Example game_object

///Mock up code:
/*Warning, this code has not been compile tested. however it is based off of working code.
May contain typos. Note: you will need to fill in the blanks [...] with your code to make this work*/
...

//Include whatever else you need
#include <vector>
#include "game_object.h"
...

vector<game_object*> objects; // making it a global var is a bad idea.
// "objects" should be put inside of a class, function or namespace

//Function Definitions

void add_object(game_object * gm_object)
{
    objects.push_back(gm_object);
}

void remove_object(game_object * gm_object)
{
    for (unsigned int i=0;i < objects.size();i++)
    {
        if (objects.at(i)==gm_object)
        {
            delete objects.at(i);
            objects.at(i)==NULL;
        }
    }
}

// Class Definitions

//you really, really need to split up your code into multiple files
//eg. game_object.h - class prototype
//and game_object.cpp - class member functions (code)

class game_object
{
    public:
        game_object() { }
        virtual void draw() { }
        virtual void update() { }
        virtual ~game_object() { }
    protected:
    private:
}

...

// More Class Definitions

/* note to read variables from the ship class you need to make a "getter" function
--- game_object.h

class game_object
{
    public:
        game_object() { }

    virtual void get(string name, bool &return_value) { } //<- new
    virtual void get(string name, int &return_value) { } //<- new
    virtual void get(string name, float &return_value) { } //<- new
    virtual void get(string name, string &return_value) { } //<- new

        virtual void draw() { }
        virtual void update() { }
        virtual ~ai_ship() { }
    protected:
    private:
}

--- Ship
class ship : public game_object
{
    public:
        ship(float x, float y);

    void get(string name, float &return_value); //<- new
    //add the other get functions defined in game_object to support other data types such as "int"

        void draw();
        void update();
        ~ai_ship();
    protected:
    private:
        SDL_Surface * sprite;
        SDL_Rect * rect;
        float x,y;
};

void ship::get(string name, float &return_value)
{
        if (name=="x")
        {
                return_value=x;
        return;
        }

        if (name=="y")
        {
                return_value=y;
        return;
        }
}

--example usage

ship myship(10,20); //make ship at x: 10 y: 20
float ship_x;
myship.get("x", ship_x); //ship_x now equals 10

To set variables to need to make "setter" functions, I think you
can figure out how to to that using "get" as an example
*/


// This is the ship class which inherits from game_object
class ship : public game_object
{
    public:
        ship(float x, float y);
        void draw();
        void update();
        ~ai_ship();
    protected:
    private:
        SDL_Surface * sprite;
        SDL_Rect * rect;
        float x,y;
};

...

int main()
{
        ...

        ship * myship(10,20);
    ship * myship2(20,10);

        add_object(myship); // add objects to the game loop
    add_object(myship2);

    remove_object(myship2); //myship2 is now removed
        ...

        while( game_is_running )
        {
                ...

                for(unsigned int i; i < object.size(); i++)
                {
            if (objects.at(i)==NULL)
                continue; // skip NULL objects

                        object.at(i)->update(); //go through the array of objects and run their logic
                        object.at(i)->draw(); //then draw
                }

        //check for NULL objects and remove
        vector<game_object*> new_objects;

        for (unsigned int i=0;i < objects.size();i++)
        {
            if (objects.at(i)!=NULL)
                new_objects.push_back(objects.at(i));//all non-NULL objects
                //get put onto a new vector, which objects is set equal to
        }

        objects=new_objects;

                ...
        }

    //end of game

    objects.clear(); //don't get into the habit of modifying "objects" directly
}

///End of mock up code