I started off programming to make games (this was some 16-17yrs ago) when machines were puny and weak. So all assembler and C fudging around with Extended DOS, mixed mode ISRs, undocumented video and all the other nasty tricks.

It's been quite awhile since I've done anything remotely like that. Though recently, been using Perl/SDL for my first 2d app in ages. (Might have some 3D later, but that's off a bit).

Using Perl has been so much easier and faster to develop. So, I'm not sure what to tell you.

Obviously C/C++ is the way to go for speed, but I think there may be some value in starting with Perl. Outside of the various technical issues to tackle, a lot of game development, at least when you start out, is how to arrange things. Figuring out how to partition all the elements that make up the various aspects of the "environment".

I think with a scripting language, the benefit is that you can try a lot of different approaches quickly. Though being further from the iron is sure to present it's own problems. Though I've been very happy with 2d SDL performance (as my target is an old 466mhz laptop and it's plenty fast). I would definitely recommend you start learning C/C++, even if you start with Perl at some point.

Though you have the internet these days, so there's so much less revinventing the wheel that you have to do. It's probably a lot easier with all the resources available to jump into it from a lower level.

As an aside, many 3d games these days do use scripting languages internally to actually run the show. (Doom/Quake/Unreal)