This is cool, but for the server it is already possible to use a number of scripting languages.
By using the Bukkit server mod, which provides a stable plugin API, it is relatively easy to add a wrapper around a scripting engine [0].
For example, a plugin providing Rhino support [2] and one providing python support [2].
I would recommend either porting your work to the Bukkit framework, or working with one of the existing plugins to include some of the cool stuff you have made.
I don't currently know what the most popular scripting plugin currently available is, but I'm sure you can find it with a bit more digging than I have done.
I'd like to second this. You just can't ignore the multiplayer aspect of Minecraft. It's huge. Imagine if you put all the young developers on the same server and gave them access to this. They could write scripts to coordinate builds and cooperate with one another. You would need to make some adjustments to it though. You can't just place blocks without the player being in range. It would need an entire toolset to move the player. Imagine writing a script to harvest and replant a field of wheat. Or maybe a script to navigate a cave safely, killing mobs as they appear. This would really open up a world of potential. Look into Bukkit.
I used to be very active on the team there, but haven't contributed any code for a while now. I get the urge almost every week, so maybe I should jump back in for a bit.
It has its problems, but is miles ahead from where we started and really does enable plugin authors in a way straight modding never can.
Bukkit plugins require running a separate server and giving the kids access to the server. Doesn't seem as practical as a client mod if you're trying to make it kid friendly.
The author mentioned It makes it possible for Minecraft Server administrators to create interesting places for players to come and play.
I agree a client mod is a great place to have this functionality, but if it is being done on the server as well then using a framework like Bukkit is a great choice.
For one thing, the author complained about obfuscation making it difficult to expose different functions in the game. Bukkit provides a stable API, so it makes sense for a scripting wrapper to expose those functions, and by doing so gain a lot of functionality.
I've implemented ScriptCraft as a bukkit plugin now. Bukkit's API and plug-in deployment mechanism is sweet. ScriptCraft and Bukkit are really well suited.
Comments
This is cool, but for the server it is already possible to use a number of scripting languages.
By using the Bukkit server mod, which provides a stable plugin API, it is relatively easy to add a wrapper around a scripting engine [0].
For example, a plugin providing Rhino support [2] and one providing python support [2].
I would recommend either porting your work to the Bukkit framework, or working with one of the existing plugins to include some of the cool stuff you have made.
I don't currently know what the most popular scripting plugin currently available is, but I'm sure you can find it with a bit more digging than I have done.
[0] http://dev.bukkit.org/search/?scope=projects&search=scri...
[1] http://dev.bukkit.org/server-mods/redstonetorch/
[2] http://dev.bukkit.org/server-mods/pydevtools/
Computer craft, which uses Lua for scripting, is by far the most popular. There's a ton of tutorials available for it on YouTube.
I'd like to second this. You just can't ignore the multiplayer aspect of Minecraft. It's huge. Imagine if you put all the young developers on the same server and gave them access to this. They could write scripts to coordinate builds and cooperate with one another. You would need to make some adjustments to it though. You can't just place blocks without the player being in range. It would need an entire toolset to move the player. Imagine writing a script to harvest and replant a field of wheat. Or maybe a script to navigate a cave safely, killing mobs as they appear. This would really open up a world of potential. Look into Bukkit.
Thanks for the bukkit recommendation - it really is a great minecraft framework to code against. I've since added a ScriptCraft bukkit plug-in... https://github.com/walterhiggins/ScriptCraft/blob/master/buk...
No worries :)
I used to be very active on the team there, but haven't contributed any code for a while now. I get the urge almost every week, so maybe I should jump back in for a bit.
It has its problems, but is miles ahead from where we started and really does enable plugin authors in a way straight modding never can.
Bukkit plugins require running a separate server and giving the kids access to the server. Doesn't seem as practical as a client mod if you're trying to make it kid friendly.
The author mentioned It makes it possible for Minecraft Server administrators to create interesting places for players to come and play.
I agree a client mod is a great place to have this functionality, but if it is being done on the server as well then using a framework like Bukkit is a great choice.
For one thing, the author complained about obfuscation making it difficult to expose different functions in the game. Bukkit provides a stable API, so it makes sense for a scripting wrapper to expose those functions, and by doing so gain a lot of functionality.
I've implemented ScriptCraft as a bukkit plugin now. Bukkit's API and plug-in deployment mechanism is sweet. ScriptCraft and Bukkit are really well suited.
RedStoneTorch looks very interesting.