Request: Creating a Scala specific subforum?

General Discussions Suggestions
#1

As the title says I was wondering about the possibility/interest of a Scala specific sub forum. I realize that this is JGO not SGO (or JVMGO) but I do think that Scala and Java linked more tightly than are Java most other JVM languages (like clojure, JRuby, Jython).

  • Anecdotaly, the vast majority of Scala programmers come from a Java background.
  • For the foreseeable future, game programming in Scala will rely heavily on the same libraries and code (JOGL, JInput, lwjgl, libgdx, etc.).
  • Scala encourages a programming style that is more functional, less mutable, and less inheritance dependent. Java programmers may find these techniques interesting and useful and work with Java based equivalents in their own code.
  • There may be members of this forum who also work in Scala or are interested in dabbling with it and there is no Scala Game forum that I could find.

So, Riven, is this something you would consider? And JGO community, is this something you have any interest in?

#2

I’ll consider it when I see a need, and I see a distinct lack of it :slight_smile:

What will this board be like? Two or three members writing a dozen posts per year? I really wonder whether Scala is suited for game development. Java barely is, and Scala seems to be (moving towards) the opposite of what is actually needed for actually developing, maintaining, releasing commercial games. I’ll believe it when I see it. For this Scala board to be created, I need a Scala game on Steam :-*

#3

How about a significant number of entries on Ludum Dare? Not saying there are, but I think it’s a fairer criterion than Steam. Anyway, seeing as how it all runs on the Java platform anyway, I say we scalaphiles just post whatever games we make with it on the regular boards. One of my two projects here is Scala, though neither it nor my other project much qualify as a game. I suppose I could post Manic Rift, but it’s a straight port and barely even qualifies as scala :stuck_out_tongue:

A sub-board might make sense for scala questions but I don’t think the size of the community is well suited for that.

#4

I imagine it would be a lightly trafficked board. I don’t think I’ve noticed anyone other than sproingie and myself talking about Scala although there may be others who are interested in/dabbling with it but haven’t posted because this didn’t seem like the place to. But just think of it…you could corner the market on scala game forums. This could be your path to wealth and fame.

[quote]I really wonder whether Scala is suited for game development. Java barely is, and Scala seems to be (moving towards) the opposite of what is actually needed for actually developing, maintaining, releasing commercial games.
[/quote]
Game programming certainly isn’t on their radar but I think some of the things added to 2.10 like implicit classes, value objects, and macros may move things back in the right direction. I could see a Java core w/ Scala used to define the game logic. For me the question is for those use Scala as a Java++ (Java + traits + closures), will Java 8 (with maybe Lombock or Xtend) mean there’s no need to use Scala anymore.

[quote] I’ll believe it when I see it. For this Scala board to be created, I need a Scala game on Steam :-*
[/quote]
I searched Steam so I could give you a cheeky reply of games that had scala in the name…but there were none.

My original thought was that because traffic would be light, the one sub-board would be for everything scala related (projects, questions, articles, etc).

#5

I’m very interested in scala too, but did not come around to take a better look at it. Just experimented with some one liners one time. I would like to do more things in scala, because I think it is great.