I want to learn JASS but. . .

[Assassins-Creed]

Why do people prefer JASS over GUI?
I mean if I've been using GUI for over 3-4 years should I start learning it now?
Is it easier then GUI? Is it more efficient then GUI?
Can you do more things with JASS then GUI? etc.

Where can I learn JASS easily?
I saw there was a JASS class but before I was gona post I saw 156 people wanting to take that class and there was a limit of 25 or something.

Any other places I can learn JASS?

 

[UndeadImmortal]

Read the JASS Class description again

 

[gorillabull]

blizzard made gui so that more people would use the editor

 

[rulerofiron99]

Stick with GUI, use custom scripts where needed for efficiency.

You'll still be using a lot of BJs, but overall the performance won't be significant.

 

[Doomlord]

Each has its own pros and cons. However in my opinion (which is undoubtedly biased) JASS is a better choice.

 

[defskull]

Why do people prefer JASS over GUI?

In which statistics told you so ?
If you're surrounded with JASS users (vJASS mostly), then no wonder you said this.

I mean if I've been using GUI for over 3-4 years should I start learning it now?

"Time" is an abstract matter, you can't really define "when" to start changing to new things.
It will happen to you without you noticing it.
So, you can't really tell when you should start, when you start, you start.

Is it easier then GUI? Is it more efficient then GUI?

It is indeed harder than GUI because by definition, GUI is to make users feel more comfortable using the interface (Graphical User Interface) compared to JASS, you have to memorize every syntax to call a function and what not.

BUT, JASS is far more better than GUI in terms of efficiency, functionality.
Some JASS features are not included in GUI (such as SetUnitX/Y, SetUnitAnimationByIndex, etc).

Can you do more things with JASS then GUI? etc.

As I stated above, you can lots of things with JASS that GUI can't do.

I saw there was a JASS class but before I was gona post I saw 156 people wanting to take that class and there was a limit of 25 or something.

I heard the limit has been taken down ?

Any other places I can learn JASS?

Observe people's problem in forums and learn a thing or two.

 

[rulerofiron99]

As I stated above, you can lots of things with JASS that GUI can't do.

That's not exactly correct in this context. Technically at the coding level, yes, JASS has more options.

But in practice for a map, you can accomplish everything using GUI + custom scripts for the functions that don't exist. More advanced systems will probably end up being less efficient and much longer than they would in vJASS, but it's doable.

 

[defskull]

I forgot to highlight that Custom Script != GUI.
Custom Script == JASS

 

[SA Dashie]

In a simple term.
GUI is easy to learn and may be comfortable to the users of it, although not a real fast way to code.
With Jass, it is alot more harder to learn, although if you are doing mass projects where you want to be perfect, it is easier to use Jass.

GUI consists of alot of clicking, which may irritate the user. These users that code for Wc3 might rather remember syntax of Jass. With JassHelper (apart of JassNewgen) Jass is alot more easier to code with as you have the function list if you don't know a function that you want to use and is setup with several other functions like colour coding and bold/italic texting.
vJass is also an easier language over the plain Jass language that requires even more time to learn.

If you want to learn more about these languages with comparisons there should be tutorials around the Wc3 communities somewhere.
If you want to put the time and effort into mapping than the decision is yours.

 

[WaterKnight]

It is indeed harder than GUI because by definition, GUI is to make users feel more comfortable using the interface (Graphical User Interface) compared to JASS, you have to memorize every syntax to call a function and what not.

The syntax of standard jass is very simple, unencrypted and features only a few key words.

To know the functions, you use a function list like in JNGP. It is not sorted by category but you can search by substrings. Or you open the common.j parallel with some text editor.

It's still questionable if GUI or jass would be easier to grasp if you do not know either before and have documentations for both. If the standard editor had more an introduction to the jass language and offered visible buttons to insert syntax structures, it would have probably been more popular. Nowadays, after a decade, some people still stick to the basic distribution of Blizzard because it's the original channel they first come in contact with and they would have to take initiative in order to change it.

 

[moyackx]

JASS is the best. It's faster to code than GUI because is faster typing than clicking with mouse.
You can use one trigger for multiple events.
GUI tends to leak.
JNGP allows you to code in a very comfortable way and vJASS allow you to do MORE features in coding with less text.

 

[WaterKnight]

I would not say that picking jass was always the right choice. Of course it offers you the most control and best performance in the end but not everyone has the time/resources/nature to go this way. If you wanted to make a small map, testing out gameplay concepts, it would be bothersome to learn every aspect of the game and mapmaking first. On the other hand, in order to realize big projects with a lot of customization, you may encounter the limit where not even jass or vJass or the World Editor is enough to suffice your needs.

 

[Xonok]

I prefer making my maps so that every working part of the machinery is JASS and configuration is GUI. Simply because some things are faster to do with menus than typing.

Why do people prefer JASS over GUI?
I mean if I've been using GUI for over 3-4 years should I start learning it now?
Is it easier then GUI? Is it more efficient then GUI?
Can you do more things with JASS then GUI? etc.

Where can I learn JASS easily?
I saw there was a JASS class but before I was gona post I saw 156 people wanting to take that class and there was a limit of 25 or something.

Any other places I can learn JASS?

JASS can be easier for some, once you get a hang of it. Mainly because you can do some things way shorter than in GUI.
I've started warcraft in 2007. Now I've been active as a mapper for a year or so and just recently started using JASS.
Technically JASS is not more efficient, because GUI is also JASS. However, the GUI functions are sometimes slightly slower.
You can do almost anything in GUI that can be done in JASS.

Where to learn? That same JASS class(it's open for all). I can also teach personally, which is probably easier, as the JASS class is challenging.

The easiest way to learn JASS is just making a simple trigger, converting it to custom text and then just looking at how it's made. It's actually quite similar to GUI.

 

[edo494]

I personally prefer Jass over GUI because its faster in execution, and for me its faster to write than to mouse-press and find in the gigantic list of all functions the functions, but if you are not that fast at typing, you can stick with GUI, even if you are fast, if you dont feel like its timewaster, you can stay at GUI and use custom scripts(like removing leaks etc).
I learned Jass in like 1,5 month so its quite easy, the functions have intuitive names, I too thought I wont be able to know the functions, and now when I know what I want to create, I can remember which functions to use, because I know why a lot of them
tutorials are great, but some of them are really hard to understand, for instance Vexorians JassHelper manual is confusing for person like me that had 0 programming experience before.
But really, if you feel comfortable(right/bad?) enough with GUI and you know learning Jass would be wasted time, keep on using it, at the end, its only scripting language unusable anywhere else
(btw I did GUI for 2 months maybe )

 

[Assassins-Creed]

Ok, so how do I enter the JASS class then? I didn't know the limit was taken down.

 

[Xonok]

Ok, so how do I enter the JASS class then? I didn't know the limit was taken down.

You simply introduce yourself, download the course material(it's up there) and submit your results. That's the easy part.

The hard part is actually completing the assignments, as they are meant to give a very good understanding.

 

[Assassins-Creed]

You simply introduce yourself, download the course material(it's up there) and submit your results. That's the easy part.

I don't see any "enroll here" thread, are you sure it's open for new students?

 

[Xonok]

I don't see any "enroll here" thread, are you sure it's open for new students?

Yes, originally they had a set number of students, but now it is open for all. Anyone that wants can just go and do it.

Besides, originally the difference between enrolled students and observers was only that the assignments would only be graded for students.
Well now everyone can have them graded if they submit them.

 

[Assassins-Creed]

Oh Ok, sorry for these dumb questions but I'm guessing it's just the week 1-3 so far, but then I see project threads, are they asked for or in the maps you download?

 

[Xonok]

Oh Ok, sorry for these dumb questions but I'm guessing it's just the week 1-3 so far, but then I see project threads, are they asked for or in the maps you download?

You can just freely download. And yeah, it hasn't gone past week 3 yet, as noone has finished week 3.

 

[Chaosy]

I am learning jass and I must say there is some useful stuff, for example the hastables are better and you got getlocal player. but I like GUI more at many points to be honest. keep GUI with custom scripts that's the way I like it

 

[Assassins-Creed]

Lol, he tricked me, when he said find out the order of operations in JASS I was confused for a second, then after 5 minutes of different equations I recognized it was still PEMDAS.

 

[Nestharus]

The JASS Class is challenging because it doesn't just teach JASS, it teaches general programming. It will make you both understand JASS + general programming concepts. You'll not only be able to code in JASS, but you'll be able to code in JASS, or any language for that manner, well : ).

A university student for computer science is overlooking it's development ; p.

 

[Assassins-Creed]

Awesome! Thanks man, I'm going to take a programming class and going to a trade school involving the hardware of a computer next year. As in, I will be able to take apart a computer, name every part, then put it back together by the end of my senior year.

 

[Doomlord]

Yes you should attend JASS class. The benefits to be gained is undoubtedly tremendous.

And btw get straight to vJASS and skip vanilla JASS. I would be coding in vJASS had it not been for my current project's complications

 

[WaterKnight]

And btw get straight to vJASS and skip vanilla JASS. I would be coding in vJASS had it not been for my current project's complications

How so? vJass comprises normal jass completely.

 

[Doomlord]

How so? vJass comprises normal jass completely.

Well my boss (Aeroblyctos) doesn't want any vJASS in his project. Getting JASS spells in it is already an accomplishment

Besides I am doing just fine with vanilla JASS. Thus I think it wouldn't take a long time to switch to and be proficient in vJASS. Just my own idea though.

 

[Xonok]

Well my boss (Aeroblyctos) doesn't want any vJASS in his project. Getting JASS spells in it is already an accomplishment

Besides I am doing just fine with vanilla JASS. Thus I think it wouldn't take a long time to switch to and be proficient in vJASS. Just my own idea though.

Both are good. JASS is compatible with any editor, while vJASS makes things easier, but reduces compatibility.
Also, vJASS can't do anything that normal JASS doesn't do, it might be easier though.

 

[moyackx]

vJASS allows you to do fancy things like free global declaration, that means you can define a global variable in any part of the code instead of modifying the internal map.j file or be forced to use udg_<name>'s.

Additionally the usage of structs allows you to emulate new types of data, which can contain a lot of information with one variable name.

In conclusion you can do MORE with vJASS than jass writing less.

 

[Xonok]

vJASS allows you to do fancy things like free global declaration, that means you can define a global variable in any part of the code instead of modifying the internal map.j file or be forced to use udg_<name>'s.

Additionally the usage of structs allows you to emulate new types of data, which can contain a lot of information with one variable name.

In conclusion you can do MORE with vJASS than jass writing less.

Technically vJASS doesn't exist, as it is turned into normal JASS. But it does make some things easier, however.

 

[edo494]

it exists because it must be compiled using JassHelper to other language, its like you said C++ wasnt created in '71, because it worked the same as vJass works(the complier wasnt abandoned until '93)