Gaming the System with Python
Traditionally, scripting languages help administrators manage systems
with relatively small scripts. Python is used in this capacity as well
as for larger applications such as installation programs. The latest
effort, though, uses a library and tools from the PyGame effort to take
Python into the realm of interactive gaming.
PyGame (http://www.pygame.org) offers a Python-based game development
library built on the Simple DirectMedia Layer (SDL). SDL
(http://www.libsdl.org), the premier Linux library for graphics-heavy
games, provides multimedia capabilities on a number of platforms,
including Linux. SDL is similar to DirectX, but it supports multiple
platforms. A number of commercial games, especially those ported by the
now-defunct Loki (http://www.lokigames.com) use SDL. Possible Worlds, a
game covered here previously, also uses SDL.
SDL is an impressive effort. By building on top of SDL, the PyGame
effort lets Python developers take advantage of the richness in
multimedia that game users take for granted to build quite a respectable
game entirely in Python. Python developers should check out the nice
tutorial at http://www.pygame.org/docs/tut/newbieguide.html for an
explanation of PyGame's offering. PyGame also provides a code repository
at http://www.pygame.org/pcr/repository.html, which is full of small
routines to help speed game development.
SDL and Python, both already multi-platform tools, make supporting
multiple platforms a lot easier. One of the most advanced games written
with the PyGame tools, Civil, an American Civil War strategy game,
demonstrates SDL and Python's cross-platform prowess by supporting
Linux, MacOS X, Windows, and BSD UNIX versions of the game. Civil
(http://civil.sourceforge.net) is a turn-based strategy game that
focuses on small battles from the Civil War. An extensive manual
explaining how to play the game can be found at
http://civil.sourceforge.net/playing.html.
Civil's main drawback is that, so far, you need to download the code
from CVS in order to play (see
http://civil.sourceforge.net/download.html for details). That should
change, however, as the game nears a 1.0 release from the current 0.7
version. More importantly, the PyGame tools are slowly tearing down the
barriers preventing Linux developers from making good games, and I
expect the future will see more quality Linux efforts like Civil.
» posted by ITworld staff
ITworld
Symantec Backup Exec 12 and Backup Exec System Recovery 8 deliver industry leading Windows data protection and system recovery. Download this whitepaper to find out the top reasons to upgrade and how to get continuous data protection and complete system recovery.
Data and system loss — from a hard drive failure, malicious attack, natural disaster, or simple human error — can happen anytime. Don’t leave your business vulnerable. Make sure you have a secure recovery strategy in place. Symantec's latest backup and system recovery technology can efficiently restore critical applications, individual emails and documents and even restore your entire system in minutes in the event of a loss.
Businesses face a growing challenge to ensure that the IT environment is properly protected. Backup Exec 12 integrates with other applications in the Symantec family of products, to complement your current data protection strategy, keep your data securely backed up and make it recoverable when you need it most.
