GS2 Emulator
 

We're all aware of the issue regarding being unable to test GS2 without NC, and that GS2 is very similar to JavaScript. It's similar enough with a little bit of replacing that I could get a bunch of basic output scripts to run.

So in order to help newbies get into GS2 and complete the first few (5) parts and first challenge of my tutorial I have created a basic emulator.

This is currently just a learning tool to allow newbies to get their feet wet, anyone who wants to further develop it is welcome to. There's still plenty to do. I.e. Simulated Client-Side/Server-Side functionality (and triggerserver/triggerclient), proper temp prefix functionality, GS2 to JS array conversion, numerous global functions.

Notes:

• Concatenation symbols (@, SPC, NL, TAB) are replaced with their javascript equivalent.
• All variables are global so the temp prefix will not work the same way as it does in GS2.
• Arrays and a vast majority of other functions are currently not emulated. If you want to use array's use [ and ] instead of { } when defining them.

Enjoy.

Link: http://fp4.ca/gs2emulator/
Tutorial: http://public.zodiacdev.com/index.php?title=Fowlplay4

I'm attempting to test it on my phone. This isn't working for me

function onCreated() {
temp.I =0;
Temp.t = { "Paul", "frank", "Sam"};
For(temp.I=0; temp.I<temp.t.size();temp.I++){
Echo(temp.t[temp.I]);
}
}

Attempted using [ and ] for the array

This forest work either
function onCreated() {
Temp.t = [ "Paul", "frank", "Sam"];
For(temp.I : temp.t){
Echo(temp.I);
}
}

Anything array-based really doesn't work at all unless you know how arrays work in JS.

The temp is case-sensitive, and it's length not size() in JS. What does work is:

The only GS2 function that is currently implemented is echo().

Keep in mind this emulator is still very much a work-in-progress.

JavaScript uses for (member in object) { ... } which is like for (member: object.getvarnames()) { ... }. That's probably why it's not working.

e: Good lord is this a horror.

e2: Array.prototype.size = function () { return this.length; }. Do it.

Cleaned up the source code a little bit, added size since it was right there.

gs2_setup() - Implements some GS2-like functionality.
gs2_script() - Does some small conversions.
gs2_emulate() - Calls setup, clears output, gets script, and evals it as JS.

So if you want to add to it go for it.

This also works now but I would suggest not trying to script on your phone.

I was just testing it on my phone. I wouldn't normally use uppercase letters when defining a variable it was just the auto correct on my phone. If I had known it would make a difference I would have changed it.this thing is still pretty nifty

Neato!

Quite the hack, but I guess it's better than nothing.

oh graal players, always doing the dirty work "they" should have done ages ago

I spose you're still yet to implement for each loops?

They are not, need arrays properly converted before that will happen.

I really wish you never did this. It's never going to get anywhere because it's a weird Javascript parser and preprocessor step rather than an actual VM or even interpreter, yet people in the future will point back to it and go, "Look, it exists! Now shut up." There are so many reasons why this is a bad idea.

Sure is better than nothing for newbies who want to learn.

I get that this isn't the 'traditional way' to do things, and is just a hack that takes advantages of the similarity between the two languages.

I barely have any experience writing a VM or interpreter (or really anything that low-level), I'm just trying to provide something usable for the masses who actually want to write something that would work in an actual GS2 script, and perhaps maybe make them feel like they have a chance if they do decide to get a gold account and NC Access.

If you focus entirely on the 'bad' and give yourself reasons why it shouldn't be done, ignore any positive benefits then nothing will get done.

I'd agree if it were any other community, but that's been Graal's mantra for the last decade. Hell, you could've picked apart an open source Javascript engine and added these things to the core, not as a preprocessor step, and I'd have been very, very happy with that.

Do you intend this to be a syntax checker? If so then this is good. For example I have no access to GS2 at the moment but sometimes I am asked to convert simple things. To be able to make sure I made no mistakes would be nice. But as for learning I can't say this would be useful past the very very basics of scripting, can you? Most people are interested in developing in Graal because OMG GRAPHICS and this won't be able to provide that sort of satisfaction. The most it would be able to do in its fullest potential are simple echos and evaluations.

Not trying to downplay what you're doing, it's great that people like you try to provide services that devs should get but don't, but I'm wondering if it will be worth the effort in the end.

I'll consider it but that would probably just get to the point where I would have to basically code my own 'Graal' client just to be able to provide a decent full-fledged GS2 emulation experience.

But for something that I really only put maybe an hour and a half into it's definitely worth it for those starting out.

There's nothing more de-motivating to newbies than reading my tutorial only to find that out that the only way you can complete the first part is plopping cash down for a gold account and managing to find NC access.

Also hoping that maybe Stefan will take interest in this kind of project, and just maybe he'll consider making development more accessible.

But what about when they get to the second part, the more interesting making game-stuff/graphical part of the tutorials where they will still have to plop down cash to do it?

Like I said kudos to you for doing this but I'm just wondering if the benefits make the effort worth it. But then again sometimes I do a lot of stuff with absolutely no benefit and lots of effort.

I guess in the end you can make a syntax checker out of it?

Well, I'm hoping it'll get them in the door and make them want more. I'll have to wait for feedback from new scripters who used it when they were learning to see whether it was effective or not. I know one person who wanted to learn GS2 was really happy about it so far.

I might attempt to, might be able to apply my learnings from that and end up with in-game GS2 Emulator (GS2ception) which would allow them to actually use the engine. Might require gold depending on where they can use it but it would remove the NC requirement.

We'll just have to see what I do next. :)

Sounds like a pending C&D to me.

I started working on a multiuser HTML5 Graal chatroom thing, it could load NW and gani files by requesting them through AJAX request and used websockets for actually sending player positions and chat and stuff. I dunno why, I just had 45 minutes every day, for a few weeks, without admin rights and with only a browser and notepad in front of me.

Maybe I'll use the gani stuff for an online gani editor, that'd be useful.

Updated to V1.1

1. Support for GS2 Arrays
2. GS2's for each loop is now supported as well.

Many thanks to Jazz for that. :)

Link: http://fp4.ca/gs2emulator/

Hate to burst your bubble but you're not going to find a way to replace GS-style arrays with a regex.

First thing I tried of course was
a = {1,2,{3,4}};
which broke it.

There's gonna need a lot more work put into this to get proper GS emulation in JS. At a minimum, you'll likely need to break the GS into an AST and have a visitor reconstruct into JS.

As far as GSception goes, there were 2 things written a few years back:
by me
by zero (ziro?) / zokemon

Added another hack to get that working, and noted the limitation.

And yes, I understand how much work a proper emulation would take and that using regex is just a hack solution.

Here ya go.

e: Just check my sig. I keep updating this post, and eventually I won't be able to anymore.