Video game programming vs. Software application programming. Which is more complex?
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Are the challenges of programming a video game more complex than programming a software application? For example a spyware scanner or filing system for a company. I have a good feeling that game programming probably involves more mathematical calculations.
It is difficult to answer this question in the general case.
I can think of some very simple games, and some remarkably complex applications involving hundreds of lines of math.
I can think of some very simple games, and some remarkably complex applications involving hundreds of lines of math.
It really depends on what you are trying to do.
I mean I can use VB and make a photo viewer or even an application that connects to a database in 5 min it's that easy.
And now with microsoft releasing XNA you can pretty much just use a wizard to do pretty much the same thing with video games.
Now making a software application or game someone will actually shell out money to buy is another story!
I'd have to say game programming is more work/complex however you want to see it just due to the fact that there really is no standard way to write a game. I mean most applications have a menu at top and pretty much work the same whereas have you ever seen 2 games that are pretty much identical?
In otherwords there are alot more hacks in game programming and stuff that noone's ever done before/thought of doing in contrast to business apps that have pretty much been the same forever except for now the work that's being done to make them also accessible as web apps.
Then again there are compilers,OS,not to mention encryption like AACS that can make game programming look like child's play so you really are asking the wrong question.
I mean I can use VB and make a photo viewer or even an application that connects to a database in 5 min it's that easy.
And now with microsoft releasing XNA you can pretty much just use a wizard to do pretty much the same thing with video games.
Now making a software application or game someone will actually shell out money to buy is another story!
I'd have to say game programming is more work/complex however you want to see it just due to the fact that there really is no standard way to write a game. I mean most applications have a menu at top and pretty much work the same whereas have you ever seen 2 games that are pretty much identical?
In otherwords there are alot more hacks in game programming and stuff that noone's ever done before/thought of doing in contrast to business apps that have pretty much been the same forever except for now the work that's being done to make them also accessible as web apps.
Then again there are compilers,OS,not to mention encryption like AACS that can make game programming look like child's play so you really are asking the wrong question.
I would have to say game programming by far.
Take however hard application programming is, then add physics, mechanics, AI and a story line and you have game programming.
Take however hard application programming is, then add physics, mechanics, AI and a story line and you have game programming.
I've got more experience with application programming than anything else, but I've found that game programming is trickier than most application programming. Application programming can be extremely complex, but most applications don't have realtime requirements, which in a lot of cases means they can reduce complexity by sacrificing a bit of speed. That isn't a trade that game programmers can make too many times.
[opinion]
In my experience, game development is more complicated (generally). If anything the tendency for game companies to be under funded/organized, and the (more) fickle and demanding nature of their customers is enough to sway things that way.
In my experience, game development is more complicated (generally). If anything the tendency for game companies to be under funded/organized, and the (more) fickle and demanding nature of their customers is enough to sway things that way.
i would say games are more complex to make, i dont know if its because of the people who tend to work in game development or the nature of games them selfs but making a games usually seems to be just screwing around with code until you get what you want. On the other end how to make a business application is a fairly well document step by step procedure.
It depends on the application and the game. Some applications, like Office, or Maya, are extremely complex, and IMO, much more complex than the vast majority, if not all, of games out there.
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