Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
In regards to the JavaScript version of Processing, the following is a rundown of the strengths and
weaknesses of Processing.js:
Strengths
Excellent graphics library
Don't need to learn JavaScript
Great forum and community
Cross-browser compatibility
Can write stand-alone or JavaScript integrated code
It's free!
Weaknesses
Limited functionality (missing a few core libraries, such as video and audio support)
Limited access to Processing libraries
Difficult to debug
Significantly less powerful than the offline version
Is it a good fit for games?
The short answer: yes.
Certain types of games will lend themselves better to using Processing.js. Puzzle-based games like mine
that are less reliant upon stunning visuals are the perfect form for Processing.js. With fewer on-screen
objects to be rendered, the canvas has no issue. A full-on, simulation-based soccer game or a multi-player
shooter, on the other hand, is best left to the more sophisticated engines like Unity, which has a far more
powerful graphics-rendering engine that can handle a large amount of objects. Unity is, at heart, a game
engine; so it has built-in game functionality that relieves you from making code.
I believe that the aesthetic is what draws you in to a game, while the game play is what keeps you there. If
you design with this in mind, Processing.js can be the perfect solution—not only to prototype a game, but
to create a final product.
Examples and integration of Processing.js
With all of this talk about Processing.js, it is time to take a look at how easy it is to put into action. This
section will take a look at the basics of getting started with Processing.js. I will provide a few examples with
code on how to get started. We will also take a look at a few of the tricks that I learned to make some of
the more important features happen.
