Dynamically loading resources in the game

Advantages of dynamic loading

Dynamic loading of resources in games refers to the process of loading and unloading resources as needed while the game is running, rather than loading all resources at once when the game starts. This approach is especially important for managing resources in larger games. Here are some of the key aspects and advantages of dynamic loading:

1. Inherent management:

Dynamically loading resources allows efficient management of memory usage. If a game loads all its resources at once, it will take up a lot of memory, which is especially challenging on mobile devices or devices with limited hardware. By loading resources only when needed, you can minimize memory usage and improve performance.

2. Reduce initial load time:

If the game loads all resources on startup, it can cause a long initial load. Dynamic loading allows games to start quickly because only necessary initial resources are loaded, and other resources can be loaded on demand as the game progresses.

3. Smooth gaming experience:

Dynamic loading can seamlessly load new resources such as new game levels, characters, textures, etc. while players are playing the game. This provides a smoother gaming experience and prevents players from encountering long loading screens during gameplay.

4. Content updates and hotfixes:

For online games, dynamic loading is key to enabling content updates and hotfixes (i.e. fixing bugs or adding content without requiring a full game restart). Developers can push new content or fixes, and players can dynamically load these updates in their next game session or even in their current session.

5. Adapt to the needs of different players:

Not all players will experience every part of the game. For example, some players may not play certain optional game levels or areas. Dynamic loading allows games to load resources based on each player's gameplay progress and choices, rather than loading content that all players may never encounter.

6. Support large-scale open world games:

In large open world games, dynamic loading is essential. The game can load and unload resources from different areas as the player explores, thus supporting a massive game world without draining system resources.

Why dynamic loading?

1. Performance Optimization: Dynamic loading helps optimize game performance and reduces demand on system resources, especially on devices with limited memory and processing power.

2. User experience: The waiting time for game startup and scene switching is reduced, providing a smoother gaming experience.

3. Content Management: For games that continually update and expand content, dynamic loading is an effective way to manage new content.

4. Adaptability: Dynamic loading allows the game to better adapt to the needs of different players and the performance limitations of different devices.

Method to realize

Dynamic loading in games is usually implemented through game engines and related programming frameworks. This process involves loading and unloading resources on demand while the game is running, rather than loading all resources when the game starts. Here are some key steps and considerations for implementing dynamic loading:

1. Resource Manager

Games usually have an asset manager that keeps track of all the assets used in the game (like textures, models, audio, etc.). The resource manager knows the location of each resource (for example, the path on the hard disk) and can load and unload these resources on demand.

2. Asynchronous loading

• Asynchronous operation: In order to avoid blocking the main game thread when loading resources (which can cause the game to freeze), resources are usually loaded asynchronously in a separate thread.
• Callbacks and events: The resource manager notifies the game when the resource is loaded, usually through a callback function or event system.

3. Preloading strategy

• Scene preloading: Before the player reaches a certain game area, start loading the resources required for this area.
• Intelligent prediction: Predict the resources that may be needed next based on player behavior and game progress, and load them in advance.

4. Resource reference and unloading

• Reference Count: Tracks how many game objects each resource is used by. When a resource is no longer used by any object, it can be unloaded.
• Garbage Collection: Periodically checks for unused resources and releases the memory they occupy.

5. Streaming loading

• Streaming World: For large game worlds, use streaming loading technology to only load areas around the player, while distant areas are loaded at low detail or not at all.

6. Network loading

• Remote Resources: For online games, some resources may be stored on the server and need to be downloaded at runtime.

7. Resource optimization

• LOD (Level of Detail): Load resources with different levels of detail based on the distance between the player and the object to optimize performance.
• Compression and formatting: Use resource formats and compression techniques suitable for fast loading.

8. Error handling

• Loading failed: Implement appropriate error handling in case the resource fails to load (for example, due to network problems).

Technical realization

In different game engines, such as Unity or Unreal Engine, dynamic loading may be implemented differently:

• Unity: UseResources.Load, AssetBundle.LoadAssetorAddressables to join the system Source of funds.
• Unreal Engine: Use StreamableManager or AssetManager to manage and load resources.

Dynamic loading is an efficient way to balance game performance, memory usage, and user experience, but it also requires careful design and optimization to ensure that resources are loaded and unloaded at the right time and in the appropriate manner.