[Python] Is there a way to call functions in functions without the memory inefficiencies of...

If I have a text-based game, and I transition through game states by calling a function corresponding to each game state like the following

def go_to_lobby(gold_coins: int) -> None:
""" The start of the adventure """
print_gold_amount(gold_coins)
print("You are in the lobby of the dungeon. What do you do?")
print("1. Examine the lobby.")
print("2. Go to the throne hall.")
print("3. Leave.")
option = int(input())
if option==1:
examine_lobby(gold_coins)
elif option==2:
go_to_throne_hall(gold_coins)
else:
leave(gold_coins)

def examine_lobby(gold_coins: int) -> None:
""" The user examines the lobby """
print_gold_amount(gold_coins)
rob_amount = 10
print("A band of goblins rob " + str(rob_amount) + " gold from you.")
gold_coins-=rob_amount
go_to_lobby(gold_coins)

def leave(gold_coins: int) -> None:
""" The end of the adventure """
print_gold_amount(gold_coins)
if gold_coins<0:
go_to_kitchen(gold_coins)
else:
print("You leave the dungeon.")

def go_to_throne_hall(gold_coins: int) -> None:
""" The middle of the adventure """
print_gold_amount(gold_coins)
print("You are in the throne hall. What do you do?")
print("1. Examine the throne hall.")
print("2. Go back to the lobby.")
option = int(input())
if option==1:
examine_throne_hall(gold_coins)
else:
go_to_lobby(gold_coins)

def examine_throne_hall(gold_coins: int) -> None:
""" The user examines the throne hall """
print_gold_amount(gold_coins)
rob_amount = 40
print("You disturb the dungeon keeper who makes you pay " + str(rob_amount) + " gold.")
gold_coins-=rob_amount
go_to_throne_hall(gold_coins)

def print_gold_amount(gold_coins: int) -> None:
""" Prints to the user their current amount of gold """
print("You have " + str(gold_coins) + " gold.")

def go_to_kitchen(gold_coins: int) -> None:
print_gold_amount(gold_coins)
print("You are in the kitchen. What do you do?")
print("1. Wash the dishes to earn money.")
print("2. Enter the dungeon and go back to the lobby.")
option = int(input())
if option==1:
print("You washed the dishes and earnt a coin!")
go_to_kitchen(gold_coins)
else:
if gold_coins<0:
go_to_lobby(gold_coins-10)
else:
go_to_lobby(gold_coins)

go_to_lobby(50)


It will be memory inefficient (I think) because each function has to remember where it was when I started the new one. However this memory will never be useful to me because I am never going to return. Is there a way to make this approach memory efficient in Python or is it inherently going to have the memory issue? (I'm aware of how I could fix this issue, but I am wondering if there's a solution that still allows me to operate by jumping between functions, Python has a good garbage collector system so I thought there might be some way to do it.)

Continue reading...