Lua scripting for EDuke?

Darkhog

#1 Posted 05 June 2013 - 05:38 PM

Since I didn't see anywhere "suggestions" forum, I'll post it there. If admins/mods see this more fitting in other board, feel free to move. Also this is my first post so hello!

How about adding support for Lua scripting into EDuke32? Of course CON support should be kept for compatibility reasons, but should be deprecated in favor of Lua.

Using of modern scripting engine like Lua would add support for:
- Vast system library
- Ability to change behavior that is otherwise hardcoded into engine (i.e. no more using detonator to detonate hand grenades like in Platoon)
- Easy to understand syntax. Seriously, Lua is one of easiest to pick up language.
- Widely used language. Learning to use CON will only teach you how to do stuff to Duke. Learning Lua will enable you to use it in any program that includes Lua scripting - ComputerCraft mod for Minecraft, CraftStudio, LOVE (cool game engine, by the way although kinda barebone), Photoshop, World of Warcraft, Firefox - to name a few (source: https://sites.google...ere-lua-is-used). So if you learn Lua, you'll be able to use it in any software that has support for it. If you learn CON... you'll just learn CON which has little usage outside Duke modding.

Fox

Fraka kaka kaka kaka-kow!

#2 Posted 05 June 2013 - 10:22 PM

Actually the developers have been working in Lua language as a replacament for quite some time.

This post has been edited by Fox: 05 June 2013 - 10:24 PM

Darkhog

#3 Posted 10 June 2013 - 07:39 AM

Oh, cool then! I hope they'll succeed!

Plagman

Former VP of Media Operations

#4 Posted 10 June 2013 - 01:14 PM

I think the LUA bindings to the engine are pretty solid now, most of the work that's left to do is shoe-horning a CON interpreter into LUA to be able to get rid of the legacy game code at some point. But in theory you could start working on a LUA mod from scratch if you don't have any pre-existing CON code. You should talk to Helix, he's been the driving force for that work.