I've been planning on making a new scripting language for a game I'm working on.. and well I'm looking for any articles or discussion on design/optimization of a compile/execute engine. The design concept I was thinking about was similar to what I know about Java and would be used similarly like UnrealScript. I was thinking of using a file header system similar to windows PE headers and allowing for importing/exporting of existing 'symbols' from other scripts running on the VM. Then I was hoping to write it in a way that classes available in C++ can be used in the script such as: class SObject { //... }; Then the script could use these functions and further define their own ( add to it.. using inheritance ) then when another class uses this inherited class, it can call on the new functions which override the old ones. Basically if I did this: class SObject { protected: public: int SomeFunction( ) { return 1337; } }; then in my script: exported class SomeClass { private SObject object; public integer getValue( ) { return object.SomeFunction( ); } } then getValue would return 1337 but: exported class NewObject inherits SObject { public integer SomeFunction( ) { integer value = old.SomeFunction( ); return value + 1; } } then this SomeFunction when called by another class would return 1338. Basically the syntax would be similar to C++ with typecasting and objects etc. The existing classes will be defined in C++ and all of their functions and public data will be visible to these functions. Now that's pretty simple... Not too difficult.. I believe I can do that with no problems. What I need to learn about is compiling/executing methods. I was thinking something like ( note this isn't what I'm using, it's simply psuedo ): struct ScriptExHeader { unsigned long version;//version of the script compiler unsigned long baseAddr;//base address ( preferred base address ) unsigned short numSections;//number of sections within the file unsigned long secTable;//offset of table listing sections unsigned long importsTable;//offset to table listing imports unsigned long exportsTable;//offset to table listing exports }; struct ScriptExSectionEntry { //first one at script base addr + secTable ... simple things }; You know standard header stuff.. then the sections would be code and data sections and then space for created objects etc. Then how would I interpret the sections with code.. should I use an opcode system like ASM is and have scripts be something like: //function in a class $//this symbol is the start of a func perhaps? //integer num = 123; <2bytes=mov opcode><2bytes=describe>:mov [dataPointer+<size of integer>] //return num <2bytes=mov opcode><2bytes=describe>mov returnRegister,[dataPointer+<size of integer>] Just curious if there are some articles on this.. if so I'd much appreciate if you'd post some. I'm really not sure what I should do or any ideas of optimization for speed or size. It's not really a perfect design I'm going for, just something that does what I need it to :) Thanks - Justin

Yes! Take a look at the link in my post here (it's lonely [lol]). On that site they have a massive scripting section that you might find interesting. Definitly give it a try out [smile]. I believe there are also some great articles on this topic on GameDev as well. Here's one of them, there are many others, but I don't know where they are all, definitly take a look at the "Articles" at the top bar under "Resources".

Quote:Original post by Justin2006
I've been planning on making a new scripting language for a game I'm working on..

Are you making a new scripting language or a game? If scripting language, then have fun and enjoy, but if you are making a game, then why re-invent and waist you time to create new script, rather then use existing one. Call me crazy but I have far more fun making game and use OPT (Other People Technology) then re-inventing the wheel and spend my time on debugging that new wheel.

Quote:Original post by STLDude
Are you making a new scripting language or a game? If scripting language, then have fun and enjoy, but if you are making a game, then why re-invent and waist you time to create new script, rather then use existing one. Call me crazy but I have far more fun making game and use OPT (Other People Technology) then re-inventing the wheel and spend my time on debugging that new wheel.

Well.. I'm working on it myself to strengthen my understanding in all the areas of making a game. And who knows, after I finish it.. it could be big? Maybe some company will see it and say "YOU'RE HIRED!" lol. I'm not really re-inventing the wheel.. per-say.. The system I want is a bit different than other scripting languages I've looked at and I don't feel like taking OPC ( lol ) and re-writing only parts of it to make it do what I want and possibly messing it up since I don't know what all of it does. If the game itself is written through scripts and I use DirectX ( DirectInput, DirectConnect, DirectSound.. ) at the base it's not much of a hassle to make a simple FPS game. I'm not shooting for UT2k4 lol, it's just a little project to work on in my spare time ;)