--- In gbadev@yahoogroups.com, "JC Matthews" <kreedskulls@y...> wrote:
> Hello I were wondering if there is any info on Scripting for the
GBA.

to an extent, i'm being devils advocate here!

exactly what would the advantage be in using a scripting language
implementation on the gba?

I can see the point for a pc or next gen console game:
* scripts can be used unchanged for different platforms
* script changes and tweaks can be made during program execution
* keeping a sandbox environment for safe script execution
* scripts can be used without making a build, so non programmers can
easily add functionality

these things are IMO not easily applicable to gba:

* porting a gba game to other platforms: the gba is so different to
most other gaming hardware that it seems like it would be better to
just do a total re-write anyway.

* making changes during program execution would require either an
interpreted language(too slow) or compilation on the fly (on a gba?)
you would also need a console and some way of hooking up a keyboard.

* a safe sandbox virtual machine would surely have too big an impact
on performance for the puny gba cpu

* not having an interpreter or a normal file system makes it kind of
difficult to add scripts without compiling and linking.

* there will also be resource issues related to having to keep and
environment(stack etc) for each active script...

Ok, i'm sure there are ways to deal with the above points (i'd really
like to here them :)) but in the end even if there are work-arounds
and this stuff is doable, what extra does a scripting language give
you that is really worth the inevitable dent in performance? (and the
cost in implementing the scripting and learning to use the language?)

cheers

Col