Название: Unreal Engine 5 Game Programming Design Patterns in C++, Java, C#, and Blueprints
Автор: Sonicworkflow
Издательство: Sonicworkflow LLC
Год: 2021
Страниц: 516
Язык: английский
Формат: pdf , epub
Размер: 32.0 MB

This book is a crosswalk from traditional code to visual scripting. This book is about reconstructing traditional and widely used design patterns in a visual scripting environment. The visual scripting environment is Unreal Engine’s “Blueprints.” We will discuss and implement design patterns to solve some of the most common problems in programming. You will not need to read much of the background material on the design patterns if you are an experienced coder. Chances are, you probably have used many of these patterns previously. Do not fret If you are not a coder. If you are familiar with Blueprints, then you can, and should implement design patterns into your workflow when necessary. C++, Java, and C# “equivalent” code is provided for each design pattern discussed. Additionally, there is an accompanying UML diagram for each design pattern of the Java code implementation. We follow the code in blueprints as close as possible. Some of you may be thinking, “Hey, why would you use Java and C# when Unreal’s main coding language is C++.” I have nothing against C++. I chose to add Java and C# for a few reasons.

1) Java and C# are easier to read. Especially if you are coming from Unity. Unity uses C#. It possesses keywords that immediately communicate Interfaces, and abstract classes. There is no need to explicitly compose pure virtual functions in Java or C#.
2) If one knows C++, then Java and C# are a breeze. If one knows Java and C#, C++ is still difficult to master.
3) I think one would agree that Blueprints are closer in spirit to Java and C# than to C++.

What is Not in this Book? This book is not about how to start using blueprints from scratch. This is not a zero to hero blueprints quest. You will struggle if you do not have a decent familiarity with blueprints. Plainly, this is not a beginner’s book . Comparatively, one would not attempt to “learn” C++ from the “Gang of Four’s” design patterns book. Since I brought it up, Design Patterns, Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software is the granddaddy of design patterns references. It is basically the authority on the topic of design patterns. You would be hard pressed to find a reputable source on the topic not borrowing ideas from that book. The “Gang of Four”, aka GoF, refer to the book’s four authors. This book is not a treatise on design patterns. The Gang of Four’s book is a must read for further depth and understanding of the topic.

This book is not a level design, artificial intelligence, user interface, animation etc. blueprint tutorial. The example implementations are trivial, like printing a string to the screen/viewport trivial. To that end, focus is set on the design patterns themselves, not bells and whistles in Unreal Engine. This is done with great care and consideration to reduce obsolescence. Unreal Engine changes so frequently that a large portion of written publications are all but obsolete by the time they are published.