Best Programming Language

[Zzbrandon]

What do you think is the best programming language to learn to become a Game programmer and make some of your own applications?

[Guest]

LUA. Easy to learn, easy to use, powerful, cross platform.

[Zzbrandon]

I heard LUA is one of the worst.

[Jeff]

Discussions like this are liez. Stephan(RIP) would come around and say that C is really the best, but it's much much harder to learn than say lua, which sekaru suggested.

Here is the comprehensive debate thread: [http://www.touchofdeathforums.com/community/index.php?/topic/51792-the-comprehensive-programming-and-coding-debate-thread/](http://www.touchofdeathforums.com/community/index.php?/topic/51792-the-comprehensive-programming-and-coding-debate-thread/)

I don't think we should really debate about languages, since it always goes to hell. If you want something quick to learn and coming with little baggage, I'd suggest Python. If you want something a little more game oriented, go with lua. If you want to learn a 'real' programming language, C# and Java are great for beginners. If you want to learn a industry level language, learn C or C++. There are hundreds of other programming languages, each with its own pros and cons. No language is simply 'better' than another, it always depends on the programmer and the purpose.

> I heard LUA is one of the worst.

There is no worst. Lua is a lot weaker than others, but it has its purposes and honestly would be a great choice for a new programmer with little free time and a desire to make games.

[Guest]

I was half joking. I really like LUA for those reasons but it isn't as powerful as I'd like it to be. Hell, it doesn't even have a switch statement or structures.

[Jeff]

> I was half joking. I really like LUA for those reasons but it isn't as powerful as I'd like it to be. Hell, it doesn't even have a switch statement or structures.

I hear Lua is a decent scripting language. I think it's an alright first language. I don't actually have first hand experience with it, but I imagine it's very similar to python.

[Guest]

> I hear Lua is a decent scripting language. I think it's an alright first language. I don't actually have first hand experience with it, but I imagine it's very similar to python.

Yeah it's great for scripting, pretty good for programming too and yeah its a lot like Python. I learnt it in pretty much a day and I've been using it with SDL as a graphics library and it performs -very- well but it isn't the industry standard for a reason .

[Miguk]

Honestly, Java has some great reasons to get into it. Plus it's principles will transfer over to C#, just different terminology but in the IDE thats easy peasy.

Personally, I think for commercial development for the casual gamer, HTML5 is the way to go. Great on actual Apps (android and iphone) but also runs in their browsers, tablet browsers, can be on facebook, and can be on consoles etc.

[cheatking]

> Honestly, Java has some great reasons to get into it. Plus it's principles will transfer over to C#, just different terminology but in the IDE thats easy peasy.
>
> Personally, I think for commercial development for the casual gamer, HTML5 is the way to go. Great on actual Apps (android and iphone) but also runs in their browsers, tablet browsers, can be on facebook, and can be on consoles etc.

If only all of HTML5 was properly supported by everything.

That and the fact the only code security you ave is obscurification.

[Miguk]

> If only all of HTML5 was properly supported by everything.
>
> That and the fact the only code security you ave is obscurification.

Eh, if your making an iPhone app, it don't matter that much.

[dimx]

OOP C++ of course once you understand c++ the concept is very simmilar with the rest of the languages just the syntax is a litle different. If you are really dedicated thats is where you need to start and look a little into assembly because it is challenging and tedious but you will really understand what is going on and what you are doing this way.

People always try to take the easy way out you need to spend long hours practicing and reading and pulling your hair if you want to be a decent proggramer there is no silver bullet and if this idea scares you then I have news for you, you will find it's a waste of your time.

[Mal]

> OOP C++ of course once you understand c++ the concept is very simmilar with the rest of the languages just the syntax is a litle different. If you are really dedicated thats is where you need to start and look a little into assembly because it is challenging and tedious but you will really understand what is going on and what you are doing this way.
>
> People always try to take the easy way out you need to spend long hours practicing and reading and pulling your hair if you want to be a decent proggramer there is no silver bullet and if this idea scares you then I have news for you, you will find it's a waste of your time.

I disagree. The majority of the problem with learning a programming language is because of the complexity associated with trivial or otherwise simple things. If you want to write boilerplate crap, go with C/C++ and spend days developing something simple. If you want to skip the boilerplate crap and develop something simple (with limited control over the boilerplate crap) in hours, go with another high level language.

[or3o]


[JohnPony]

Assembly Language.

[dimx]

> I disagree. The majority of the problem with learning a programming language is because of the complexity associated with trivial or otherwise simple things. If you want to write boilerplate crap, go with C/C++ and spend days developing something simple. If you want to skip the boilerplate crap and develop something simple (with limited control over the boilerplate crap) in hours, go with another high level language.

He didnt say something simple

> What do you think is the best programming language to learn to become a Game programmer and make some of your own applications?

When you learn a high level language you will not understand what you are doing because most of it is done behind the scenes, I didnt say you have to master it. But if you wanted more flexibility in the future you will have to learn it anyway. Sure if you want something just to fool around by all means go ahed use whatever you want. I would vote for html5 and javascript then. But in my opinion if you are going to learn something and you are serious about it then you should be ok with spending the extra time to learn it.

[SawQuart]

> Assembly Language.

liez. Real programmers use binary.

[Sealbreaker]

> liez. Real programmers use binary.

These discussions tend to repeat themselves over and over again. Pick a language that fits your needs.

-seal

[hedgy]

A lot of program languages are based on C. Which is why I'm learning C. In programming 'games' C++ is much used I heard, (at least, in the big games.) It's different when you talk about web games or androids.

I never heard about LUA btw. 

[aaaron]

> I never heard about LUA btw. 

[http://www.lua.org/](http://www.lua.org/)

And for some people, they use Löve2D or something of that sorts. [https://love2d.org/](https://love2d.org/)

[SawQuart]

Don't use LUA unless you are planning on making an uber-simplistic game.

[Mal]

> He didnt say something simple
>
> When you learn a high level language you will not understand what you are doing because most of it is done behind the scenes, I didnt say you have to master it. But if you wanted more flexibility in the future you will have to learn it anyway. Sure if you want something just to fool around by all means go ahed use whatever you want. I would vote for html5 and javascript then. But in my opinion if you are going to learn something and you are serious about it then you should be ok with spending the extra time to learn it.

It doesn't matter what he said. You obviously didn't comprehend what I wrote. The fact is that the length of time required to write something in C/C++ is higher than it takes to write the same thing in VB. The length of time required to write something exponentially increases the more dynamic or complex the application becomes; VB, as far as time and effort goes, will always win over C/C++; that's why it's still in use today, and that is to rapidly develop applications.

As far as "not knowing how it works" goes, that's not true at all. You still have to know the difference between the processor cache and managed heap, the difference between a value and a reference, a shallow and deep copy, scope, inheritance, generics, polymorphism, etc. The list goes on. The point is that regardless of the language these concepts never change. That you would even insinuate differently leaves me to question your own knowledge, and thus renders your opinion questionable.

[JohnPony]

If you plan on entering the industry at some point - C/C++/Java

If you are just going to fool around - Pretty anything else.

C & C++ are like long term relationships, Visual Basic is like a duck and good luck (One night stand) relationship.

[Mal]

> If you plan on entering the industry at some point - C/C++/Java
>
> If you are just going to fool around - Pretty anything else.
>
> C & C++ are like long term relationships, Visual Basic is like a duck and good luck (One night stand) relationship.

If he plans on "entering the industry" he'll be going to college and will re-learn everything anyway, so once again, we're back to having preference being the end all to this topic.

[dimx]

> It doesn't matter what he said. You obviously didn't comprehend what I wrote. The fact is that the length of time required to write something in C/C++ is higher than it takes to write the same thing in VB. The length of time required to write something exponentially increases the more dynamic or complex the application becomes; VB, as far as time and effort goes, will always win over C/C++; that's why it's still in use today, and that is to rapidly develop applications.
>
> As far as "not knowing how it works" goes, that's not true at all. You still have to know the difference between the processor cache and managed heap, the difference between a value and a reference, a shallow and deep copy, scope, inheritance, generics, polymorphism, etc. The list goes on. The point is that regardless of the language these concepts never change. That you would even insinuate differently leaves me to question your own knowledge, and thus renders your opinion questionable.

[background=transparent]I think you are overlooking the point I am trying to make here. Yes we get it vb is easier to use and to learn but then you go on and say he is going to need to re-learn. The relearn part is what is going to kick him in the ass after learning vb you will have an extremely hard time learning c++ as opposed to the other way around. If you are planning on becoming a professional programmer. Video games are very hardware intensive and if you are trying to be a professional video game programmer you will need to access that hardware faster and more efficiently. Even if he is planning to just make little apps as a hobby I would still recommend c++ because it will make you a better programmer even though you might not be using it to make your actual apps with. And for the "not knowing how it works" statement I don't know where you are going with that. I already stated that in my first post by saying "the concept is very similar with the rest of the languages just the syntax is a little different".I don't see the point of questioning my own knowledge I wouldn't comment on something if i didn't have at least a little knowledge on the subject. [/background]