Python Or Fenix

[iamchris4life]

Hello everyone,

I am planning on getting a GP2X sometime in January and I was wondering, which language is better to code with for the GP2X, Python or Fenix? I know more Python, in fact I'm working on a game using PyGame already, but I didn't get too far, so it wouldn't hurt to start over.

Also, by "better to code with" I mean for a strategy TBS kind of game (which is like the game I'm working on), sort of like Advance Wars. Plus, I read somewhere on here that the interpreted programming languages don't run very fast on the GP2X, but Fenix is faster(?) and Python+PyGame is slower. I did figure though that a strategy TBS would be less intensive, am I right?

Oh and please don't tell me to learn C++, that is my next step after I learn the basics of a easier language. As for why I don't want to learn it now, I *think* you need to know some ARM assembly to use it efficiently on the GP2X, right? Apart from that though, it is much harder to understand things in C++ than in Python (*shiver* pointers...*shiver*).

Hopefully, I'll be running a early prototype of my TBS on my shiny new GP2X in January.

 

[TelcoLou]

Fenix.

I used to program in BASIC on my TI-99/4A and found Fenix VERY easy to understand and get a dev environment set up.

(I.E. I'm a total coding idiot and still managed to understand it )

 

[iamchris4life]

OK, if I wanted to get started with Fenix, I would only need:

this the "Fenix Dev Kit"
http://www.gp2x.de/cgi-bin/cfiles.cgi?0,0,0,0,14,1373

and this, fenixb4.zip
http://www.gp2x.de/cgi-bin/cfiles.cgi?0,0,0,0,14,1119

right?

EDIT: Oh, and of course a few good tutorials.

Thanks for the quick response...
I'm still open to suggestions though!

 

[Alex.]

Be sure to go here http://fenixonfire.gp32x.de/

Welcome to the community

- Alex

 

[iamchris4life]

Thanks.

I am currently being impressed by that Hello World example on FenixOnFire. That was pretty small for a hello world example using SDL (I assume). I'm totally nerding out!
Luckily for me I can somewhat understand the documentation (I'm Dominican), though I do understand English better.

 

[Blah]

If your talking about language style, Fenix is similar to C and Python is similar to visual basic.

 

[sam fisher]

Thanks.

I am currently being impressed by that Hello World example on FenixOnFire. That was pretty small for a hello world example using SDL (I assume). I'm totally nerding out!
Luckily for me I can somewhat understand the documentation (I'm Dominican), though I do understand English better.

Fenix does not use SDL, it has its own graphical handling. Which is then handled through SDL through the interpretation.

 

[rokdcasbah]

Oh and please don't tell me to learn C++, that is my next step after I learn the basics of a easier language. As for why I don't want to learn it now, I *think* you need to know some ARM assembly to use it efficiently on the GP2X, right? Apart from that though, it is much harder to understand things in C++ than in Python (*shiver* pointers...*shiver*).

I'm currently learning C after trying both Python and Fenix. Although in some ways you could say they're easier, I found myself less motivated since I knew that eventually I'd want to start learning C anyway. Just my two cents. But definitely: C/C++ will be fast even without ARM assembly. I'll bet the vast majority of coders here use C but know zero asm. But look at it like this: slow code is slow code, but each language has sort of a ceiling where fast code is going to be limited by the overhead of the implementation. Even using SDL is going to lower that ceiling, but is it worth it to throw SDL out if your code isn't that fast anyway?

Python seemed like a nice language, but all of the syntax & punctuation drove me nuts. The Fenix IDE scared me off. I haven't gotten very far in Java for the same reason. (But I love me some QuickBASIC...now there's a language...)

I should mention that Luke Miller made a nice RTS in Python, so I doubt a TBS is going to hold you back, speed-wise, in any language.

 

[Alex.]

Luke Miller's RTS is indeed impressive, more so being written in Python. I guess that a great coder can make magic happen no matter the language...

- Alex

 

[Blah]

QuickBasic is not a language. Sit in the corner. Heres a dunce cap for you.

 

[rokdcasbah]

QuickBasic is not a language. Sit in the corner. Heres a dunce cap for you.

in 50 years we will look back and realize that quickbasic is merely ahead of its time. it's from the FUTURE. it has evolved beyond compilers and 32-bit numbers.

edit: i should have been clearer before...what i dislike about java is not any particular ide (i find eclipse to be nice, netbeans less so) but more the syntax of the language. but in all honesty it's not terribly different from c. and since it's all that they teach where i go to school, i can't escape it.

but nothing will ever match my sweet sweet qb.

 

[Alex.]

What's not to like about C syntax (and thus Java syntax)? Everything is logical and organized, and doesn't go all over the place.

printf("off you go now ");

- Alex

 

[rokdcasbah]

no, i like c. with java it seems like i'm just doing a lot more typing to acheive the same things. sorry to hijack the thread.

 

[sam fisher]

Java uses the C syntax and is infact, apparently (I don't know any Java), easier to use than C.

 

[Shikaku]

Java uses the C syntax and is infact, apparently (I don't know any Java), easier to use than C.

True... because I am using Java and don't like C (but I can do assembly quite well...)

But basically Java's extremely bloated.

 

[Alex.]

How exactly is Java easier to use than GNU C? I program both, and fail to see a difference in difficulty :-\

- Alex

 

[Shikaku]

How exactly is Java easier to use than GNU C? I program both, and fail to see a difference in difficulty :-\

- Alex

In Java everything is a pointer/reference. No exceptions.

Edit: wait, except some primitive types (char, int, etc.)

 

[Alex.]

I find that to be a flaw rather than an advantage. I like total (easy) control over what's a pointer and what's not.

Of course, I'm biased, cause I do more C programming than Java programming and got to know C a bit better and feel more comfortable with it. I also associate Java with boring office apps ;P

- Alex

 

[spookyln]

i rewrite pygame techdemo from www.pygame.org for gp2x. there is 6 parallax scrollers and is slooooow. i talking about 5-6fps with and 7-8 without .ogg playing. now i trying rewrite this to Fenix but cannot find any fenix compiler working with gp2x fenixb4.
i use linux for develop. ( i tried fenix 0.84 and 0.84b )

rewrited demo : http://www.tbs-software.com/spookyln/sotb.tar.bz2