[yanom]

I was thinking of creating a 2d space shooter game. I have a friend who is doing the art and another friend doing music.Our goal is to be better than Galaga (The retro arcade space shooter they always have at pizza restaurants), so I was wondering what language it would be best to program it in. I know a little of Python, C++, and Java, but can someone please tell me what language is best in this situation??

[Martyr2]

It is a toss up between C++ and Java. C++ has the speed advantage but both are equally good for such a game design. You may find Java to be a little more productive and good for getting you to a demo stage, but usually game developers language choice is C++ because of the performance.

But in the end it really depends on one thing... which language you find more comfortable and you enjoy using the most. Since you will be writing a lot of code for standard games it has to be the language you like to use the most or you will get bored/frustrated.

I hope that answers your question.

[Tom9729]

Java with the Slick 2D library would be a good combination I think.

I never finished it, but I wrote quite a bit of a freeform 2d space fighter game with the above combination.

Take a look here.

[yanom]

Will python work?

[Tom9729]

Any language will work. I was just recommending one that had an easy-to-pickup graphics library. I don't know if there is anything similar to Slick 2D for Python.

Edit: Some graphics libraries/bindings for Python.
http://g2.sourceforge.net/
http://pyopengl.sourceforge.net
http://www.pygame.org/

This post has been edited by Tom9729: 05 April 2008 - 07:11 PM

[yanom]

What's a good tutorial/book on graphic programming in python?


And what do you mean by "graphics library"? Whats a "graphics library"?

This post has been edited by yanom: 06 April 2008 - 07:05 PM

[.Maleficus.]

yanom, on 6 Apr, 2008 - 07:04 PM, said:

What's a good tutorial/book on graphic programming in python?


And what do you mean by "graphics library"? Whats a "graphics library"?

This ought to get you started.

A graphics library is an engine. It has classes and methods that you use to create your game instead of writing them all yourself. PyOpenGL is a Python binding for OpenGL; instead of figuring out your own way to implement OpenGL, PyOpenGL is already made and ready for download.

Any reason you want to use Python though? Java would be great for this and there are tons of great Java 2D libraries.

[yanom]

Quote

Any reason you want to use Python though? Java would be great for this and there are tons of great Java 2D libraries.

Java's so complicated. I mean, this is hello world in Python

print "Hello World"

and this is hello world in Java

class myfirstjavaprog
{  
		public static void main(String args[])
		{
		   System.out.println("Hello World!");
		}
}

Seriously.

[Martyr2]

Then why in the world did you ask about C++ and Java and not just ask about designing games with Python? You obviously have a bias towards Python so just use it for what you want to do. All I suggested, as well as Tom, is that you might want to go with a more robust and widely accepted language for game design.

But like I said before, go with what you know. I am just not sure why you even mentioned C++ or Java if apparently it wasn't on your radar as a real choice.

[Tom9729]

Writing a game, or just about any program for that matter, is quite a bit different from doing "hello world". The reason that you can get off with so little in Python is because it's a scripting language, and it doesn't force you to use classes (unlike Java). Once you start using classes in Python the two are pretty much the same length.

Once you start writing any decently sized program, all the code is going to start looking the same no matter what language you chose.

[KYA]

yanom, on 7 Apr, 2008 - 03:33 PM, said:

Quote

Any reason you want to use Python though? Java would be great for this and there are tons of great Java 2D libraries.

Java's so complicated. I mean, this is hello world in Python

print "Hello World"

and this is hello world in Java

class myfirstjavaprog
{  
		public static void main(String args[])
		{
		   System.out.println("Hello World!");
		}
}

Seriously.

You can't compare the two. Apples and oranges.

[yanom]

Quote

I am just not sure why you even mentioned C++ or Java if apparently it wasn't on your radar as a real choice.

My problem is with Java. I don't mind C++ if it would make the game better (or easier).

This post has been edited by yanom: 09 April 2008 - 04:26 PM