Game Development Patterns and Best Practices

Compiled versus scripting

For some game engines, the game engine itself is programmed in C++, but the game logic is entirely done in a scripting language, like most development for Unity, for example. This allows you to iterate on gameplay much faster, and allows technical designers and artists to modify behaviors without having to bother a programmer. Also, depending on the language, it can allow people to use a more appropriate language for the problem's domain (for example, AI may not be the easiest thing to implement in C++).

Different companies handle working with languages differently. When I was working at a AAA (pronounced triple-A) studio, we would have designers prototype ideas for mechanics and get it working in the best possible ...