The obligatory 'Events versus Scripts' discussion

[Zeriab]

With blueXx coming back I thought it was time for such a topic. I haven't searched but I am almost certain that there already had been at least one topic of such kind thus this being a revival.

I have given you three votes with the mindset of you using the two votes seriously and the last vote on the comedy options. Since I can't group options I must just hope that you will use the poll sensible. Naturally you can beat the system by voting in a different way. Beating the system will probably make you feel better so I don't mind you doing that

The 'I use ' group: (What you are using)

I use Scripts
I use Events
I use both
I use neither
Other

The 'I think is best' group: (What you think is the best)

I think Scripts are the best
I think Events are the best
I think a combination of both is the best
I think it depends on the specific situation
Other

The comedy group:

dwarra
second comedy option
Zeriab is the best

One vote per group would be the optimal in my opinion.
If you choose Other in any of the groups I would very much like you explaining what you mean in a reply to this thread. You naturally don't have to.
You are free to discuss the events and scripts advantages and disadvantages in this topic. You don't have to discuss. You can word your opinions and leave it at that. It is fine as well.
No flaming! If you start flame I will treat you unfair >8U
If you are flamed then try not to flame back. Use the fact that I will treat the flamers unfairly to peace your mind

On a final note: I have enable you to change you votes should you change your opinion



I use both. I am both a scripter and an eventer and most importantly lazy. If it is quicker for me to write a script I write it and if it is quicker to make an event I make an event.
I think neither events or scripts are the best. I think there are some things where scripts are better than events and other things where events are better than scripts.
I have a big ego so I naturally think that I am the best 

~ Zeriab

[blueXx]

I think events are the best obviously.
why? because I never am going to make a game (as a matter of fact my only attempt of a game was BEFORE I joined this forums, ever since then I went lazy) and my objective was always to make shiny things with events for others to use (and... it looks like half of them ++ have been deleted, didn't bother searching for what was saved and what was not though, but seeing as only 200~ posts of mine were left in troubleshooting I think most of the good things are out, at any rate for that matter I find events easy to "small edit" or have other events based on them by users who do not know their way around scripting or even advanced events, allowing anyone to use any of my events the way they find best with the greatest of ease.
That aside I am also a real newbie when it comes to scripting and I basicly can only edit or make simple ones, so that leaves me with nothing but events at least for the sake of helping (as I wouldn't want anyone to copy a badly done script or make a script based on that script's structure)

Well yeah, so events pwn, easily costumed for any need, easily changed whenever anyone feels like it, and require no knowladge.
how awesome is that?

while scripting is more for getting your game look shiny (for as long as you do not know scripting yourself that is)

notice how I say the exact same thing in 5 or more different forms!

[Falcon]

Scripts > Events

I use both, while using common events mainly so anyone on my team can change the game without fucking up the code.

Well yeah, so events pwn, easily costumed for any need, easily changed whenever anyone feels like it, and require no knowladge.

Yes, because events can do EVERYTHING. Events are inefficent code. For simple conditionals, messages, and simple game stuff they're great. But only a complete idiot would consider making a battle system or anything with them (I'd hate to see that code). Also, replace events with scripting, and the sentence makes much more sense. If you think Ruby is hard, try programming C++ and allocating memory and stuff like that.

Scripts are for people who can program.
Events are for loosers who can't comprehend simple programming concepts.

And events aren't awesome, they make it easy for 10 year old idiots whospek lik dis to make games.

[modern algebra]

I use both, but I would prefer to use scripting where scripting increases functionality. For instance, the fact that you can only change volume by increments of 5 made my evented version of a dynamic sound emission object (sound gets louder as you approach the object) quite a bit worse then the scripted version as the scripted version has a much smoother transition. That being said, eventing is easier to learn and so most game makers can customize an event system they are given to suit their needs, so that's a plus to events.

I also wouldn't use 'they make it easy for 10 year old idiots whospek lik dis to make games.' as an argument against events as there are plenty of great game makers who cannot script (for instance Calibre, and I don't think ShoSho scripts either).

One thing that I really like about scripts is that they are very easy to implement into a game, and of course the fact that it is much faster and easier to run through multiple if statements. In the end, I like scripts better personally because there are a lot of things they can do easily that would be very difficult for events, but I also like events a lot and will use them when it is not a complicated sysrem

[blueXx]

Half of the beauty of events is making something "out of the box" using tools that you cannot change.
I don't know ruby, it doesn't mean I am 10 years old, I do know pascal but that's only good for making the code look not scary and hence editable, it doesn't allow me to create a new good one though.
most people who use rmxp don't actually know ruby either, that aside a lot of them still do make games.

Lags can be removed in events by adding a simple wait command in the end of each para event.
Besides, It's a lot of fun to make a battle system via events, it takes hours and hours and you end up debugging for days 
Am I the only one who see that part as half of the fun? (the other half is when you are done and you go "wooooooooot what awesomeness, which you would still get if you script but not if it was an even slightly bit easier script for you to make)

"Events are inefficent code. For simple conditionals, messages, and simple game stuff they're great." and for battle systems, pet systems and other crazy things 

sure the code is just about 10 times longer than any script you'll do for such a thing, but it's understandable and editable by anyone who is "a looser who can't comprehend simple programming concepts."

viva la losers! (sorry but I am not going to study a language just for rmxp which I barely use V.V)

[Falcon]

It's a lot of fun to make a battle system via events, it takes hours and hours and you end up debugging for days

Am I the only one who finds that sentance goes against his argument?

I do know pascal but that's only good for making the code look not scary and hence editable

If you're framilliar with any programming langauge it's editable.

By the way you present your argument, it sounds like events can do everything scripts can. All scripters know that's not the case. You can't edit the actor classes, the battle system, or even use arrays with events. Functionality beats usability every single time.

[blueXx]

you can't edit anything that's inside the scripts, but you CAN remake everything. (even the menu was completely redone via events by yossi)
and not having arrays will never kill you, it will just make it a bigger pain.
you still got loops... loops are smexy...
(I enjoy debugging...  )

[Falcon]

And how would you go about recreating the Game_Actor class? The Game_Actors? If you did, you'd need conditional branches for everything, and that would be much laggier than a script.

In the end, I think we can agree for functionality Script > Events, but for usability, Events > Scripts. Which one is better for you just depends if you know RGSS or not.

[blueXx]

lag can be resolved with the addition of wait X frames in the end of each event (well where it's possible), the player will never notice.

but hmm yeah, can agree on that.
If you can script on your own and you find it easier than eventing, then no doubt do that.
If you can't but you find begging for scripts easier than eventing, then well... I'd stick with events, it may be harder than just copy pasting, but it's well worth it.

[shaz]

I didn't think my meagre attempts at scripting warrant me saying both, so I said I use eventing, but a combination of the two is best (since you've given us the option to change, as I improve in scripting I may revisit this).

If I say Zeriab is the best, will you give me an easier task to do than the one I've been sitting on the last 2 weeks?

[Tsunokiette]

While I primarily work with scripts, there is no doubt that events are powerful when used by those who know what they were doing.

Some things require a balance between the two.

Scripts are powerful, but they are also limited. Events are powerful, but they are limited as well.

While scripts are what make events run, events are far easier (for the most part) to work with.

Code Select Expand

class Debate
     attr_accessor     :scripts
     attr_accessor     :events
     def initialize
          @scripts = 1
          @events = 2
     end
     def answer(*args)
          if *args.size > 0
               @scripts == *args[0]
          else
               @scripts == @events
          end
     end
     def give_answer
          @answer = answer(1)
          if @answer
               p 'The statement Scripts are equal to events is true'
          else
               p 'The statement Scripts are equal to events is false'
          end
     end
end
$message = Debate.new
$message.give_answer

[Falcon]

Care to explain how scripts are limited :3

[Tsunokiette]

Care to explain how scripts are limited :3

The R.G.S.S. is merely a snippet of RUBY, and it cannot perform many functions. The R.G.S.S was designed to work with RPG Maker XP, therefore it is limited in that respect. It cannot reliably initialize a standalone program or interact with one without having it run within the game system itself. It cannot be used to make a true 3d engine, nor can it be used to create true isometric or a true overworld engine (I can't remember the name of the engine). There is much that limits the R.G.S.S. and if you can't realize that, then what do you really know about the language itself? A wise man does not fool himself when it comes to his limitations.

[Falcon]

Scripts are powerful, but they are also limited. Events are powerful, but they are limited as well.

I assumed by that sentence you were going to say that RGSS and Events were simillarly limited

But yeah, that's really not that much of a limit in my opinion. So you can't initialize programs, or make it 3D. No big deal to me, if you want 3D then just use another game maker.

[Arkbennett]

EVENTS!
... 
friendly black fellow!

[Kokowam]

Dwarra, both, combination of both. They're both very essential to make a good, unique game.

[Chesso]

I would say both.

I have experience in a plethora of languages (Including C/C++) and I cannot stand this RMXP scripting (well I don't much like Ruby, but how it's implemented into RMXP more particularly).

Events are ok mostly I think, but quite a few things I would feel more comfortable scripting (once I can figure out how to do some real drawing and effects and such, not just working with the basics, math, conditionals, variables etc).

P.S. I hate classes, never had to use them in my 6 years of programming/scripting etc. (Unless forced to).

[Falcon]

If you don't use classes, I don't think you've had 6 years of good instruction. Classes are an important part of any language that uses them. Classes in RMXP increase compatibilty greatly, and if Scene_Map and Scene_Battle were one class, we would have a lot of problems 0.o

[Chesso]

I just haven't ever had a need for them.

Iv'e heard the exact same preaching from others who frankly couldn't compete with me to save their lives.

Perhaps they follow better practices, but my end results far outweigh theirs.

Classes are primarily for manageability, the end user couldn't care less if a programmer had more or less trouble with their creation, just as long as it's produced as desired, and in the end that's what mostly counts.

Not to say there is anything wrong with them, but until I come across something where I *specifically* need it, I won't use it, though I suppose RMXP may be the first time, as there is for everything.

[Falcon]

Well, for some programs it wouldn't matter, but for programs that will need to be patched, updated, or edited, you defiantly want them to be as easy to use as possible.

I suppose you could easily get off without using classes, but it would make the code annoying, complicated, and hard to edit, which I wouldn't think about doing.

[Chesso]

Well that can really depend.

It's just something I am used to, and actually find far easier than the mere general concept of classing, can be seen in real life, just the way some of us are, we make our own rules .

[Kokowam]

Saying you don't need classes is like saying you don't need comment codes and methods.

[tSwitch]

I dun see why people are fighting over this
both scripts and events have their purposes, and both have things that they are best at.

I'd never consider making a cutscene with scripts
just as I'd never try to make a CMS with events

but I have seen some really interesting stuff done with both
for example, Reive's animated title screen that was evented, and an entire smooth abs that was completely evented.
and of course, scripts that create really cool effects and such

I like both :3

[Chesso]

I would hope the more truer power behind scripting is speed, like performing variable operations, calculations etc?

[Kokowam]

Speed, yeah. There's less lag involved with scripts, at least as far as I have seen, compared with events.