[gameprogrammer] Re: LUA and gameplay programming

One of the big benefits is that level designers can create their own
logic outside of a build cycle.  Considering a fully build for some
companies could mean up to many minutes to even hours, being able to
just modify a simple script and re-run the program to see the effects
is a huge boon.  Level designers are no longer hamstrung by the
compile cycle.

It's not a magic bullet.  No matter what scripting language you use
any it will never be as fast as the compiled code so certian things
will still be done in the old fashioned way.  Scripting languages in
games are more like glue to hook things together.  Surface tweaking. 
Anything that requires to be run quickly or run many many times
quickly, scripting isn't the answer.  Although it might be used in an
initial proof of concept but probably wouldn't/shouldn't be left at
that. 

Not really game related but at work we use Python as our scripting
for our program.  Performance wise, it's a bear.  Super optimized raw
ugly compiled (FORTRAN) code will be the base line.  Somewhat cleaner
easier to understand compiled (C) code can be anywhere from 1.5 - 2
times slower.  The super optimized ugly Python code was at least 10
times slower.  We couldn't squeeze the stone for any more water at
this point.  One heck of an overhead so you wouldn't want to have
your performance critical code in Python.

--- Dominic McDonnell <telarau@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Hi, I'm a student studying games programming in Australia, as its
> half 
> way through our last year the local games companies have just
> started 
> pitching themselves to us. A few of them have said that they use
> LUA for 
> all or most of the gameplay programming.
>    Is that a new trend, or has it been around for a while? I can
> see the 
> advantages of using a scripting language for gameplay, with no
> recompile 
> times, and the possibility of not even having to restart the game
> to see 
> the effects of changes. Does anybody know how widespread the use of
> 
> scripting languages are?
> Thanks in advance,
>    Dominic McDonnell


Robbert de Groot


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