Pandora Which Scripting Language For Pandora Game Dev?

[jdh2550]

Hi,

So, if I want to fool around with some simple games on the pandora which scripting language would you choose?

I never liked perl. I used Ruby a lot a while back and loved it (developing simple GUI based utilities). I've heard a lot about lua but never used it, likewise with python.

I mostly use php now (for the back end on AJAX type web apps). I don't imagine php will suit my needs on the pandora.

I see a lot of people like python. Why? (that's an honest question not a dig)

Are there any good games libraries for Ruby (that way I could leverage my existing (although rusty) Ruby knowledge).

I've no problem with learning a new language - I just want to pick the right one (compact code, fast execution, good GUI and Graphics library support).

I'm favoring scripting over compiled just because this is for "doodling" on the device itself rather than for any sort of serious, large scale, resource hungry project.

Thanks.

 

[randomhack]

People use Python at least partly because of PyGame.
PyGame is a python library built on top of SDL. Since SDL will definitely run on the Pandora, PyGame should have no problems on it either.

Hi,

So, if I want to fool around with some simple games on the pandora which scripting language would you choose?

I never liked perl. I used Ruby a lot a while back and loved it (developing simple GUI based utilities). I've heard a lot about lua but never used it, likewise with python.

I mostly use php now (for the back end on AJAX type web apps). I don't imagine php will suit my needs on the pandora.

I see a lot of people like python. Why? (that's an honest question not a dig)

Are there any good games libraries for Ruby (that way I could leverage my existing (although rusty) Ruby knowledge).

I've no problem with learning a new language - I just want to pick the right one (compact code, fast execution, good GUI and Graphics library support).

I'm favoring scripting over compiled just because this is for "doodling" on the device itself rather than for any sort of serious, large scale, resource hungry project.

Thanks.

 

[davidgutierrez]

I'm programming a PC application with Python + wxPython that would be perfect for Pandora, so I hope they will be ported.

 

[argor]

try fenix B)

 

[Lineus]

Python is just simple to use, period. I mixed it with c++ to create a simple mud server, and it worked flawlessly.
Plus, it's named after Monty Python, so that's a bonus to me!

 

[TheLonelyGod]

panda 3d is a good libary for pype.
it turns it into a 3d engine

panda3d.org

although how you'd get that on pandora, i have no idea.

 

[avik]

People use Python at least partly because of PyGame.
PyGame is a python library built on top of SDL. Since SDL will definitely run on the Pandora, PyGame should have no problems on it either.

Along those lines, there's RubyGame.

 

[Zarneth]

I see a lot of people like python. Why? (that's an honest question not a dig)
I've used Visual Basic, Javascript, PHP and Python, (I've made at least 2 small apps still used by a few people today) I like python the best because simply it's an absolute joy to program in. When using different languages I find myself very frustrated because it takes so much more to do something.

Python is neat and relatively compact. It's very hard to write a messy program because because the indentation is part of the structure. There's no closing } brackets or end keywords. You just drop back an indentation level. Trust me it works really well.

Also something in vb like mid(mystring, 4, len(mystring)-4) would be mystring[4:-4] in python. There's just so many little handy compact things that I haven't found in other languages. Variables don't need to be declared, BUT they're still strictly typed (I think that's the term?) so it doesn't let you slump into sloppy programing.

Python is also VERY portable, as long as the target OS has the librarys you use. I a program I made from linux to windows and only found one bug stopping it from running perfectly.

Slightly scarcer documentation compared to some languages can make for a slightly higher learning curve for some. but it's more than worth it. A decient IDE helps. I recommend wingware's WindIDE. It's commercial, but gives you 3 10 day trials, and it's cheap, and they seem to be somewhat open source orientated anyway.

 

[squeakypants]

From my (limited) experience with PyGame I'm pretty unimpressed. Though that's because their drawing libraries are awful, so my vector graphics game needs a new library.

However, python in general is AWESOME! Best language besides C++.

 

[sindbad]

Python simply fits my brain. It's very clean to read (not even end statements), ridiculously easy to do anything and fast enough (especially if you write your heavy code in C, pyrex makes this very easy).

I've had people trying to convince me to switch to ruby, but I didn't like it too much. I guess it's a matter of preference. Try it for a while like I did with ruby, your outcome might be different.

 

[Diddl]

Yes, Python is on my wishlist.

But it's linux, it should be not a big problem to have nearly all script languages ...

 

[timofonic]

Whatever supported by Linux, there are tons of them. Lately people use Python or LUA, because there are tools for it. The second is used for internal things of games like stages and IA stuff.

 

[parag0n]

As long as it has Python, PyGTK and PyGame, i'll be happy

 

[Sphinxter]

Guessing I'm the only PERL fan in the room.

 

[Svartalf]

Guessing I'm the only PERL fan in the room.

Probably so... At least I'm not trying to push Forth down everyone's throats...

 

[Kramy]

I like java.

I'm pretty sure it's faster than Python, and it's about as easy once you learn the extra keywords that you have to put everywhere.

My favourite language is javascript, but browser-scripted games just don't have acceptable performance.

 

[yaustar]

Java isn't a scripting language so it's moot.

 

[Svartalf]

Java isn't a scripting language so it's moot.

Technically, any programming language that offers the ability to duct tape together disparate components to make a larger application or to tie a UI onto a console app is a scripting language. With that in mind, C/C++, Icon, Forth, and Java (And a host of others, actually...) all fall under that umbrella.

It's just that they're not commonly used for that, just like Python and PERL, until recently, haven't been used for largish applications.

 

[yaustar]

Java isn't a scripting language so it's moot.

Technically, any programming language that offers the ability to duct tape together disparate components to make a larger application or to tie a UI onto a console app is a scripting language. With that in mind, C/C++, Icon, Forth, and Java (And a host of others, actually...) all fall under that umbrella.

It's just that they're not commonly used for that, just like Python and PERL, until recently, haven't been used for largish applications.

Hmm... I am from the school of thought that scripting languages are interpreted languages.

 

[ldesnogu]

Hmm... I am from the school of thought that scripting languages are interpreted languages.

Hum, PERL and Python use virtual machines, no ?