- Written by Matej Pavlič
9. 001 Game Creator
9. 001 Game Creator
The software has a trial version which expires after 7 days. That should generally be enough for you to try it out but maybe not enough to invest into it. Although it's priced at 50$ (as low as 25 if on sale) it offers quite a lot beginning with the templates for all types of games that you can start from as you can see in the picture below. On top of that you already have some tiles and characters inside so you can start building from the moment you open the program.
Tutorial
The tutorial I worked on was a rather simple jumping game with a portal to the next level in the end. Got a bit lost in the scripting area as the video was rather quick and done on an older version but managed to pull through.
Interface
The interface is takes a bit of time getting used to but after a while you get a hang of it and it becomes easier to use.
Scripting
As usual you have all sorts of stuff to use from when scripting which looks like a tree/diagram sort of way and this works in the same way for all the characters/building blocks.
Pricing
As said before the core software goes for 50$ and on top of that you can buy all sorts fof extras to use in you game development all ready to use. Buying those can quickly rack up the bill but on the other hand you can then focus on the game only while doing your own art will set you back quite a lot timewise.
Showcase
You can find some testimonials on the website along with some games and additional information.
Score
001 Game Creator is of the shelf product with a decent price that can get you started on game development as soon as you pay the bill. Do note that the graphics is not state of the art as the engine is not new but you can make some decent games. If the storyline is right then the art is not so important. If you want to dig deeper there are enough add ons to buy and you an start racking up the games in no time. Price reflects on the score but you could say that the scripting interface and the rather old art included could be updated a but after all this time.
Difficulty: 8
Literature: 8
Cost: 9
--------------
Overall score: 8
- Written by Matej Pavlič
7. Game Froot
7. Game Froot
Well speaking of repeating myself :D. Game Froot is again a web based game maker. It looks like a combination of Construct 3 and Stencyl. Scripting or object definition is once again made puzzle way and I can say it's still quite confusing.
Tutorial
I made a simple clicker that can be developed with images from the site and with help from instructions. Had to read it a couple of times on occasions and some of the functions are a bit different but I made it work in the end. Was also playing around with other tutorials which show specific topics. Most of them are only available when wou upgrade though.
Link to the game on Game Froot site but no promises on it, working as I have problems making it work myself.
Interface
The interface is not too complex and you can find your surroundings quickly. Middle section is again used for laying out your levels and scripting while the left is for properties, scripting puzzle blocks and images. On the right you can have the tutorial open while you create your games.
Scripting
Game Froot uses puzzle like scripting for your objects/sprites/player/actors or whatever you want to call them after so many reviews. I can say that it is confusing as going through the tutorial does not explain why you're using a certain block so probably a lot more reading is necessary before you delve into making your actual game. The tutorial I've done is using a lot of copy pasted blocks so the work is a bit faster after initial setup.
Pricing
I can say that pricing is reasonable considering the platforms you can publish too which are Web, Android and iOS. Goes for 100$ while downloading the code costs another 99$. Seems to be focused more on educational establishments.
Showcase
Getting a bit more info looks to be impossible at the moment as I can't reach certain parts of the website so not even sure if the software is being developed anymore. Would guess that at least the page would be working without issues. So not much to tell about games made with Game Froot other than the ones you can see tutorials for.
Score
It's a decent software but I have to note one thing. When using a browser for making your games it's very important not to clog up the memory as otherwise things start stalling and there is a lag in input. So don't go playing and making games at the same time. A bit higher score based on pricing but since I have not bought it I can't say it really delivers and some info is not available.
Difficulty: 8
Literature: 9
Cost: 6
--------------
Overall score: 7
- Written by Matej Pavlič
Seems like we've got an affair going on. Guessing these two never watched a mafia film before 😀
On another note... While drawing the latest comic I've realized that I might need to delve deeper into the realms of color or at least monochrome as my characters don't appear to be emphasized enough. Maybe I need to tone down the background a bit or just make them more visible. I'll probably need to try that out a bit.
- Written by Matej Pavlič
When I started writing up these reviews, my list had 17 game engines. Going through I've found out some are simply discontinued, require coding knowledge or are too simple to even mention. My list was done based on an internet search and I expected to find some more programs to check before the end. As I've repeated the search now I've found additional candidates and the list is now at 40. Being overwhelmed by the amount of options I've set myself at quick searching through the titles to figure out if any of them can be removed quickly. So from here on I'll quickly mention the ones that are interesting but not attractive to me, the ones that require coding and also others that are discontinued.
Coding required:
Cocos2d - free
Corona - open source / free
Gideros Mobile - open source / free
AppGameKit - 80$
Playcanvas - Free / up to 50$ a month
V-Play - Free / up to 120€ a month (currently 30% off)
Monogame - open source / free
Superpowers - open source / free
Playcanvas is a Game engine / Rendering software which unfortunately requires coding but brings a good 3d environment to the table. It's not difficult for use and you can set up your game are pretty quick. Also building and defining objects is easy and understandable. Things start to complicate when you start scripting, of course if that is not your cup of coffee. You can use it for real time rendering applications.
Discontinued:
Crafstudio - Free / Cooperative game engine and educational tool
Cocoon - Html5
Crafstudio is a free game studio which uses puzzle blocks for definition and was made with collaboration in mind. At the moment it seems to be discontinued and having some issues with servers setup for p2p it's worth a mention but not sure if worth to try out. Graphics look cute and so do some of the games you can download inside the program.
Worth to mention:
These two are 3d engines primarily used to build FPS games. CopperCube is free with limitation while GameGuru costs 20$ (no trial so I had to sneak about to find it). You can buy all sorts of add-ons for GC and build virtually any type of game you want as everything is pretty much premade.
CopperCube - 3d Engine / no coding required
GameGuru - 3d Engine, no coding required
App Solute Creator - Features: ● Creative hidden object gameplay ● Match 3, Collapse, Bubble Shooter and Snooker mini-games ● Interesting facts about the outstanding personalities ● Power-ups, achievements, collections and more.
No mentioning of any payable version but have not installed it so could be licensing from inside the program.
- Written by Matej Pavlič
Coming up to a point when I consider the benefits of having a detailed background and also more details in the characters. What is the compromise you can use here as we know that some people will only read the story while the others will concentrate on detail. I find it best to maybe spend a bit more time with detailing the background and a little less on the characters. Backgrounds can be prepared in advance and the time spent on them will distribute to all the comics it was used on. At the same time, spending less time on character detail will make you draw a new comic faster. Although over time also details could be prepared in advance and then reused afterwards.