What is the best route to take with finding a programming language that suites game development ?

Question

I understand that there are lots of this questions already posted, but I am in need for a serious answer.

I started out with Game Maker back in 2004, and feel that it DOES produce the results I like, but I do feel extremely limited, as I like to program, but also have an artistic vision for my games. I also feel embarrassed that I am working with such a cheap means of programming.

I guess to continue with my answer, that my question that has come up in numerous ways, is that what programming language is the best towards producing games. And no, it doesn't have to be "easy to learn" (although it should be possible to grasp rudimentary concepts and such) I own C++ without fear by Brian Overland, Game programming all in one third edition by Johnathan S. Harbour, and Beginning game programming by Jonathon Harbour.
Reinstating the question again, as I have only been working with 2d games and haven't made the leap towards 3d.
What is the best programming language for computer games?

Answer 1

is there something wrong with c++? 2d graphics shud be ez with direct3d or open gl

Answer 2

There is never a "best". There is only pros and cons. Ive worked in the game publishing industry and can tell you that games are written in anything you want.

Most would say C++ but to me thats a module language. Big companies would want you to have it. But thats because they have many programmers in cubicles working on a piece of the game. Everything has to work when its all plugged together. (or Java if its an online game)

If you are going to be the only one working on it from beginning to end then there are other choices. They all have their advantages and disadvantages.

But if C++ is no big deal for you then its probably the safest answer. Let us know what you dont like about C++ and we might recommend something else

Answer 3

C++ is pretty much standard fare anymore when it comes to game development. (And whoever said it is prone to memory leaks clearly hasn't written proper C++ code). There are a ton of game engines - some free, most not - to choose from that require a C++ compiler.

The best place to go for Game Development information, tutorials, forums, etc. is:

http://www.gamedev.net/

Also, keep in mind that 2D is a special case of 3D. Any 3D engine is more than capable of making a 2D game...or a hybrid.

Answer 4

I think C++ is the undisputed best game programming language. Java is a good one too but it is not as user-friendly. I still think the language should be chosen depending on what game you are writing. Anyways here are some pro and cons of common game programming languages:

Assembly
Fastest, low overhead
Error-prone, slow development, difficult for novices, not portable

C
Extremely fast, widely known, numerous tools Not OO, no GC, prone to memory leaks

C++
OO, very fast, widely used, numerous tools No GC, prone to memory leaks

Object Pascal
OO, very fast, easy to read and learn, very portable (Free Pascal)
Not widely used

C#
Very OO, RAD language, easy to use
Must be just-in-time compiled when run, memory hog

Java
Very OO, easy to use, portable
Can be slow (though JITers are now common), not suitable for console programming

Eiffel, Smalltalk Ada, etc.
Fringe game languages,
few game development tools

Scripting languages like Lua, Python, etc. Often used for gameplay scripting, but not for the bulk of the game code itself

Answer 5

CSS and HTML are the fundamentals. If you wish to get into entrance finish (layout) javascript is whatever you ought to appear into. Backend most of the time makes use of PHP, Python, Ruby, and different languages which can be very rough for a newbie. Hope this is helping!

Answer 6

The best industry standard software package for game design today is 3D GameStudio. You can read about it here:
http://www.theliquidateher.com/gamedesign.html
The price is decent, too, only $20 on CD.