2_engine_basics.html 1.9 KB

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  1. <html>
  2. <head>
  3. <link rel="stylesheet" href="style.css"/>
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  5. <body>
  6. <h2>The Engine Basics</h2>
  7. <h3>Parts of the Engine</h3>
  8. <p>
  9. The engine used to power Final Fantasy 7 is split into several
  10. modules. This allowed the programming team to break apart into very
  11. distinct groups. It also created a very diverse game playing
  12. environment. It also allowed the artists to only have to work
  13. within their own module, keeping the artwork as dynamic as
  14. possible.
  15. </p>
  16. <p>
  17. The module system allowed for a single point of entry into, and
  18. exit out of, each distinct part of the game. The PSX, which the
  19. game was originally developed for, had very limited resources. With
  20. only 1 megabyte of video ram and 2 megabytes of system ram, data
  21. had to be banked in and out efficiently. Modules were a clean way
  22. to dump whole parts of the engine to make way for other parts.
  23. </p>
  24. <p>
  25. The core system is made up of six modules. They are called the
  26. kernel, field, menu, world map, battle, and mini game. They are
  27. arranged in the following order.
  28. </p>
  29. <p>
  30. <img src='img/2_engine_basics.jpg'/>
  31. </p>
  32. <h3>Generic Program Flow</h3>
  33. <p>
  34. Not every module is accessible by every other module. There is a
  35. distinct flow between them. For example, you can not access the
  36. menu from battle, much to the chagrin of the poor user who had
  37. forgotten to equip some last minute item. The field module, second
  38. only to the kernel, drives the game. It includes a powerful
  39. scripting system that can call any module within the game.
  40. </p>
  41. </body>
  42. </html>