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https://github.com/mysterycommand/ecs-from-scratch

Notes and links for my talk "ECS from Scratch" for IGDA DC, Tues. Sept. 24 2019
https://github.com/mysterycommand/ecs-from-scratch

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Notes and links for my talk "ECS from Scratch" for IGDA DC, Tues. Sept. 24 2019

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# ECS from Scratch



> Notes and links for my talk for [IGDA DC, Tues. Oct 29, 2019](https://www.meetup.com/IGDA-DC/events/265101365/). [Slides on Projector](http://bit.ly/ecs-from-scratch).



### Outline



1. Who am I?

   - … and why listen to me?

2. What is an ECS (and DOD)

   - comparison to OOP

   - entities ("just indexes" - generational indexes)

   - components (just data - e.g. "primitive" or value types)

   - archetypes - groups of components

   - systems - functions that run on queried (by component) groups of entities

   - queries - groups of entities with certain sets of components

   - resources - like "shared components" … usually read only from the perspective of systems

   - jobs - scheduling systems that are dependent on other systems (physics, parent/child transforms)

3. Why use it?

   - performance

   - prototyping & rapid iteration

   - serializable (and therefore streamable)

4. A _very_ simple implementation from scratch

   - JavaScript

   - no generational indexing (limited to `2^53 - 1` (or `9,007,199,254,740,991`) entities)

   - no querying/caching, all systems run on all entities (in a "world")

   - systems:

     - activate/deactivate - lifetime

     - update - fireworks, boids, metaballs, boundaries?, gravity?

5. Unity

   - _very_ new (lots of flux - documentation missing or like, immediately out of date)

   - where to start (no `GameObject`s, no `MonoBehavior`s) - [`RuntimeInitializeOnLoadMethod`](https://docs.unity3d.com/ScriptReference/RuntimeInitializeOnLoadMethodAttribute.html)

   - Pure ECS

   - Project Tiny

6. Other applications

   - Effects & shader graphs

   - Cloud architecture (API as data/components, "functions as a service" as systems)

   - Intersectional feminism?

     > a branch of feminism asserting how different **aspects** of social and political identity discrimination overlap--for example, race with gender. It is a qualitative analytic **framework** that identifies how interlocking **systems** of power affect those who are most marginalized in society.

     > --[Wikepedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intersectionality) (emphasis mine)



### Links



#### Personal favs



- [My RustConf 2018 Closing Keynote](https://kyren.github.io/2018/09/14/rustconf-talk.html#back-to-the-beginning)

- [dbartolini/data-oriented-design](https://github.com/dbartolini/data-oriented-design)

- [Some ideas](https://gist.github.com/mysterycommand/c78c5dc6446dda940d49b36ee6529c45)



#### Unity



- [TransformSystem | Package Manager UI website](https://docs.unity3d.com/Packages/[email protected]/manual/transform_system.html)

- [Scheduling a job from a job - why not? | Package Manager UI website](https://docs.unity3d.com/Packages/[email protected]/manual/scheduling_a_job_from_a_job.html)

- [Burst User Guide | Package Manager UI website](https://docs.unity3d.com/Packages/[email protected]/manual/index.html)

- [Unity - Scripting API: RuntimeInitializeOnLoadMethodAttribute](https://docs.unity3d.com/ScriptReference/RuntimeInitializeOnLoadMethodAttribute.html)

- [Project Tiny Preview Package is here! – Unity Blog](https://blogs.unity3d.com/2018/12/05/project-tiny-preview-package-is-here/)

- [Entity-Component System in Unity – a tutorial](https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/uk_faculty_connection/2018/05/08/entity-component-system-in-unity-a-tutorial/)



##### Source code (GitHub)



- [keijiro/Voxelman: Unity ECS + C# Job System example](https://github.com/keijiro/Voxelman)

- [Unity-Technologies/EntityComponentSystemSamples](https://github.com/Unity-Technologies/EntityComponentSystemSamples)

  - [EntityComponentSystemSamples/ECSSamples/Documentation at master · Unity-Technologies/EntityComponentSystemSamples](https://github.com/Unity-Technologies/EntityComponentSystemSamples/tree/master/ECSSamples/Documentation)

  - [EntityComponentSystemSamples/resources.md at master · Unity-Technologies/EntityComponentSystemSamples](https://github.com/Unity-Technologies/EntityComponentSystemSamples/blob/master/ECSSamples/Documentation/resources.md)

  - [EntityComponentSystemSamples/ecs_principles_and_vision.md at master · Unity-Technologies/EntityComponentSystemSamples](https://github.com/Unity-Technologies/EntityComponentSystemSamples/blob/master/ECSSamples/Documentation/ecs_principles_and_vision.md)

  - [EntityComponentSystemSamples/is_ecs_for_you.md at master · Unity-Technologies/EntityComponentSystemSamples](https://github.com/Unity-Technologies/EntityComponentSystemSamples/blob/master/ECSSamples/Documentation/is_ecs_for_you.md)

- [Unity-Technologies/Unity.Mathematics: A prototype of a C# math library providing vector types and math functions with a shader like syntax](https://github.com/Unity-Technologies/Unity.Mathematics)

- [Unity-Technologies/DOTS-Shmup3D-sample: A demo with Unity DOTS and Unity Physics.](https://github.com/Unity-Technologies/DOTS-Shmup3D-sample)

- [Unity-Technologies/UnityCsReference: Unity C# reference source code](https://github.com/Unity-Technologies/UnityCsReference)

- [Unity-Technologies/unite2019-scenedatatodots: Unite 2019 - Converting Scene Data to DOTS (samples)](https://github.com/Unity-Technologies/unite2019-scenedatatodots)

- [UnityTechnologies/AngryBots_ECS: The DOTS project used for the presentation Converting Your Game to DOTS](https://github.com/unitytechnologies/angrybots_ecs)

- [UnityTechnologies/SpaceShooterECS: The ECS project originally developed with Intel for GDC 2018](https://github.com/UnityTechnologies/SpaceShooterECS)

- [UnityTechnologies/ProceduralPatterns2D](https://github.com/UnityTechnologies/ProceduralPatterns2D)



##### [Unite Copenhagen 2019](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX2vGYjWbI0RzLRaqsqcgnuc2RvLPTUmi)



- [ ] [Converting your game to DOTS - Unite Copenhagen](https://youtu.be/BNMrevfB6Q0)

  - [slides](https://www.slideshare.net/unity3d/converting-your-game-to-dots-unite-copenhagen-2019)

- [ ] [Converting scene data to DOTS - Unite Copenhagen](https://youtu.be/TdlhTrq1oYk)

  - [slides](https://www.slideshare.net/unity3d/converting-scene-data-to-dots-unite-copenhagen-2019)

- [x] [Options for Entity interaction - Unite Copenhagen](https://youtu.be/KuGRkC6wzMY)

  - [slides](https://www.slideshare.net/unity3d/options-for-entity-interaction-unite-copenhagen-2019)

  - [`ComponentDataFromEntity`](https://docs.unity3d.com/Packages/[email protected]/api/Unity.Entities.ComponentDataFromEntity-1.html)

- [ ] [Unity ECS for mobile: Metropolis Traffic Simulation - Unite Copenhagen](https://youtu.be/iCnYm7kRC1g)

- [ ] [Unboxing DOTS: Designing workflows for humans - Unite Copenhagen](https://youtu.be/VXuR8VVQzwQ)

- [x] [Project Tiny overview and roadmap - Unite Copenhagen](https://youtu.be/kNK_niBNkMY)

  - [a thread on Unity Forums](https://forum.unity.com/threads/wheres-the-project-tiny-package-cant-find-it-in-package-manager.761381/)

- [ ] [Overview of physics in DOTS - Unite Copenhagen](https://youtu.be/tI9QfqQ9ATA)

- [ ] [Getting started with Burst - Unite Copenhagen](https://youtu.be/Tzn-nX9hK1o)

- [ ] [Using Entity Command Buffers - Unite Copenhagen](https://youtu.be/SecJibpoTYw)

- [x] [Creating a third-person zombie shooter with DOTS - Unite Copenhagen](https://youtu.be/yTGhg905SCs)

  - [slides](https://www.slideshare.net/unity3d/creating-a-thirdperson-zombie-horde-shooter-using-dots-unite-copenhagen)

- [x] [Building a turn-based game prototype using ECS - Unite Copenhagen](https://youtu.be/mL4qrt-15TE)

  - [slides](https://www.slideshare.net/unity3d/building-a-turnbased-game-prototype-using-ecs-unite-copenhagen-2019)

- [ ] [Introduction to the DOTS Sample and the NetCode that drives it - Unite Copenhagen](https://youtu.be/P_-FoJuaYOI)

- Tangentially related?

  - [ ] [Overview of Unity Simulation - Unite Copenhagen](https://youtu.be/IoF4JemHw2o)

  - [ ] [Understanding the package management ecosystem - Unite Copenhagen](https://youtu.be/22HIEQTyozQ)

  - [ ] [Introducing the new Input System - Unite Copenhagen](https://youtu.be/hw3Gk5PoZ6A)



Also collected (by me) in a single playlist: [Unity DOTS & ECS - Unite Copenhagen 2019](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLU0pFxOcoc94fVbfEJmpJCkxFhybP4cos)



#### Other implementations



- [Flecs](https://github.com/SanderMertens/flecs) (fast lightweight ECS)

  - [@gamesfromscratch intro](https://www.gamefromscratch.com/post/2019/10/02/FLECS-Fast-Lightweight-Entity-Component-System.aspx)

  - [docs](https://github.com/SanderMertens/flecs/blob/master/Manual.md)

- [Specs](https://github.com/slide-rs/specs) (Specs parallel ECS)

  - [docs](https://slide-rs.github.io/specs/)

- [Ecsy](https://github.com/MozillaReality/ecsy)

  - [docs](https://ecsy.io/docs/#/)

- [EcsRx](https://github.com/EcsRx/ecsrx)

  - [docs](https://ecsrx.gitbook.io/project/)

- [Ajeeb Game Engine](https://github.com/nasser/ajeeb)

  - [Ajeeb ECS](https://github.com/nasser/ajeeb-ecs)

  - [Ajeeb Coroutines](https://github.com/nasser/ajeeb-coroutines)

- [EnTT](https://github.com/skypjack/entt)

  - [docs](https://github.com/skypjack/entt/wiki)



#### Misc



- [The truth behind Inversion of Control – Part V – Entity Component System design to achieve true Inversion of Flow Control - Seba's Lab](http://www.sebaslab.com/ecs-design-to-achieve-true-inversion-of-flow-control/)

- [What's an Entity System? - Entity Systems Wiki](http://entity-systems-wiki.t-machine.org/)

- [Component Based Engine Design | Randy Gaul's Game Programming Blog](https://www.randygaul.net/2013/05/20/component-based-engine-design/)

- [Simple physics using Unity's ECS - Part 1: Introduction - PlayerONE Studio](https://playerone-studio.com/simple-physics-unity-ecs-introduction)

- [ECS Physics - UnityList](https://unitylist.com/p/g5f/ECS-Physics)

- [KptEmreU/Roll-A-Ball-ECS-style: Recreation of Unity Roll-A-Ball tutorial](https://github.com/KptEmreU/Roll-A-Ball-ECS-style)

- [Entities, components and systems - Ingeniously Simple - Medium](https://medium.com/ingeniouslysimple/entities-components-and-systems-89c31464240d)

- [Gamasutra: Tobias Stein's Blog - The Entity-Component-System - An awesome game-design pattern in C++ (Part 1)](https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/TobiasStein/20171122/310172/The_EntityComponentSystem__An_awesome_gamedesign_pattern_in_C_Part_1.php)

- [Data Structures for Entity Systems: Contiguous memory – T-machine.org](http://t-machine.org/index.php/2014/03/08/data-structures-for-entity-systems-contiguous-memory/)

- [Using An ES With Physics - Entity Systems Wiki](http://entity-systems-wiki.t-machine.org/using-an-es-with-physics)

- [How we use Box2D with Artemis](https://blog.gemserk.com/2012/02/02/how-we-use-box2d-with-artemis/)

- [Moving the Paddles - Amethyst Documentation](https://book.amethyst.rs/stable/pong-tutorial/pong-tutorial-03.html)

- [amethyst/timing.rs at master · amethyst/amethyst](https://github.com/amethyst/amethyst/blob/master/amethyst_core/src/timing.rs)

- [Game Loop · Sequencing Patterns · Game Programming Patterns](http://gameprogrammingpatterns.com/game-loop.html#play-catch-up)

- [A Detailed Explanation of JavaScript Game Loops and Timing | Isaac Sukin](https://isaacsukin.com/news/2015/01/detailed-explanation-javascript-game-loops-and-timing#panic-spiral-death)

- [Understanding Component-Entity-Systems](https://www.gamedev.net/articles/programming/general-and-gameplay-programming/understanding-component-entity-systems-r3013)



#### Some 2D / Sprite stuff:



- [SpriteSheetRenderer](https://github.com/fabriziospadaro/SpriteSheetRenderer)

  - A powerful Unity ECS system to render massive numbers of animated sprites using DynamicBuffers and ComputeBuffer

  - [a thread on Unity Forums](https://forum.unity.com/threads/200k-dynamic-animated-sprites-at-80fps.695809/)

- [Getting Started with ECS in Unity 2019](https://youtu.be/ILfUuBLfzGI) (Code Monkey)

- [Draw a Sprite with ECS in Unity 2019](https://youtu.be/6eV9NR3Vb9U) (Code Monkey)

- [Simple Sprite Sheet Animation in Unity ECS](https://youtu.be/tvi44I_SK3w) (Code Monkey)



### Notes



See [`./notes`](./notes).



### Scratchpad:



```ts

const sim = createSim();

sim.addResource('keyboard' /* do something to init the keyboard */);

sim.addResource('mouse' /* do something to init the mouse */);

sim.addResource('gamepad' /* do something to init the gamepad */);



const world = createWorld(sim /* whatev */);

world.addEntities(count, withComponents); // maybe a config, like { count: number, withComponents: Component[] }

world.registerSystem(query, system); // cache & invalidate queries



// use a functional style

// emitters ... a default "is active" component?

```