Delve Framework

Delve is a simple framework for building games written in Zig using Lua for scripting. Currently updated to Zig 0.13.0

This is in early development and the api is still coming together, so be warned!

Some examples compiled for web can be seen at https://interrupt.github.io/delve-framework-web-examples

Design Philosphy

Delve uses Zig to make writing cross platform games easy, and because it is easy to interop with the vast library of existing C/C++ game development libraries. Its main goal is to be as cross platform and unopinionated as much as possible, making it easy to switch out implementations as needed. Being simple and understandable is better than being clever!

• Built in console support - bring up with the '~' key!
• Prototyping should be quick - included utilities to load Quake .map files!
• Lots of examples!

Libraries Used

• Sokol for cross platform graphics and input
• Lua for scripting using ziglua
• stb_image for loading images
• stb_truetype for font loading and rendering
• zaudio and zmesh from zig-gamedev
• Dear Imgui for UI

Scripting

The scripting manager can generate bindings for Lua automatically by reflecting on a zig file. Example:

// Find all public functions in `api/graphics.zig` and make them available to Lua under the module name `graphics`
bindZigLibrary("graphics", @import("api/graphics.zig"));

Delve will use the assets/main.lua Lua file for scripting unless given a new path on the command line during startup.

2D and 3D rendering

Rendering uses the Sokol framework to use modern, cross platform graphics APIs. Supports DirectX 11, OpenGL 3/ES, Metal, and WebGPU.

lighting-example.mov

Modules, all the way down

In the Delve framework most everything is a module, so that applications can use just the functionality they want as well as extending the framework as needed. As an example, the scripting layer is a module that registers other modules.

Additional Zig code can be registered as a Module to run during the game lifecycle:

const exampleModule = modules.Module {
    .name = "example-module",
    .init_fn = my_on_init,
    .tick_fn = my_on_tick,
    .draw_fn = my_on_draw,
    .cleanup_fn = my_on_cleanup,
};

try modules.registerModule(exampleModule);

Some example modules are included automatically to exercise some code paths, these live under src/examples and are good examples of how to start using the framework.

• Sprite Animation Example
• Mesh Drawing Example
• Debug Drawing Example

Building the examples

• Add dependency repository link

build.zig.zon

.{
    .name = "my_project",
    .version = "0.0.1",
    .dependencies = .{
        .delve = .{
            .url = "git+https://github.com/Interrupt/delve-framework/tree/0.12.x.git#___COMMIT_HASH___",
            // add compilers suggested line about .hash
        },
    },
}

• Link dependency module build.zig

    const delve = b.dependency("delve", .{
        .target = target,
        .optimize = optimize,
    });
    exe.root_module.addImport("delve", delve.module("delve"));

• Just build

zig build run

Build and run examples

zig build run-audio
zig build run-clear
zig build run-collision
zig build run-debugdraw
zig build run-easing
zig build run-fonts
zig build run-forest
zig build run-framepacing
zig build run-imgui
zig build run-lighting
zig build run-lua
zig build run-meshbuilder
zig build run-meshes
zig build run-passes
zig build run-quakemap
zig build run-rays
zig build run-skinned-meshes
zig build run-sprite-animation
zig build run-sprites
zig build run-stresstest

Set optimization

zig build --release=fast run-forest
zig build --release=small run-forest

Building for web

To build for web, use the -Dtarget=wasm32-emscripten build argument.

Building with optmizations is also required in some cases when the Javascript being built is large, that can be rectified with --release=small

zig build run-clear --release=small -Dtarget=wasm32-emscripten