The Best Game Programming Languages?

[kab012345 0]

What are some good programming languages to program games in? C++? Thanks

[Soviet 0]

Hi kab012345 I cant help you but the best programing language is C++ but I have some problems too :PHere is a little background for my questions...I'm not that old but when I was a kid I used to own a TK85 that loaded programs using k7 tapes. Basic was pretty much all this computer had and I used it to modify some simple games. I had major fun doing this but unfortunately one day the computer died right in the middle of the most exciting programing moment. Much later I learned linux shell scripting and learned a little bit of C. My C knowledge was only enough to fix minor things when I compiled linux from scratch. More recently I have been using PHP for web projects.I like to start working on games as a hobby. I have been looking at the great wiki but I don't know where to start.I have been thinking about starting with c++ and OpenGL Is that a good idea?. How about also using a game engine? Or maybe something like Game Blender? I already have a tiny bit of experience with blender. Maybe I could play with the code of a game already made. Can anyone recommend any simple game I could get the source code? I have an idea for a short, funny and simple side scroller that eventually I like to try making. It would be also fun to make a funny version of pong.I'm running windows XP but it would be nice to make things cross platform.My goal is to have fun doing this so I'm looking for the shorter and most documented route :DShould I use visual c++ express?thanks for all the help in advance )

[csp4.0 1]

the best game programming languages... um... um...aha... not C++ not C, defenitely not assembler but Lua, yes Lua indonesian for moon (i think) it uses low system resouces, easy to learn, and pretty easy to debug. games that I know have been programmed in Lua is Supreme Commander. I'm slowly trying to learn Lua in my spare time, but for some reason aren't interested.PHP=WebLua=GamesAssembler=AV products (i.e. NOD32)C++=normal programsJAVA=UI interfacesetc

[kab012345 0]

the best game programming languages... um... um...aha... not C++ not C, defenitely not assembler but Lua, yes Lua indonesian for moon (i think) it uses low system resouces, easy to learn, and pretty easy to debug. games that I know have been programmed in Lua is Supreme Commander. I'm slowly trying to learn Lua in my spare time, but for some reason aren't interested.
PHP=Web
Lua=Games
Assembler=AV products (i.e. NOD32)
C++=normal programs
JAVA=UI interfaces
etc

Ok, thanks for the suggestions and explanation. I think Im going to stick with C++ for now as I will be able to use it for most than just programming games.. But I might think about learn Lua or other Languages later though.

Hi kab012345 I cant help you but the best programing language is C++ but I have some problems too
Here is a little background for my questions...
I'm not that old but when I was a kid I used to own a TK85 that loaded programs using k7 tapes. Basic was pretty much all this computer had and I used it to modify some simple games. I had major fun doing this but unfortunately one day the computer died right in the middle of the most exciting programing moment. Much later I learned linux shell scripting and learned a little bit of C. My C knowledge was only enough to fix minor things when I compiled linux from scratch. More recently I have been using PHP for web projects.

I like to start working on games as a hobby. I have been looking at the great wiki but I don't know where to start.
I have been thinking about starting with c++ and OpenGL Is that a good idea?. How about also using a game engine? Or maybe something like Game Blender? I already have a tiny bit of experience with blender. Maybe I could play with the code of a game already made. Can anyone recommend any simple game I could get the source code? I have an idea for a short, funny and simple side scroller that eventually I like to try making. It would be also fun to make a funny version of pong.

I'm running windows XP but it would be nice to make things cross platform.
My goal is to have fun doing this so I'm looking for the shorter and most documented route
Should I use visual c++ express?

thanks for all the help in advance )

You have a good start. If you already know C, try moving into C++.
Python is a good choice also. Python is a dynamic object-oriented programming language that can be used for many kinds of software development. It offers strong support for integration with other languages and tools, comes with extensive standard libraries, and can be learned in a few days. Many Python programmers report substantial productivity gains and feel the language encourages the development of higher quality, more maintainable code.
It runs on almost anything too! Windows, Linux/Unix, Mac OS X, OS/2, Amiga, Palm Handhelds, and Nokia mobile phones. Python has also been ported to the Java and .NET virtual machines.
Edited September 22, 2007 by kab012345 (see edit history)

[demondog 0]

Well, i like language's like Python, Ruby, but there "slow", altough Python isn't that slow Ruby is, but the greta thing about Ruby is its multi-functional, and there is the side of C++ which is a fast great, but i bit weird syntax(owh c'mon private,public before a class?) but i like it and so its a choice of the dev i think..

[MotU2510 0]

Hi kab012345 I cant help you but the best programing language is C++ but I have some problems too
Here is a little background for my questions...
I'm not that old but when I was a kid I used to own a TK85 that loaded programs using k7 tapes. Basic was pretty much all this computer had and I used it to modify some simple games. I had major fun doing this but unfortunately one day the computer died right in the middle of the most exciting programing moment. Much later I learned linux shell scripting and learned a little bit of C. My C knowledge was only enough to fix minor things when I compiled linux from scratch. More recently I have been using PHP for web projects.

I like to start working on games as a hobby. I have been looking at the great wiki but I don't know where to start.
I have been thinking about starting with c++ and OpenGL Is that a good idea?. How about also using a game engine? Or maybe something like Game Blender? I already have a tiny bit of experience with blender. Maybe I could play with the code of a game already made. Can anyone recommend any simple game I could get the source code? I have an idea for a short, funny and simple side scroller that eventually I like to try making. It would be also fun to make a funny version of pong.

I'm running windows XP but it would be nice to make things cross platform.
My goal is to have fun doing this so I'm looking for the shorter and most documented route
Should I use visual c++ express?

thanks for all the help in advance )

If you want to have fun, then try Game Maker XP. It's free (although the paid for version has a few more features) and has an easy to use language called GML, or Game Maker Language.

[mc05w37 0]

If you want to start building a game, i recommend you to learn the programming language first. Most of the Game Programmer use VC# to build game. You have to understand the language, open GL, direct X etc etc etc. But if you just want to have some fun by making simple games i recommend you to use Game Maker by Mark Overmars, it's simple and straight forward, or you can also use FLASH. Btw, for me, i'm in progress of learning VC#. There are lot of free e-books bout programming in internet. just download those stuff, start reading, start practicing and Good Luck.

[flash4satheesh 0]

I am create a game in Flash.

[ewcreators 0]

Lua===never heard ofPerl & PHP are the languages ive seen used to make ONLINE WEB BASED games...mostly php.

[silver_wolves 0]

if your going to have a game that actually is interactive, use c++ or java. i have made games in java, and they are quite nice. c++ is harder to learn, but has many more possiblities. so i suggest c++. theoretically you could make a game in any language, but using php for a game doesnt make the game sound interesting. flash is pretty common, but that is for simple games because games with many variables would take way too much time in flashusing c++ would allow you to have a better looking game, especially if its interactive, like WoW or Guild Wars, and it can be tied into databases easily, so if it is web based, you can have them register for the whole site, then have the game use that username and password by retrieving it from the database.java, however, is pretty simple. its an easy language to learn, and from what i have been told, learning java, then c# then c++ is good, because that makes it 100x easier to learn, but maybe a bit longer. java can be used like c++, but integration into login systems is a bit more complicated. it has the same capabilities as c++, but with limitations. c++ allows for more variables with less coding, while java is good for a game that doesnt have many results from one thing happening.thats my 2 cents. overall meaning use c++, but the best way to learn is to start with java, maybe make a game in java, then go to c#, make a game in c#, then c++ and with your end result the game you want. you could also make the same game in the 3 different languages and see which you like better. you could cut out c# because its basically the middleman between java and c++

[demonatashadow 0]

I think that its going to be C++ a lot of game designers make MMORPG's with C++. Some might say Java but I hate Java.

[Tetraca 0]

The best language will be a compiled language - so no Java (you don't want a bloated virtual machine and interpereted bytecode eating up your allotted hardware, do you?), and one that works on many platforms - so no PL/I, Fortran, or Cobol. Oh, and don't trust VisualBASIC for a game. That's basically the only reccomendations I'd give you. It's really up to you which is the best game programming language. Compilers are so good now, it barely matters which language you choose. As long as you can be proficient at it, and you have the proper libraries, you can make a good game. Any person that says you can't make a good-quality game because you are using x language is spewing lies (but the compiler can sometimes matter, and usually it shouldn't dramatically affect you). I personally don't like C++ because I don't like Object-Oriented programming. C is better for me, though I spend most of my time in FreeBASIC when I program. I script these days, though.So you need a library. What libraries should you use? SDL is good for 2D games, and OpenGL is good for 3D games (but you'll need a sound library like OpenAL to work in conjunction if you want music and sound). Will this work in the programming language of your choice? Most likely, yes. All those libraries mentioned have ports to BASIC (FreeBASIC, so it doesn't reek like other BASICs. Syn9 is making an awesome professional quality 3D game with it, so don't diss BASIC for the flimsy interpereters and limits of the past), Pascal (FreePascal), and (of course), C and C++. You can find some good base engines in C and C++ like eDuke32 (the improved version of the Build engine that powered Duke Nukem, which is now full 3D, without those perspective errors) and even Source (which you can download an SDK for if you own half-life 2). Even the old GoldSrc engine powering Half Life 1 and Doom 3's engine. All of them (except source) are freely and legally available (Goldsrc may not. I don't know the license for that.), so enjoy! You'll need a lot of other software as well.

Edited October 28, 2007 by Tetraca (see edit history)

[OneMinute 0]

But games can be made with different languages integrated with one another. For example, PHP is processed within the server, along with MySQL requesting for data retrievement, the game appears on the browser, like Runescape. However, different games require different platforms and languages, so results vary. C++ or C# is so far what i've heard to be the most common within the sphere of game developers. However, can't conclude which is the best. It's all dependant on your experiences within this coding time.

[Tetraca 0]

For example, PHP is processed within the server, along with MySQL requesting for data retrievement, the game appears on the browser, like Runescape.

Those are all interpereted - great for a cheap text adventure or a game that will wear out in 10 minutes and real-world applications like content management systems, but if you want to make a real game you need a language which was compiled into machine code or you'll end up with an engine which either greatly limits your graphic and sound capabilities due to the interpereter (especially in Java), or creates an exceptionally slow engine. Besides, it is the interpereters working together, not the actual code (you could compile code into object modules, but the interfacing of those with other programming languages is a bit sketchy unless you know they use the same object format). You wouldn't program something like Duke Nukem 3D in PHP scripts, would you?
I'm not going to harp on PHP too much. It's compilable, but I don't know the extent of its capabilities. MySQL is not, though.

[mc05w37 0]

i think using flash action script is easier and the game is small in size. besides, you can create the sprites nicely. you can also distribute you game in internet without having much trouble because the game is smaller in size.