source code stufff

Anything related to Wolfire Games and/or its products
Post Reply
User avatar
29222908
Posts: 80
Joined: Sat Nov 09, 2013 10:11 am

source code stufff

Post by 29222908 » Fri Dec 27, 2013 3:59 pm

this may sound stupid but what does a source code even do? how do i edit one?

User avatar
Endoperez
Posts: 5668
Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2009 7:41 am
Location: cold and dark and lovely Finland

Re: source code stufff

Post by Endoperez » Sat Dec 28, 2013 5:53 am

Do you know what programming is?

Programmers write source code. Then they use a compiler, and the source code is transformed into a game, or Windows OS, or an android game, or whatever it was they were doing.

If you have a game, you can play it, but that's it.

If you have a game's source code, you can make changes to the game.

Source codes is usually kept secret. If you don't do that, someone else might take your source code, make a few minor changes and then use a compiler to remake the game, and then start selling it on their own. Something like that happened to Lugaru, even!

"Open source" software are called that because their source codes are public, and anyone can read through them and anyone is allowed to make changes to them, and so on. That's why there are so many different versions of Linux systems, for example. "Open source" doesn't always mean that the whole game is editable, though. Often it's only the source code, and not the graphics, the music and so on. That means you could make a new game using the same code, but you'd have to make all-new models and levels and graphics and sounds and so on.

User avatar
29222908
Posts: 80
Joined: Sat Nov 09, 2013 10:11 am

Re: source code stufff

Post by 29222908 » Wed Jan 01, 2014 7:46 pm

so if i edit the source code, how do i run it?

User avatar
Endoperez
Posts: 5668
Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2009 7:41 am
Location: cold and dark and lovely Finland

Re: source code stufff

Post by Endoperez » Thu Jan 02, 2014 5:02 am

If you want to fix an engine, how do you start the vehicle?
There might be a key involved.

That is how much sense you are making.

You need a compiler... and knowledge and skill, which you seem to lack.

User avatar
29222908
Posts: 80
Joined: Sat Nov 09, 2013 10:11 am

Re: source code stufff

Post by 29222908 » Thu Jan 02, 2014 6:19 am

where is the lugaru compiler?

User avatar
Endoperez
Posts: 5668
Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2009 7:41 am
Location: cold and dark and lovely Finland

Re: source code stufff

Post by Endoperez » Thu Jan 02, 2014 8:17 am

Lugaru source should come with a Visual Studio project file, so if you install some version of VS and open the project file, it should choose the right compiler for you.

Post Reply