@Tinkerrific:
Well, I can see multiple, compelling reasons. First and foremost, the language is quite popular and easily learned, so Blizzard would have a good selection of programmers to select from. Also, AI these days is leaning toward using a python package called “PyBrain.” It’s quite popular, and they could use it to detect hacking and cheating (amongst other things), the way I see things. (Shrug.)
Admittedly, I can see why Blizzard chose the language to begin with, for sure. The language was created from the ground up to be used in a real-time environment. OTOH, with the increase of technology and overall availability of Python, and also being able to use parallel programming in such endeavors – with the added functionality of being popular with the AI crowd – I see it as a win-win situation.
Let’s also not forget about having really intelligent bosses and NPCs that can learn from experience. If they get too good at killing folks, they can always dumb the things down. The important thing to note here is that it would always be challenging, so that point would be removed as a complaint.
I can guarantee you one thing: If Blizzard doesn’t step up to the plate and implement something like this soon, others will, and they’ll happily walk to the bank doing so.
Now, I’m not saying that lua is a piss-poor language – it isn’t. What I will say is that, since it’s an array-based language, it’s a pain in the butt to program in – and then some 
. Of course the reason they do things this way is the added advantage of indexing to speed things up via offsets, but it’s still a pain .
I don’ t know. Maybe this subject is too esoteric for discussion here or something. I’ll crawl back under my rock or go see if I can get the Karrok mounts on my horde and ally toons .