🎮 Mystical Game Engine Challenge

Welcome to the Mystical Game Engine Challenge - a hands-on C++ learning project where you'll build components of a mini game engine while mastering advanced C++ concepts!

🎯 The Story

You've joined "Arcane Studios" as a C++ developer. The lead developer mysteriously disappeared, leaving behind broken code, cryptic TODOs, and half-implemented features. Your mission: Fix, complete, and enhance the game engine while learning crucial C++ concepts along the way.

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📁 Project Structure

ref_folder/
├── challenges/
│   ├── challenge_01_memory_arena/      # Memory Management & Smart Pointers
│   ├── challenge_02_entity_system/     # OOP & Virtual Functions
│   ├── challenge_03_spell_factory/     # Templates & Generic Programming
│   ├── challenge_04_event_bus/         # Modern C++ Features
│   ├── challenge_05_thread_scheduler/  # Concurrency & Multithreading
│   ├── challenge_06_serializer/        # Type System & Casting
│   └── challenge_07_final_boss/        # Advanced Concepts (Rule of 5, etc.)
├── engine_core/                        # Shared engine utilities
├── tests/                              # Test files to verify your solutions
└── solutions/                          # Hidden solutions (don't peek!)

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🏆 Challenges Overview

Challenge 1: The Memory Arena (Memory Management)

Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐ The game's memory allocator is leaking everywhere! Implement a custom memory arena with smart pointers.

• Fix the unique_ptr vs shared_ptr confusion
• Implement RAII-compliant resource handles
• Debug mysterious dangling pointer bugs using weak_ptr

Challenge 2: The Entity System (OOP & Inheritance)

Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ The entity hierarchy is a mess with the diamond problem causing chaos!

• Fix the broken Character class hierarchy
• Understand why the vtable is corrupted
• Implement proper virtual inheritance

Challenge 3: The Spell Factory (Templates)

Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Create a type-safe spell casting system using template magic.

• Implement template specializations for different spell types
• Use SFINAE to restrict spell combinations
• Master variadic templates for spell chains

Challenge 4: The Event Bus (Modern C++)

Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐ Build a modern event system using lambdas and move semantics.

• Capture semantics puzzles
• Perfect forwarding challenges
• constexpr compile-time event validation

Challenge 5: The Thread Scheduler (Concurrency)

Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The game's job system has race conditions everywhere!

• Find and fix data races
• Implement lock-free structures with atomics
• Master memory ordering

Challenge 6: The Serializer (Type System)

Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Save/load game state with proper type casting.

• Choose the right cast for each situation
• Handle type punning safely
• Debug undefined behavior

Challenge 7: Final Boss - The Legacy Code (Advanced)

Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Refactor ancient code using modern C++ best practices.

• Apply Rule of Five correctly
• Handle exception safety
• Master copy/move semantics

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🚀 Getting Started

1. Each challenge folder contains:

   • README.md - Challenge description and hints
   • broken_code.cpp - The buggy implementation to fix
   • objectives.hpp - Interface you must implement
   • test_runner.cpp - Tests to verify your solution

2. Compile with: g++ -std=c++20 -o test test_runner.cpp your_solution.cpp

3. Run tests: ./test

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💡 Rules

1. No peeking at solutions until you've genuinely tried
2. Each challenge builds on previous ones - complete in order
3. Comments marked // PUZZLE: contain hints
4. Comments marked // BUG: indicate broken code to fix
5. Comments marked // TODO: are features you must implement

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🎓 Learning Outcomes

By completing all challenges, you'll master:

• Smart pointers and RAII
• Virtual functions and vtables
• Template metaprogramming and SFINAE
• Move semantics and perfect forwarding
• Concurrent programming and atomics
• Type-safe casting
• Exception safety and resource management

Good luck, brave developer! The fate of Arcane Studios rests in your hands! 🧙‍♂️