Hi, guys! ^^
I know that almost everyone here loves JavaScript (and similar languages), but i’m curious about: what do you think about creating a whole new language specialized to solve game development problems?
A couple years ago i’ve made an execution platform that runs assembly code (just for experiment) and a couple months ago i’ve refactored that and i’ve started to design a new high-level language (and i’ve made a basic compiler for that) that will solve profesional game making problems and here how it’s syntax looks like (it’s a mix of mainly C# and C++ features):
Intuicio++ language design - GIST
Can you tell me what do you feel about programming language specialized for game development? what problems that are running platform (or syntax) specific you want to solve, what of these problems keeps you make your code ugly or big or too expensive to write?
Cheers! ^^
I will not learn another language specifically for a game engine. Here’s why (with humour):
- I already know 17 billion programming languages, what new does it offer?
- You mean I can only use it for one thing as well? I can’t use it anywhere else?
- You stopped developing the game engine, now my skills are useless
- Aww, there’s a quirk that means I need seven [][][][][][][] in a row.
Explanations:
- This is the reason I don’t use Godot and several other engines. They’re fine but require me to learn an entire programming language. I can pick up an API in a week or so, but a language can take months to figure out all it’s ins and outs. It won’t offer anything new anyway. You’ll be able to create lists and dictionaries, maybe even vectors! Then you can add them together. Remind me why we’re re-inventing the wheel?
- I tend to use languages everywhere. I use python for the Blender Game Engine. I also use it to do bulk-file-operations and automate my computer. I use javascript for Playcanvas and web development. I use C++ for irrlicht and for arduino. A language dedicated to a single game engine? I’m probably only going to develop a single game in that engine, maybe for a maximum of a year or two. Then I’m going to throw that knowledge away.
- What happens when you stop supporting the language. Again my skills I’ve spent a couple months learning are now useless. It’s like learning latin and not being a scholar. There’s no point.
- No matter how good you are, it’ll take a couple of versions to figure out the quirks. Every modern language still has them. Python has some things you have to do funny ways, and it’s a pretty mature language. To think you’ve understood all the use-cases is pretty short sighted.
For reference, I’m also against visual programming languages (like Scratch and Unreal’s Blueprint system) for similar reasons.
However, one day I do think a truly superior programming language will come along. It will be more than a programming language though, more of a programming system:
- It will understand units, and that adding together seconds and meters is a dumb thing (though multiplying them is fine).
- It will be able to deal with n-dimensional matrices (ie 3x3x3 matrix-cube-thing)
- It will make simple things really simple, and hard things not only possible, but achievable in realistic timeframes.
- It will be incapable of crashing (I have segfaulted python. Beat that)
- It will be incapable of writing programs that hang. They will always recover somehow - in a sensible way.
- It will avoid all boiler plate. I won’t have to write asset loading systems, or cross-browser compatibility. I won’t have to write drivers for hardware, or more data filtering algorithms (ARRGH, bane of my life).
- To trump it all (I quote here):
Infinitely powerful language? Program going to loop forever? You knew for a fact:
- this thing could execute an infinite loop in less than ten seconds.
- Brute force primality testing of every single integer in existence? Easy.
- Pi to the last digit? Piece of cake.
- Halting Problem? Sa-holved.
Enough rambling for today…
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