JavaScript

JavaScript is a scripting language used by most web-browsers. Roguelikes can also use it as a scripting language (e.g. for scripted events or quests). This allows changing game behavior without recompiling. Some browser-based roguelikes are written in Javascript or its Microsoft relative JScript (and JScript.NET).

Development Hints

• Use jsLint[1] to avoid many mistakes that are normally caught by a compiler
• Javascript frameworks abstract many of the browser inconsistencies. (MooTools[2], JQuery[3])
• Take advantage of Firebug for Firefox, the Web Inspector for Chrome and Safari and the Developer Tools in Internet Explorer (version 8 and above)
• Full IDEs are available including Microsoft Visual Studio Web Developer Express, Aptana and NetBeans.

Advantages

• Scripting languages usually have a faster feedback loop between development and viewing the changes
• Closures are a powerful language construct that can simplify application structure and enhance readability
• Any user with a modern browser (on any platform) can run your game
• A whole new world of easy-to-access graphical possibilities with the DOM or <canvas>
• Working in a dynamic and garbage collected language takes a lot of the pain out of strong typing and memory management
• Well supported serialization of data structures using JSON
• Emerging HTML5 standards provide support for local storage of data
• Emerging web application stores, such as the Google Chrome Store, provide a distribution platform

Disadvantages

• Many errors that are caught at compile-time in a strongly typed language will be caught at run-time
• Existing source for most roguelikes is in C or C++, and not all idioms translate into javascript
• There are browser differences in javascript implementations and javascript speed, so true portability still takes work
• Javascript is much slower than C and C++ (however, not all roguelikes require blazing speed)
• Full filesystem access requires additional plugins

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Roguelikes in Javascript

• gTile
• Neon (uses JavaScript for scripting)
• The Seven Day Quest 7DRL
• Advent (HTML5 and Canvas)
• jsMoria (javascript port of the roguelike classic Moria, uses MooTools[4])
• Cardinal Quest (original concept was JavaScript)
• Shambletown
• js-like
• roguezombies
• Wayward αlpha
• Cave of Epokothar (HTML5 and Canvas)
• Ruins of Kal Raman (HTML5 and Canvas) 7DRL
• Saege (not yet released)