which is better for gaming Java or C++?

I think that largely depends on what kind of game you're dealing with. If you have large or detailed graphics, or anything that's really CPU intensive, I'd go with C++ hands down. But, if you're working with a networked game (if your game's slowed down waiting for a 56K modem, what's the diff?), a game that's turn-based (if your game has to wait a minute for user input, that extra 2 secs doesn't really matter), or some other situation where the CPU speed is of lesser importance, Java wins because of its portability. Sorry, C++ fans, but the fact that I can run my game on Macs, Windoze and Linux with limited difficulty is enough for me to put up with the slowness unless I really need the speed.

As far as ease goes, I have to say that Java comes naturally to me, while C++ is still a chore. Java's my language of choice... Doesn't mean I'll use it for everything, but it's really useful.

cbisbee at 2007-7-5 22:55:18 >

I have finished to programme a game (Space Commanders) using pure java

http://www.geocities.com/ddmusc/SpaceCommanders. Now I am re-programming the game using Visual C++ . Once I finish I shall put the windows version on the same site. It will be an interseting example of differences in performance between java and C++.

For programming I think java is easier since it takes automatic control of memory. Problems such as wild pointers , memory leaks and this kind of stuff are not an issue in Java. Unfortunately this is in itself also a disadvatage since you don't have much control on the amount of memory java is allocating (and at what time it deallocates it).

Java is also a bit slower because of its automaticity and high level structure. What makes me a bit angry about java is that programmes are normally CPU intensive. It is difficulty to run java programmes on old computers such as 486 or Pentium 1. This reduces the portability of the programme which though it can run on many different OSs it can't run on many different computers.

Daniel

Rabbi at 2007-7-5 22:55:18 >

not quite the same though - a mem. leak in C, is when the pointer to a mem. address goes out of scope before the mem. it address is deallocated.

mem. 'lost' in Java is never truly 'lost', it just gets into a state where it cannot be garbage collected.

Java mem leaks require you to explicitly write code to cause them, C mem leaks require an absence of code to cause them.

rob,

Abuse at 2007-7-5 22:55:18 >

> Also, to answer the original question, I would suggest

> using Java no matter what. However, if you have some

> serious game logic, you might want to implement some

> stuff native. However, Java 2D & 3D rendering API's

> are great, and highly capable!

but still no match for C ;]

Abuse at 2007-7-5 22:55:19 >

Its a bug, not a memory leak, cos if u filled the stack up to the top, the old objects references would be overwritten, and the old objects discarded.

also, if u discarded the Array stack itself, the objects would be discarded.

A mem leak in C is far more serious, once the reference to some allocated mem. goes out of scope - thats it, the mem is lost 4ever. This *cannot* happen with Java.

going with what you know best is good advice.

going with what is most suitable for the task, is better advice!

and there is no disputing, Java is not suitable for high performance games.

Abuse at 2007-7-5 22:55:19 >

Most commercial game companies will try to make games for the largest possible audience group. So if you develop for Windows, you've basically got about 85%+ of the market. So portability is not really an issue since you've already got 85% of the market covered. Provide a Macintosh version of your game, and you've got 90%.

C++ is the preferred language for the PC game industry, because of Microsoft's DirectX. Java2D and Java3D are pretty impressive, but unless you're smart in using native code, its hard to take advantage of the graphics card a specific processor is using.

Warcraft III, Heroes of Might and Magic IV, Neverwinter Nights are all written in C/C++, and they all take advantage of DirectX. Most of the most successful games out there are all written in C or C++. BTW, I believe assembly code was also used.

Oh yeah, if you've got memory leaks in C/C++, its YOUR fault, not the language. Using pointers, references and inline functions can really speed things up...but if you don't know how to use these features properly, you're screwed.

However, if you're learning gaming fundamentals, Java is a pretty good language to use. And Sun is planning with Sony to add a JVM in the PS2. You gotta admit, that's pretty cool.

Bottom line is: if you're a hobbyist, stick with Java. If you're serious, learn C/C++, Java and assembly.

Dante

Dante_Shamesta at 2007-7-18 11:41:38 >

asm

1. It realy depends on top speed of procesor. C or Java? For gaming is better language with little errors ie. Java. Garbage colector is important like hell. I mean gc is realy important in games, no need for pathes number 1.9199.22.1223.556.

2. Asm and java are good if you need real speed...

Raghara at 2007-7-18 11:41:38 >