plutoengine/NEXT_RELEASE_DRAFT.md

Features targeted for 20.2.0.0-alpha.2

• The stage subsystem
  • A "stage", in this context, is a set of assets bound together by programming logic, not necessarily a game level. Stage switching and asset management are handled by the engine.
  • Upon stage switch
    1. Unload unused assets
    2. Load new assets
  • Provide multiple means of stage switching
    • Three modes with the initial release
      1. Instant switch
         • Assets will be loaded and unloaded synchronously
         • The stage switch will happen in one frame
      2. Deferred switch
         • The stage will continue running until all assets load
         • Assets will load synchronously, but at a slower pace to avoid frame stutter
      3. Asynchronous switch
         • Assets will be loaded in asynchronously, where applicable
         • Falls back to deferred switching for synchronous loading, such as OpenGL texture upload
  • Automated asset loading
    • All asset management will eventually be handled by PlutoCore
      • This includes audio clips, textures, sprites
    • Add a common interface for all assets
  • Let the stage system handle audio playback
  • This API should be as neutral as possible and avoid steering towards game-only use
  • The stage manager should be relatively low-overhead and allow multiple instances
  • Allow stages to be inherited from, creating a stack-like structure