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Ask HN: What are the languages used in gaming?

10 points by ejASIM 4y ago

i started learning gaming because l play a lot of games but im cusios about anything in gamindìg , anyone can guide me thx :)

ejASIM 4y ago
hi everyone
- SalimoS 4y ago
  It depends with the game engine you’re using (most popular is unreal engine which use C++, then there is Unity which use C#)
  - ejASIM 4y ago
    thanks a lot
informationist 4y ago
Should say "Ask HN: What are the Languages used in gaming?" It depends what platform you wanna release the game on. Google your favorite game and type programming language along with it.
version_five 4y ago
I'm probably not current but Lua used to be an important one, used as a DSL within games. That is a fun one to spend some time learning anyway.
Sohcahtoa82 4y ago
If you know nothing about programming, you should probably start by learning Python and the PyGame engine. If you already know programming, then a lot of games are written with either the Unreal engine (using C++) or Unity (using C#). There are certainly exceptions. Minecraft was originally written in Java, but I don't know of any other major games using Java. Undertale was made in GameMaker Studio. Any game with a custom engine is likely using C or C++, but I wouldn't try writing your own engine unless you really know what you're doing. It is not a task for the inexperienced.
- DougMellon 4y ago
  > I don't know of any other major games using Java https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Java_platform_games https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Java_platform_games
  - Valgrim 4y ago
    Apart from Minecraft, which game on that list would be considered "major"?
    - DougMellon 4y ago
      StreetFighter, FIFA, RuneScape, SimCity, and a couple others.
      - Sohcahtoa82 4y ago
        Street Fighter and SimCity were definitely not Java games. I don't know why they're in that list. The first SimCity and SimCity were both written long before Java was released. SimCity 3 and 4 were released when Java was still known for being horrendously slow, so there's no way they're Java. SimCity 2013 uses the RenderWare engine, which was written in C++.
- b20000 4y ago
  you should not start with python, that is a really bad idea. most game programming and open source game code bases are in C or C++, and that is still what the industry uses, so it's best to learn the basics of those languages and then pick up a few books specific to game programming in those languages. besides, you are going to be building a game using a game engine, and those are all written in these languages, so sooner or later you are going to find yourself having to know them.
Comevius 4y ago
Most game engines are probably written in C++, with scripting done in C#, Python, Lua or a custom language. But all languages are used. Minecraft was written in Java. A guy called Michal Ziulek is working on game development ecosystem for Zig, which I think is really neat. https://github.com/michal-z/zig-gamedev https://github.com/michal-z/zig-gamedev
BMc2020 4y ago
Autohokey and Rust seem to be very popular for cheating (auto mouse clicking, things like that)
mbrodersen 4y ago
C++ is the #1 language used for commercial games. Followed by C# (because Unity). Those languages would be my #1 recommendation if you want to do commercial games. If you just want to have fun and get something done quick then Python might be a good choice.
navjack27 4y ago
Download UE5 and learn blueprints.

10 points by ejASIM 4y ago

i started learning gaming because l play a lot of games but im cusios about anything in gamindìg , anyone can guide me thx :)

ejASIM 4y ago

hi everyone

SalimoS 4y ago
It depends with the game engine you’re using (most popular is unreal engine which use C++, then there is Unity which use C#)
- ejASIM 4y ago
  thanks a lot

informationist 4y ago

Should say "Ask HN: What are the Languages used in gaming?" It depends what platform you wanna release the game on. Google your favorite game and type programming language along with it.

version_five 4y ago

I'm probably not current but Lua used to be an important one, used as a DSL within games. That is a fun one to spend some time learning anyway.

Sohcahtoa82 4y ago

If you know nothing about programming, you should probably start by learning Python and the PyGame engine. If you already know programming, then a lot of games are written with either the Unreal engine (using C++) or Unity (using C#). There are certainly exceptions. Minecraft was originally written in Java, but I don't know of any other major games using Java. Undertale was made in GameMaker Studio. Any game with a custom engine is likely using C or C++, but I wouldn't try writing your own engine unless you really know what you're doing. It is not a task for the inexperienced.

DougMellon 4y ago
> I don't know of any other major games using Java https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Java_platform_games https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Java_platform_games
- Valgrim 4y ago
  Apart from Minecraft, which game on that list would be considered "major"?
  - DougMellon 4y ago
    StreetFighter, FIFA, RuneScape, SimCity, and a couple others.
    - Sohcahtoa82 4y ago
      Street Fighter and SimCity were definitely not Java games. I don't know why they're in that list. The first SimCity and SimCity were both written long before Java was released. SimCity 3 and 4 were released when Java was still known for being horrendously slow, so there's no way they're Java. SimCity 2013 uses the RenderWare engine, which was written in C++.
b20000 4y ago
you should not start with python, that is a really bad idea. most game programming and open source game code bases are in C or C++, and that is still what the industry uses, so it's best to learn the basics of those languages and then pick up a few books specific to game programming in those languages. besides, you are going to be building a game using a game engine, and those are all written in these languages, so sooner or later you are going to find yourself having to know them.

Comevius 4y ago

Most game engines are probably written in C++, with scripting done in C#, Python, Lua or a custom language. But all languages are used. Minecraft was written in Java. A guy called Michal Ziulek is working on game development ecosystem for Zig, which I think is really neat. https://github.com/michal-z/zig-gamedev https://github.com/michal-z/zig-gamedev

BMc2020 4y ago

Autohokey and Rust seem to be very popular for cheating (auto mouse clicking, things like that)

mbrodersen 4y ago

C++ is the #1 language used for commercial games. Followed by C# (because Unity). Those languages would be my #1 recommendation if you want to do commercial games. If you just want to have fun and get something done quick then Python might be a good choice.

navjack27 4y ago

Download UE5 and learn blueprints.