Game or Game Prototype using only Mesh and Physic Objects.

You can add a Mesh Object using the mesh drop-down list on the right of the Editor. There are three options inside the drop-down : Polygon, Circle, Line.

Add Mesh Object : Select a shape (Polygon, Circle, Line)

Sprite Object

A Sprite is simply an Image. Sprites are generally creating by Game Artists but today you can find a lot of websites providing free Sprites.

You add Sprite Objects simply by clicking on a Sprite Button from the Sprite Tab.

Add Sprite Object : Click on a Sprite Button

Meshed Sprite & Solid Object

A Meshed Sprite is a combination of a Sprite Object and a Mesh Object. This allows you to create objects that have a graphic and a physic component. At Play Time Meshed Sprites become Solid Objects.

You add a Meshed Sprite by Holding CTRL before clicking on a Sprite Button.

Add Meshed Sprite : Hold CRTL + Click on a Sprite Button

Animation Object

An Animation Object stores a Sprite Animation which is made of several Sequences of animation.

You add Animation Objects simply by clicking on an Animation Button from the Animation Tab.

Add Animation Object : Click on an Animation Button

Meshed Animation & Solid Animation Object

A Meshed Animation is a combination of an Animation Object and a Mesh Object. This allows you to create animated objects that have a physic component. At Play Time Meshed Animations become Solid Animation Objects.

You add a Meshed Animation by Holding CTRL before clicking on an Animation Button.

Add Meshed Animation : Hold CRTL + Click on an Animation Button

Text Object

A Text Object is a text. Well, that’s obvious !!

You add a Text Object by clicking on the button Add Text inside the Text Tab

Add Text Object : Click on the button Add Text