Using Cython for game development?

Question

How practical would it be to use Cython as the primary programming language for a game?

I am a experienced Python programmer and I absolutely love it, but I'm admittedly a novice when it comes to game programming specifically. I know that typically Python is considered too slow to do any serious game programming, which is why Cython is interesting to me. With Cython I can use a Python-like language with the speed of C.

I understand that I'll probably need to learn a bit of C/C++ anyway, but it seems like Cython would speed up development time quite a bit in comparison.

So, is it practical? And would I still be able to use C/C++ libraries like OpenGL, OpenAL, and Bullet Physics?

Answer 1

If you're working with a combination like that and your goal is to write a 3D game, you'd probably get better mileage out of a ready-made 3D engine with mature physics and audio bindings and a Python API like OGRE 3D or Panda3D. Even if you don't, this post about using Cython with Panda3D may be helpful.

I'm not sure about now, but back in 2007, the trade-off between the two was basically that:

• Panda3D was better-documented and designed from the ground-up to be a C++ accelerated Python engine (apparently they made some API design decisions that don't occur to C++ engine projects) and, predictably, had a more mature Python API.
• PyOgre was built on top of a much more advanced engine and had a larger and more vibrant community.

...however it's quite possible that may have changed, given that, passage of time aside, in 2007, Panda3D was still under a GPL-incompatible license and that drove off a lot of people. (Myself included)