How do you use inheritance in C++ for game development?

3 How to implement polymorphism with inheritance

Polymorphism is the ability of an object to behave differently depending on its type or context. In C++, polymorphism can be achieved with inheritance and virtual functions. A virtual function is a member function that is declared with the keyword virtual in the base class, and can be overridden by a derived class. When a virtual function is called through a pointer or a reference to a base class object, the function that is executed depends on the actual type of the object pointed or referred to. This allows you to treat different types of objects in a uniform way, and implement dynamic behavior. For example, you can create a virtual function called attack in the base class for all game actors, and override it in the derived classes for enemies and players, to define how they attack differently.

4 What are the benefits of inheritance

Inheritance has several advantages for game development, such as the ability to reuse code from the base class in derived classes, which avoids duplication and redundancy. It also allows for code organization by grouping related classes in a hierarchy, making the code more modular and coherent. Additionally, inheritance facilitates code extensibility by creating new classes that inherit from existing ones, allowing you to add new features or modify existing ones without affecting the base class code. Finally, it enables code flexibility through polymorphism, creating dynamic and versatile behavior that can adapt to different situations and requirements.

5 What are the pitfalls of inheritance

Inheritance can be beneficial, but you should be aware of potential pitfalls. For example, too many levels of inheritance can make your code complex and difficult to debug. Tight coupling between the base class and derived classes can also make your code hard to change or refactor. Additionally, the use of multiple inheritance or virtual functions can introduce unnecessary overhead or performance issues.

6 How to use inheritance wisely

To use inheritance effectively and avoid its pitfalls, you should adhere to some best practices. For example, use inheritance for is-a relationships, not for has-a relationships. Public inheritance should be used for interface inheritance, not implementation inheritance. Virtual functions should be used sparingly and only when necessary, as they add runtime overhead and memory consumption. Additionally, multiple inheritance should be used with caution as it can cause ambiguity and complexity. It should only be used for mixin classes or interface classes, not concrete classes.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?