Insightful resources for game engine architecture?

Question

I am looking for resources that describe, in detail, the design decisions involved in game engine architecture. I am especially looking for analysis of the pros and cons of different design decisions at the lowest levels of the engine. The ideal resource, for example, might compare an inheritance-based object hierarchy to a flat, component-based object hierarchy. Or it might compare an in-engine editor with a separate editor tool.

What I am not looking for is a tutorial on how to implement any particular decision -- I would rather have a resource that discusses why to implement a decision.

Are there any blogs or books out there that offer this kind of insight into the game engine design process?

Answer 1

David Eberly's books (Game Engine Design) (Game Engine Architecture) go into great detail in this area. They are packed with info and do not hold your hand, which I think is what you're looking for.

For web references, check out gamedev.net.

Answer 2

I own this but never read it:

3D Game Engine Architecture: Engineering Real-Time Applications with Wild Magic

Answer 3

I have a rather over-analytic book. I think that the approach followed, is of writer's personal point of view and not of common knowledge, but I find it rather a good one to embrace the initiatives for your own try-out.

3D Game Engine Design, 2nd Ed.: A Practical Approach to Real-Time Computer Graphics

Answer 4

I find John Carmack's .plan files very interesting and insightful.

Answer 5

My blog should help!

Answer 6

I would also highly recommend reading the various Intel articles posted on Gamasutra, or going directly to the source (Intel Visual Computing).

This, in my opinion, is one of the best, and most relevant to contemporary engines, articles: Optimizing Game Architectures with Intel Thread Building Blocks.

For a book, Game Engine Architecture by Jason Gregory is wonderful. It's simple, to the point, goes over the predominant issues in contemporary engineering, looks to the future, and uses Unreal and Ogre3D examples everywhere.

Finally, check out Game Architect.

Hope that helps!