Engine Flashcards
7 cards from real 2D Game Development practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Engine flashcards as text
In a 2D game engine, what does the 'game loop' primarily coordinate each frame?
Answer: Updating game state and rendering output
The game loop repeatedly processes input, updates game state, and renders each frame.
What is the main advantage of a fixed timestep over a variable timestep for physics updates?
Answer: Deterministic, stable simulation
A fixed timestep keeps physics deterministic and stable regardless of frame rate fluctuations.
Which engine subsystem is responsible for drawing sprites to the screen?
Answer: The renderer
The renderer handles converting sprite and scene data into pixels on screen.
What does 'delta time' represent in a game engine?
Answer: Time elapsed since the last frame
Delta time is the elapsed time between frames, used to make movement frame-rate independent.
In an entity-component system (ECS), what holds the actual data for behavior like position?
Answer: Components
Components store data such as position, while systems operate on that data.
Why do many 2D engines use a scene graph or layered structure?
Answer: To organize draw order and transforms hierarchically
A scene graph organizes objects hierarchically, controlling draw order and inherited transforms.
What is the purpose of double buffering in a 2D engine's renderer?
Answer: Prevent visible tearing and flicker
Double buffering draws to an off-screen buffer then swaps it, avoiding flicker and tearing.