Old Code

Last week I rediscovered a 12 year old game project I was working on. I decided to look at it and write a blog about it.

Here's a summary:

Part 1: Archaeology - The rediscovery and an overview of the repository structure
Part 2: First look at the code - I open the door and peek inside, outlining the high level structure or concepts - it's a look back in time to GameDev.net in 2004 (Enginuity era)
Part 3: PhysFS & Entities - I remove the dependency on PhysicsFS to get the game starting. I explore the Entity structure and find dragons.
Part 4: Compile Times - I start cleaning up the code and apply some header discipline to drastically improve compilation times
Part 5 - It lives! - I get the game running and stare into face of a resurrected monster. I find that a lot of the systems and mechanics are no longer present or functional - as a result, the 'game' isn't a game at all anymore and won't be without significant work.
Part 6 - Cleanup - I start the cleanup of dead systems, removing a bunch of obviously unused junk. I extricate the smart pointer system in favour of a cleaner more deterministic ownership model.
Part 7 - You didn't need it - I start to remove everything else that has no material benefit to the current feature set in the game. The goal is to keep only the code that is useful. A *lot* of code is removed.
Part 8 - Journey's End - I remove the final thorn in the code, the entity system, keeping only what is needed. I realise that there's no more to remove.

It's been a fun journey and the current result is arguably the code that should have been written 12 years ago. A great lesson in not over-engineering things for the sake of it and evolving as you go. It's also a view into the past and a realisation that you can learn and change a lot in 12 years.

I'm pondering what to do next. The codebase is still "old", but improving it will result in writing a lot of new code. I may modernise it a bit and then keep going. Not decided yet. I hope you enjoy reading.