[OT] Previously: DMD - Windows -> C# in gamedev

[Froglegs]

> Indeed. And this is usually just to mitigate the fact that C++ 
> is so crap
> at this sort of code. Maybe D will be tolerable, and this 
> breaking out to
> script won't be necessary? (though I'm dubious)

Yeah C++ is a migraine for that type of code:(  I think D would 
be nicer than C++ for gameplay code, but another reason for 
scripts is the ability to modify the script while the game is 
running, and just the general lack of compilation time which is 
soo nice.

Perhaps if D gets ported to mono? Though even then I think I'd 
prefer Lua, since it is quite good at acting as both a language 
and data description.


> I don't typically find C/C++ intolerable, or even particularly 
> unpleasant
> for engine level code as it is, it's the higher level code I'm 
> keen to
> escape.

Yes I agree!

I tend to think of the code I work with as having three levels

1) low level - high performance, optimal memory layout/access, 
alignment concerns, intrinsic, not much 
abstraction(unfortunately..). C++ works pretty well here(though 
any improvements are welcome..), certainly I'm not aware of 
anything else that is better

2) mid level - good performance, fairly optimal memory, no 
intrinsics, fairly abstract. C++ works OK here, but I think D 
could be better at this

3) high level - moderate/low performance, GC memory, JIT'd if you 
are lucky, but possibly interpreted, can reload scripts while 
program is executing. Neither D nor C++ work here.


#1 isn't actually that much code, but the program probably spends 
the majority of its time executing it, so it is pretty important



Also in reply to Walter-- for me the problem with pausing the GC, 
and then running it at certain times, is that there is actual no 
time when it is alright for the GC to take any significant amount 
of time to collect( a couple milliseconds might be acceptable, 
but can that be guaranteed?).  Some games don't have load 
screens, or levels, but just an endless streaming world.