A new engine? Options

[JoaoB]

Well, I had this idea about one year ago, with the decay of the RPG Maker (at least on Brazil). I thought about designing a new, more useful, and faster engine to create RPG's (apostrophe?), and I want to share the idea with you.
I thought in not storing a source program, but bytecode telling the "engine" what to do, to improve speed greatly. Also, I'm thinking in using the power of the graphic boards, with OpenGL and its useful features (like pixel programs). But there's the problem: I'd need to translate events into scripts. I have three choices: eliminate events completely (everything would be scripted), create a sub-parser in the engine language, or create a event-to-script parser.
Also, I'm thinking in customization possibility. My idea is to use XML to allow low-level customization of the engine (you wouldn't need to use Note or Comment hacks to make that script work). Also, with that type of customization, no game will be similar to others.
About the language: my idea is either to use JavaScript or create an unique language (I would mix strong- and weak-typing, multi-inheritance, attributes and others).
What do you think?

I'm not a native English speaker, so fell free to correct me if I'm wrong.

[Kread-EX]

Sphere uses JavaScript and, well, honestly I don't think that JavaScript is really a suited language for game design (admittedly, Ruby isn't either). OpenGL would certainly be faster than GDI+ that RM uses, though.
Personally, I'm not really fond of proprietary languages specific to a game engine, like for instance RPG Code used by RPG Toolkit. If you want a scripting language, why not Lua?

[Helios]

If you just want a more "powerful" tool to make RPG, I would recommend Wolf RPG Editor. They have much in common, except the latter is free, and have more built-in functions. I have no idea why it never gained popularity...maybe too much customizable options made it user-unfriendly?

[Lurvid]

I didn't know Wolf RPG even existed. Is there an English version for it?

Anyway, for the OP, if I could add a suggestion about Events, I'd add a bunch of pre-coded events just like RPG Maker, but also add the ability for people to code additional Events that can be downloaded and installed.

Also JavaScript is a terrible language used by terrible programmers never ever use it ever.
Maybe Java would be a good idea though, since it can do a lot and it's way more known to the indie world, especially with the popularity of Minecraft and how many people get into modding it.

[JoaoB]

I'd prefer a language that would accept typed and typeless definitions, structures, inheritance, anonymous functions, and so on.
It would be a mix of Java, Visual Basic, and Lua. I know there aren't any languages like this. And because of this I want to create the parser to this language.

EDIT: The language would be like this:

CODE

// Comment
var x:int = 0 // <- no semicolon
var y // typeless def
if x < 5 then
  y = new Sprite[35]
else
  y = new Bitmap(300, 200)
#if // match end with beginning - just for organization

What do you think? The "then" optionality would slow down the compilation phase. Or not? Please, tell me what you think.

This post has been edited by JoaoB: May 14 2011, 12:58 PM

[Sailerius]

Use Lua as a scripting system. Please do not make the mistake of making your own scripting system, as that means users won't have access to third party library support for the language, of which there is a lot.