Ultimate Game Design : Building game worlds

Building Game Worlds
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U L T I M A T E G A M E D E S I G N
AF: Most scripting languages that are used today, like Visual Basic, Python, and JavaScript, among
others, are advanced and mature enough to do these tasks equally well; it again comes down to what
a programmer is most familiar with and what language they can work fastest in.
TM: Basic programming familiarity or exposure is considered key for game scripters. Any advice for
students?
AF: Probably the most important factor in getting familiar with programming is self-motivation and
a willingness to learn new things and explore a language. Defining a specific task that you want to
accomplish, like creating a simple shooter game, and going through with that to the end to finish up
with an actual product is a great way to both learn programming and end up with something you can
show to potential employers. Starting with something like WildTangent, which provides a complete
scripting environment, and creating a complete game using the tutorials they provide in conjunction
with programming resources on the web should give you a good foundation to build on.
TM: Many scripters simply edit command lines or tweak variables. How do you keep this straight
for workflow purposes?
AF: One good approach is to keep all of the pieces of a script in some kind of source repository. A
scripter may tweak a command line or tweak a single variable many times to get something just right,
but these tweaks should be periodically checked in to the source repository and made available for
others. Combining this with frequent builds and continuous testing will insure that all “tweaks” applied
to the system will not affect it in a bad way.
TM: Tools are expensive and risky to develop. Are these the major reasons why most game tools
are so limited?
AF: It’s relatively simple to throw together a basic tool to accomplish a certain task. But it’s much
more difficult to develop that tool into something that would be considered good enough to be a
product. Many times, developers that are already over-taxed with other responsibilities will take a
short timeout to throw together enough of a tool to do basic editing. Most game budgets and
schedules don’t include enough time and resources for developing serious tools.
TM: How feasible is a drag-and-drop actor system attached to a drag-and-drop scripting system?
AF: It’s definitely feasible, but requires a sophisticated and integrated environment. Many times,
when highly sophisticated tools are attempted, they end up not being used because they don’t provide
that certain feature that an artist or designer may have access to in their favorite animator package.
It could certainly be done, but to do it in such a way that it would feel natural and simple to use and
integrate with existing tools would be very difficult.
TM: Do you see tool systems as one of the limiting factors in content development?
AF: Certainly having a smooth workflow is of paramount importance in developing content. It’s not
necessarily true that lack of mature tool systems has to limit development; if the artist-designer-developer
loop can work efficiently, than advanced tools may be less necessary. Tools really become important
when people with no previous experience with the game system and content being developed are
asked to start producing something. At that point, a well-designed tool can mean the difference of
several weeks for that person to ramp up.
TM: What do you do when there is no budget for script tools?
AF: Most scripting languages available today don’t require tools, and are possible to develop and
test using only a simple text editor. In addition, there are often many free or nearly free tools that will
help scripters put together more complex scripts more easily.