Multi-Platform Game Engine Documentation
Production Ready Zig 0.12.0 Cross-Platform Ray Tracing Open Source
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MFS Engine Overview

Architecture

MFS is built on a modular layered architecture designed for flexibility and performance. The engine is organized into several major subsystems that can work independently or together to create sophisticated applications.

Core Systems

| System | Description | |--------|-------------| | Core | Base utilities, memory management, data structures, and platform abstraction | | Graphics | Low-level rendering API abstraction and backend implementations | | Render | High-level rendering systems, materials, pipelines, and techniques | | Physics | Collision detection, resolution, and physical simulation | | Audio | Sound playback, mixing, spatial audio, and DSP effects | | Input | Unified input handling for keyboard, mouse, gamepad, and touch | | UI | User interface components and windowing system | | Scene | Scene graph, entity management, and hierarchical transforms |

Graphics Pipeline

MFS uses a modern rendering architecture with multiple backend implementations: 1. Frontend API - Unified interface for all graphics operations 2. Backend Implementations - Vulkan, DirectX 11/12, Metal, OpenGL, etc. 3. Render Graph - Resource tracking, dependency resolution, and optimization 4. Material System - Physically-based rendering, custom shaders, and effects The rendering system supports both forward and deferred rendering paths, with configurable post-processing effects.

Memory Management

MFS employs a carefully designed memory management system:

  • Allocator Interface - Pluggable allocator system (general purpose, arena, pool, etc.)
  • Resource Handles - Indirect resource access to support hot reloading and memory defragmentation
  • Memory Tracking - Debug tools for tracking allocations, leaks, and usage patterns
  • Asset Streaming - Asynchronous resource loading and management

Performance Considerations

The engine is optimized for performance through:

  • SIMD Math - Vectorized math operations for performance-critical code paths
  • Job System - Multi-threaded task execution with work stealing
  • Data-Oriented Design - Cache-friendly data layouts and processing
  • Profiling Tools - Built-in instrumentation and visualization

Hot Reloading

MFS supports hot reloading of:

  • Shaders - Compiled on-the-fly when source files change
  • Assets - Textures, models, and other resources can be modified at runtime
  • Scripts - Logic can be updated without application restart
  • Configuration - Engine parameters can be adjusted dynamically

Cross-Platform Support

The engine is designed to run on multiple platforms:

  • Desktop - Windows, macOS, Linux
  • Mobile - iOS, Android
  • Web - WebAssembly/WebGPU
  • Embedded - Raspberry Pi and similar devices

Extension System

MFS provides several ways to extend functionality:

  • Plugins - Dynamically loaded modules that extend engine capabilities
  • Custom Subsystems - Your own systems can integrate with the engine core
  • Shader Pipeline - Custom material and shader implementations
  • Scripting - Embed scripting languages for gameplay logic

Debugging and Development

The engine includes several tools for development:

  • Tracy Integration - Detailed performance profiling
  • Debug Visualization - Physics, bounding volumes, and other debug overlays
  • Logging - Structured, filterable logging system
  • Asset Pipeline - Tools for processing and optimizing assets

Resource Management

Assets and resources are managed through:

  • Virtual File System - Abstract file access with mounting points
  • Asset Database - Metadata tracking and dependency management
  • Resource Cache - Optimized loading and unloading based on usage
  • Hot Reloading - Runtime updates of assets without restarting

Future Roadmap

The engine continues to evolve with planned features:

  • Enhanced raytracing support
  • Advanced global illumination techniques
  • Extended animation systems
  • AI and navigation improvements
  • Extended platform support

Getting Started

To begin working with the engine, see the examples directory and starter templates. The modular design allows you to use only the components you need for your specific application.