Since I'm connected to the internet, it's easy for me to dash off quick replies. But anyway...
I believe your reply to Richard reinforces the "programming is easy, but programmers are lazy" opinion that I see fairly often on the internet --
Unfortunately, you are inferring something I am NOT promoting.
especially on the csipg groups. In particular, I take issue with point #3. It is true that it is efficient to code in assembly language. Hell, you can even code in object-oriented x86 assembly -- I do so every day at work. Origin definitely wants to be on the bleeding edge of computer games. So the question is, why use C++?
The answer, of course, is that if they coded anything in assembly then it would take longer. Coding well in assembly takes skill and dedication, especially in large projects. It's hard to find that skill; it takes a while to train people to be skilled; it's not suited towards building systems in a year or two.
Besides, nothing needs to be coded in 100% assembly. Witness Doom.
In order to make myself clear, I am not advocating one development language or process over another at all! I DO, however, take the mantle of objective criticism on when a game comes out and does NOT meet the expectations of the player. If that is due to programming that is slower by design, then so be it. It's FAR more likely to be the product of just bad game design, not lousy programming. Though the recent bug infestations makes me wonder sometimes if our games programmers have a firm grasp over their own code.
My main point is that there are always tradeoffs. The programmers -- or at least, the designers -- are bright people. They know what they're doing.
Do they? Do they ALWAYS know what they're doing? I suppose they believe they do, but I have a VERY hard time believing that is the case 100% of the time given the INCREDIBLE amount of bugs, problems, and sheer design shortcomings that plague too many of today's products. It's a tough world out there, particularly on this X86 platform with it's hodgepodge of "standards" (what an oxymoron THAT is...). But, if you're gonna head into the kitchen, get ready for the heat.
It's slightly annoying to see "Why don't you guys do X? It's easy, all you have to do is..." from a layman, but it's not really a big deal because it's usually easy to tell them politely that no, it's not that easy. However, a purely positive response to such a letter from the editor of GameBytes is a bit harder to take.
Thanks for your time,
Always willing to give it up for a thoughtful reader. Thanks.