Must-Have Rust Packages for Game Development

Are you a game developer looking to build high-performance games with Rust? Look no further! In this article, we'll explore some of the must-have Rust packages for game development that will help you build games faster and more efficiently.

ggez

First on our list is ggez, a lightweight game framework for Rust that provides a simple and easy-to-use API for building 2D games. With ggez, you can quickly create games that run on Windows, macOS, and Linux, without having to worry about platform-specific code.

ggez provides a range of features, including graphics rendering, audio playback, and input handling. It also comes with a built-in event loop that makes it easy to handle user input and update the game state.

use ggez::{Context, GameResult};
use ggez::event::{self, EventHandler};

struct MyGame {}

impl EventHandler for MyGame {
    fn update(&mut self, _ctx: &mut Context) -> GameResult<()> {
        // Update game state
        Ok(())
    }

    fn draw(&mut self, _ctx: &mut Context) -> GameResult<()> {
        // Render graphics
        Ok(())
    }
}

fn main() -> GameResult<()> {
    let (mut ctx, mut event_loop) = ggez::ContextBuilder::new("my_game", "author")
        .build()?;
    let mut game = MyGame {};

    event::run(&mut ctx, &mut event_loop, &mut game)
}

specs

Next up is specs, a powerful entity-component system (ECS) framework for Rust that makes it easy to build complex game systems. With specs, you can easily create entities, components, and systems that work together to create a cohesive game world.

specs provides a range of features, including a flexible data model, efficient memory usage, and easy-to-use query systems. It also supports parallel execution, making it ideal for building high-performance games.

use specs::{prelude::*, Component, VecStorage};

struct Position {
    x: f32,
    y: f32,
}

impl Component for Position {
    type Storage = VecStorage<Self>;
}

struct Velocity {
    x: f32,
    y: f32,
}

impl Component for Velocity {
    type Storage = VecStorage<Self>;
}

struct MoveSystem;

impl<'a> System<'a> for MoveSystem {
    type SystemData = (WriteStorage<'a, Position>, ReadStorage<'a, Velocity>);

    fn run(&mut self, (mut positions, velocities): Self::SystemData) {
        for (position, velocity) in (&mut positions, &velocities).join() {
            position.x += velocity.x;
            position.y += velocity.y;
        }
    }
}

fn main() {
    let mut world = World::new();
    world.register::<Position>();
    world.register::<Velocity>();

    let entity = world.create_entity()
        .with(Position { x: 0.0, y: 0.0 })
        .with(Velocity { x: 1.0, y: 1.0 })
        .build();

    let mut dispatcher = DispatcherBuilder::new()
        .with(MoveSystem, "move_system", &[])
        .build();

    dispatcher.dispatch(&mut world);
}

amethyst

If you're looking for a more comprehensive game engine, amethyst is the way to go. amethyst is a data-driven game engine that provides a range of features, including a powerful ECS, a flexible renderer, and a built-in asset pipeline.

amethyst also provides a range of tools for building games, including a level editor, a profiler, and a debug console. It also supports scripting with Lua, making it easy to add custom behavior to your game.

use amethyst::{
    prelude::*,
    renderer::{RenderingBundle, types::DefaultBackend},
    utils::application_root_dir,
};

struct MyState;

impl SimpleState for MyState {}

fn main() -> amethyst::Result<()> {
    amethyst::start_logger(Default::default());

    let app_root = application_root_dir()?;
    let display_config_path = app_root.join("config/display.ron");
    let assets_dir = app_root.join("assets");

    let game_data = GameDataBuilder::default()
        .with_bundle(RenderingBundle::<DefaultBackend>::new()
            .with_plugin(
                RenderToWindow::from_config_path(display_config_path)?
                    .with_clear([0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0]),
            )
            .with_plugin(RenderFlat2D::default())
        )?;

    let mut game = Application::new(assets_dir, MyState, game_data)?;
    game.run();

    Ok(())
}

nphysics

If you're building a physics-based game, nphysics is a must-have package. nphysics is a 2D and 3D physics engine for Rust that provides a range of features, including rigid body dynamics, collision detection, and constraint solving.

nphysics also supports a range of collision shapes, including spheres, boxes, and convex hulls. It also provides a range of joint types, including hinges, ball-and-socket joints, and sliders.

use nphysics2d::{
    world::World,
    object::{BodyPartHandle, ColliderDesc, RigidBodyDesc},
    math::Vector,
};

fn main() {
    let mut world = World::new();

    let rigid_body = RigidBodyDesc::new()
        .translation(Vector::new(0.0, 0.0))
        .build();
    let body_handle = world.add_rigid_body(rigid_body);

    let collider = ColliderDesc::new(ShapeHandle::new(Ball::new(1.0)))
        .density(1.0)
        .build(BodyPartHandle(body_handle, 0));
    world.add_collider(collider);
}

rand

Finally, if you're building a game that requires random numbers, rand is a must-have package. rand is a random number generator for Rust that provides a range of generators, including uniform and normal distributions.

rand also provides a range of utilities for generating random values, including shuffling arrays and selecting random elements from a collection.

use rand::prelude::*;

fn main() {
    let mut rng = rand::thread_rng();
    let random_number = rng.gen_range(0, 10);
    println!("Random number: {}", random_number);

    let mut array = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5];
    array.shuffle(&mut rng);
    println!("Shuffled array: {:?}", array);

    let collection = vec![1, 2, 3, 4, 5];
    let random_element = rng.choose(&collection).unwrap();
    println!("Random element: {}", random_element);
}

Conclusion

In conclusion, these are just a few of the must-have Rust packages for game development. Whether you're building a simple 2D game or a complex 3D game, these packages will help you build faster and more efficiently. So what are you waiting for? Start building your next game with Rust today!

Additional Resources