Factorio development questions

[drNokard]

Hi
I have had this message in drafts for months but I never found the courage to post it. Maybe it's time to let it go...

It's been years since I started playing Factorio (20 june 2016, on Steam, to be precise).
I always really like the intuition I get about its development that I get from FFF.
I was a corporate (non game) developer myself and it makes me wish to start programming again.

I was always afraid to ask, but I do now, because if Factorio it's done this way, then this is the way I would like to code.

I appreciate the use of C++, it's my languace of choice. Which compiler do you use?
Do you use Microsoft VS as IDE? If not, which IDE do you prefer? Maybe you use EMACS?
Do you have any tools that you use to speed up the process?
Any other tool or suggestion?
I remember you used Allegro, but dropped it, and recoded the graphics engine. Is it now the engine compiled in the main binary?
How did you put all the code inside the .exe instead of using libraries and DLLs? It's huge!
If you did it this way you had reasons I would like to know and do the same way.

I wish I will restart coding soon, and I wish to do it in the very well optimized way Kovarex did it.

This because I have max respect for your work and I think it's the best piece of software I ever seen. I can't see it, but I sense a very good code!

Thanks for you attention and your kind replies!

drNokard

P.S. I am still afraid to hit submit, I feel like I am invading your privacy, but I'm hitting it now... please do not take offense for my desire to know...

[Rseding91]

I can only give Windows based answers so:

I appreciate the use of C++, it's my languace of choice. Which compiler do you use?

On Windows, MSVC C++17

Do you use Microsoft VS as IDE? If not, which IDE do you prefer? Maybe you use EMACS?

Visual Studio.

Do you have any tools that you use to speed up the process?

I use Resharper C++ and we use FastBuild for our build process.

I remember you used Allegro, but dropped it, and recoded the graphics engine. Is it now the engine compiled in the main binary?

Yes.

How did you put all the code inside the .exe instead of using libraries and DLLs? It's huge!

Static linking or just by #include-ing the files in the project so when it's built that's where they end up. 25 MB is actually very small for a .exe size by todays standards. You also get better performance by static linking and using link-time code generation (in most cases anyway).

[drNokard]

Thanks!
You really were kind! <3