I want to be a modder!

[SugiuraMidori]

SCRIPT CREATION:

Okay, so right now there are at least five main programming languages used in today's games, software, etc. Although Skyrim's scripts claim to be made from scratch, they're always based on a pre-existing coding language. The five current ones are Java, C++, C#, Lua and Python, the latter two are realtime compiler languages which can be used in coordination with the former three. The most used coding lingo is C++ so I'd advise you to buy a textbook or find some in-depth tutorial lessons in coding in C++. Once you have that down you'll have the basic idea of how all coding languages work. Java is rather similar in syntax to C++ and C# is Microsoft's version of C++. Lua has recently been changed in syntax to mimic that of C++ while Python tries to mimic regular speech (Oblivion used Python for its scripts).

 

I'll just cover this since it's what I do for a living and have a degree in xD Photoshop and I have a hate-hate relationship with each other, and I have learned that GIMP hates me for having 2k+ fonts installed (prev. hobby required it, so hush) so I can't comment about textures and meshes.

 

 

1) Since it bugged me the most... C# is Microsoft's answer to Java, not C++ ;) C++.NET is Microsoft's attempt to give you a smooth transition in language-transition from C++ to C# by mixing in all the common elements of C# but requiring you to still have to manage your own code whereas C# will do it for you (so if you hate pointers, C# is your friend). Although, you can also write managed C and C++ code through Visual Studio (so my boss mentioned but I personally don't know how to do this).

 

2) If you've never programmed before, Python is and has been hailed as the best beginners language out there. The tutorials are numerous, and you can see what your program does as you code it instead of having to re-build and re-compile every time. You can actually type out the program line by line in the interpreter to see what happens :) Despite what others say, if you've got a good grasp of logic and puzzle solving (can you solve a Sudoku or jigsaw-puzzle in record time?), learning a programming language isn't that bad. There are sites out there that list each and every command you can use, and often Googleing for "Language + Do_This" (e.g. C++ print to cmd prompt) type things gets you a ton of hits and functions on how to do something, usually in many different ways. However, what is needed here is such a listing of what is and isn't allowed by the structure of TES5. Once you get the idea of how code is formatted and basic logic, all it is is knowing functions, just like any spoken language (know how to string words together and all you need are the words to make sentences, which can make paragraphs.. etc. etc.).

 

From what little I've seen on the USEP wiki for Elder Scrolls, syntax is similar to that of C (structs, pointers, semi-colons, etc.) and knowing C will never hurt you because once you know one language, you can easily pick up others since it's the same process. Also, it is good to look at what others might have written in their *.esp files as you then learn some functions, formatting, and logic and you get to see something that you know works (unless it's bugged, in which case, looking at it is obviously bad).

 

Beyond that, as mentioned, it's all personal preference on editing tools. If you really wanted to, you can use notepad to program, it's just text till you wish to compile it.