Class

#beginner #intermediate #unfinished

Stole this amazing explanation from iAmDev on YouTube. I would highly recommend their channel for new devs, especially this short playlist on OOP.

A class is a blueprint/template of the methods and variables in a particular object. You can use it to create many objects that inherit some of its properties.

You are trying to build a pirate ship for a video game and need to create a bunch of cannons with similar functionality.

class Cannon 
{
	public int damage;
	
	private void Fire()
	{
		CreateCannonBall(damage)
		ReloadAnimation();
	}
	
	private void CreateCannonBall()
	{
		//Generate a 3D ball and shoot it out, dealing damage
	}
	
	private void ReloadAnimation()
	{
		//Run reload animation
	}
}

By using the Cannon class above as a blueprint, we can now create a Cannon object for a small and scrappy pirate ship:

class Scrappy 
{
	private Cannon mainCannon = new Cannon();
	mainCannon.damage = 10;
	mainCannon.Fire();
}

And, by using a list, we can add a dozen cannons for a massive pirate flagship:

class Flagship 
{
	private List<Cannon> cannons = new List<Cannon>();

	foreach(var cannon in cannons)
	{
		cannon.damage = 20;
		cannon.Fire();
	}
}

Because you use the cannon class, you don't need to reimplement Fire() or create a variable for damage, it's all contained within the Cannon class.