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Oct 25, 2012 at 19:51 comment added Cypher @ktodisco, when I speak about serialization, I am referring to a process also called marshaling or object serialization. Not all languages have direct support (c/c++), but some do (java, php, .net, ruby). Whether or not a particular format is simple to use is completely subjective and dependent on the developer, the language, the compiler, the formats supported by the serialization process, the tools being used, the needs of the application and so on.
Oct 25, 2012 at 19:36 comment added kevintodisco @Byte56 Also Microsoft seems to think that it is msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/…
Oct 25, 2012 at 19:34 comment added kevintodisco @Byte56 XML was originally proposed as an alternative to older serialization methods, so in one way, you're right, it is not. But since it is a format storable on disk, it does fit into the definition of serialization.
Oct 25, 2012 at 17:31 comment added House @ktodisco I don't think you understand what serializing is if you think that XML is one of the formats.
Oct 25, 2012 at 17:03 comment added kevintodisco @Cypher XML is easy to use as a format when you start with a reliable third-party parser. For example, TinyXml: grinninglizard.com/tinyxml. Of course, the decision for a data format also depends on the power of the tools you have to create and modify that data.
Oct 25, 2012 at 16:58 history edited kevintodisco CC BY-SA 3.0
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Oct 25, 2012 at 16:53 comment added kevintodisco @Byte56 Serializing game data implies that you are storing it in a format that can be stored on disk, and one of those formats is XML, so your suggested method is no different. My answer is based off of what I've seen on shipped titles.
Oct 25, 2012 at 16:41 comment added Cypher I don't understand how XML is the simplest method of storing game data... I actually find it to be quite a pain to parse. I have to agree with @Byte56, I find simply serializing my game data the easiest way to get things on disk, and back into memory; especially as the structure of my data changes.
Oct 25, 2012 at 7:56 comment added nathan As @Byte56 i would simply make all my items serializable and write them in a file whenever i need to save them.
Oct 25, 2012 at 7:03 vote accept Bugster
Oct 25, 2012 at 15:57
Oct 25, 2012 at 5:40 comment added House I would say the simplest method of storing data is serializing the data structures you're already using in game. But maybe that's just me.
Oct 25, 2012 at 5:31 history answered kevintodisco CC BY-SA 3.0