Scripting Language

[Yacoby]

I haven't had a look at the code much yet, I am not sure if this has been considered however has anyone considered using Lua, JavaScript or Python instead of the Morrowind scripting language and just use the current parser to convert the current scripts on load?

It has some overhead, but as far as I can see it is much better as it is code we don't have to write or maintain (plus, those languages are probably far better optimised than we ever could do so).

[Zini]

It was proposed and I opposed the idea rather strongly. There are many reasons that speak against this approach (really too many to list them all here). But the obvious one is that our scripting system is nearly fully functional now (missing only two small constructs and some instructions/functions) and throwing that all out for another language would be a waste of all the work.

[Yacoby]

But the obvious one is that our scripting system is nearly fully functional now (missing only two small constructs and some instructions/functions) and throwing that all out for another language would be a waste of all the work.

Ok, with that one I agree. I didn't know it was that close to done

[jvoisin]

You can see the advancement here : http://openmw.org/wiki/index.php?title= ... 8status%29

[Tes96]

Well met, everyone. I am new here but I read that you guys are using "Monster" for your scripting. What is Monster? How is or will it be different from vanilla script code in the Gambryo engine? Is Monster like an ultra version of Morrowind-Script-Extender that allows for many, many more possibilities?

[veepee]

Here's an interim answer until someone more knowledgeable comes around .

Monster is/was Nicolay's (OpenMW founder who went MIA) project. He planned it as a general multi-purpose scripting language that could be used in many different game projects, and it's design was iiuc based on his experience modding multiple games with different scripting systems, such as the Unreal series of games. Monster was/is very much WIP, and i assume that given the time passed and the amount of work done on OpenMW since that time, the current system in OpenMW probably doesn't resemble it much anymore. So, this is all guessing, but if you found a statement somewhere saying OpenMW uses Monster for scripts, it's probably no longer true.

Actually, currently the faq section in OpenMW.org (http://openmw.org/faq/) says: "Scripting: Homebrew implementation of morrowind scripts.", so i think Monster is history regarding this project.

As for possibilities, OpenMW is open source code, so after 1.0, absolutely anything is possible script-wise, and i'd assume that mwse compatibility would be on the top of the list.

[werdanith]

Well met, everyone. I am new here but I read that you guys are using "Monster" for your scripting. What is Monster? How is or will it be different from vanilla script code in the Gambryo engine? Is Monster like an ultra version of Morrowind-Script-Extender that allows for many, many more possibilities?

Monster is(/was?) used as the infrastructure for the scripting instructions that modders use, we could be using Lua or Python. Modders mostly care about the scripting instructions themselves and what power they give them over the game engine. And since we are writing the OpenMW engine, any internal function can be easily hooked up to a scripting instruction. The MWSE developers couldn't dream of adding that much power over the engine. So to answer your question, what powers would OpenMW give to modders. Anything that a developer can be bothered to implement.

[Tes96]

Well met, everyone. I am new here but I read that you guys are using "Monster" for your scripting. What is Monster? How is or will it be different from vanilla script code in the Gambryo engine? Is Monster like an ultra version of Morrowind-Script-Extender that allows for many, many more possibilities?

Monster is(/was?) used as the infrastructure for the scripting instructions that modders use, we could be using Lua or Python. Modders mostly care about the scripting instructions themselves and what power they give them over the game engine. And since we are writing the OpenMW engine, any internal function can be easily hooked up to a scripting instruction. The MWSE developers couldn't dream of adding that much power over the engine. So to answer your question, what powers would OpenMW give to modders. Anything that a developer can be bothered to implement.

Are you guys looking at the scripting language of Skyrim or other games to see what could or may be created with OpenMW? That's a silly question; I'm sure you guys have.
What would be really nice if I won the lottery and then purchased the rights & ownership to the Gambryo Engine source code. Then I'd freely distribute it to any and everyone here.

[Zini]

Are you guys looking at the scripting language of Skyrim or other games to see what could or may be created with OpenMW? That's a silly question; I'm sure you guys have.

Actually, not yet. But there are tons of ideas already for improving the scripting language and at least to me it is obvious what needs to be done (I am one of the developers of a large and complex MW-based TC and therefore I understand what needs to be done pretty well). We will get to that once we reach OpenMW 1.0.

[Zini]

To make that clear: Monster is gone. Completely. There is not a single line of it left in our code base. The extended MW scripting language will take over all tasks that were originally intended to be addressed by Monster.