I was wondering if anyone had come across or worked with any languages specifically designed to describe game mechanics. I'm looking into making some prototyping tools, and a language for describing aspects of the game (like the rules and processes) seems sensible. But obviously there's no point my creating a new language if one already exists...

I guess that depends on how high-level your wanting to go. At the top end you have the point-and-click make-a-game packages where you describe the game using a UI. In the mid-range you have things like Unrealscript, but these typically run inside then engine of another game. Both of these ranges are usually directed at a specific genre though. At the lower end of the specturm I don't know of anything, I imagine it would be somewhat like 3rd generation language (and I'm guessing this is what you're intending).

What are you intending to cover with the language? Will spatial partitions and other such high-level data structures be built-ins, will you have control over things such as rendering or will it be intended purely for game logic?

Certainly sounds interesting.....

game design patterns

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Original post by joanusdmentia I guess that depends on how high-level your wanting to go. At the top end you have the point-and-click make-a-game packages where you describe the game using a UI. In the mid-range you have things like Unrealscript, but these typically run inside then engine of another game. Both of these ranges are usually directed at a specific genre though. At the lower end of the specturm I don't know of anything, I imagine it would be somewhat like 3rd generation language (and I'm guessing this is what you're intending). What are you intending to cover with the language? Will spatial partitions and other such high-level data structures be built-ins, will you have control over things such as rendering or will it be intended purely for game logic? Certainly sounds interesting.....

None of that kind of stuff; pure game mechanics (I guess what you refer to as 'game logic'). The kind of stuff you'd use to describe a board game (though the right language can describe your realtime 3D shooters as well). The purpose of the tool is to provide the minimum required environment for the mechanic to be playtested - i.e. to let me try out an idea for an FPS without actually having to develop an engine or any assets.

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Original post by fupgame design patterns

Ah, cheers, that's a handy site... pity they've not published their patterns yet, but I'll keep an eye on it.

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Original post by fup game design patterns

Ooh, cool stuff! Useful++ for you! ^_^