[RESOLVED] What is the purpose of game scripts?

[LiLo]

Hi,

I am following a book's tutorials on Unreal level design titled "Mastering Unreal Technology the art of level design"

From the tutorials, it seems that game levels can be created without programming. I've not finished the book yet, but it seems to be that way.

So I would like to know in which areas in game development does scripting come in?
What do game developers use Unreal Script for?

[jeroen79]

What do game developers use Unreal Script for?

Things that aren't real? :P

Scripts are basically programs run by the game.
They might be used to control AI units, NPC dialogs, active elements of a level, scoring and whatever you want to behave 'smart'.
Of course, all of these can be hardcoded and compiled into the game's exe but that would give users/players/designers less options to design things the way they want.
Scripts allow them to add code to the game without having access to the game's sourcecode.

Compare this to MS Office and VBA.
You cannot change Office itself but you can add functionality using VBA.

[jcis]

Not about scripts, but Levels and Models are usually made with tools like 3DStudioMax, Blender, Milkshape. Specially with 3d models, they are created using these tools, also animations, then you just need to load that model and call its animations from your code. Creating levels / modelling is not easy, but these tools really help. Actually im using MilkShape, there is a 30 days trial version.
Valve also has its own level editor for games like Counter Strike, its named Valve Hammer Editor, useful to compile your own bsp levels.