The document covers the evolution of programming languages leading to object-oriented programming (OOP) and common data structures used in video game development. Key data structures discussed include static arrays, linked lists, queues, stacks, trees, and graphs, highlighting their roles in game development. It also emphasizes the benefits of using the Standard Template Library (STL) in C++ to avoid coding errors and enhance the efficiency of managing these data structures.

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In The Name Of God
Video Game Development
Amin Babadi
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Isfahan University of Technology
Spring 2015
Data Structures

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Outline
 Evolution of programming languages
 Object-oriented programming (OOP)
 Common data structures
 The standard template library (STL)

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Evolution of Programming Languages
Types Structures Classes
Evolution of programming languages.

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1. Types
 Using the first programming languages, you could operate
integers and floating-point numbers, but that was basically it!
float x, y, z;
 In fact, many hardware platforms of yesteryear didn't even
support floating-point values!
 What about more complex data types?

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2. Structures
 Years later, the family of structured programming languages
(C, Pascal, and so on) surfaced.
typedef struct
{
float x,y,z;
} point3D;
 Even better, types could be built incrementally!
 So what was the problem?

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3. Classes
 Each type was allowed to include the source code for its own
access operations, so the type became a self-sufficient code
and data module. These modules were called classes.
class point3D
{
private:
float x,y,z;
public:
point(float , float, float);
~point();
point operator+(point);
point operator-(point);
};

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Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)
 Object-oriented programming (OOP) pushed the maximum
program size to unknown boundaries.
o Programs several million lines of code in size are not uncommon these
days.
 Classes have basically become "black boxes.“
o You can share, recycle, and use with no real knowledge about their
internals.

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Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)
 OOP benefited developers in two ways:
o It allowed them to build more structured programs that are easier to
maintain, and
o It improved team-based coding where classes could be exchanged
and shared between team members.

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Data Structures
 For now, we will focus on reviewing those data structures that
are frequently used in game development.
1. Static arrays
2. Linked lists
3. Queues
4. Stacks
5. Tables
6. Trees
7. Priority queues
8. Graphs

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1. Static Arrays
 Games rarely need to work with single instances of data.
o Triangles in a mesh, enemies in a game level, and so forth.
 The simplest structure to fulfill this task is the static array.
o A list of elements that will not change during the program's life cycle.

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2. Linked Lists
 A linked list is an extension of the static array.
 The sequence can grow or shrink dynamically.

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2. Linked Lists
Removing an element from a linked list.
Adding an element to a linked list.

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3. Queues
 A queue is a variant of the linked list.
 A software queue resembles a real-world queue, such as a
supermarket waiting line.
Representation of a Queue with FIFO (First In
First Out) property

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4. Stacks
 A stack is another variant of the linked list scheme with a last
in, first out (LIFO) behavior.
Simple representation of a stack.

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5. Tables
 Tables are sequential structures that associate data elements
with an identifying key.
A small phone book as a hash table.

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6. Trees
 A tree is a data structure consisting of a series of nodes.
A simple unordered tree.

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7. Priority Queues
 A priority queue is an extension of the queue model that
incorporates a sense of priority.
A simple priority queue.

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8. Graphs
 Anything that involves a group of entities and relationships
between them can effectively be represented as a graph!
A labeled graph of 6 vertices and 7 edges.

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The Standard Template Library (STL)
 Coding these structures each time you need them is prone to
introduce errors, and thus is a risky process.
 Two solutions have been proposed:
1. Developing in-house code bases that encapsulate many fundamental
and sophisticated classes.
2. Using a ready, standard set of classes that provide good performance
and are rock solid.
 The second solution is precisely what the Standard Template
Library (STL) is all about.

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The Standard Template Library (STL)
 The STL was introduced in the 1990s as a collection of classes
that made OOP easier.
 It is a C++ mechanism that allows a class to be parameterized.
 Another advantage of the STL is coherence.
 More information about STL is available at
http://www.cplusplus.com/.

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References
 Sanchez-Crespo’s textbook,
 Wikipedia, and
 Some other sources on the Internet.