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Game editors and programming languages

 
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KinokoFry
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Joined: 26 Jun 2008
Posts: 84

PostPosted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 8:53 pm    Post subject: Game editors and programming languages Reply with quote

I'm interested in some opinions and experiences with various game engines and programming languages. I'm trying a lot of different things but of course, there's only so much time and it takes so long to even begin to get aquainted with each one.

Right now, I am having a stab at learning Flash (though I've JUST started), I'm also using Inform 7 (though this is specifically for playing with text adventures, obviously), I'm hoping to get stuck into GameMaker a bit, I'm curious about Multimedia Fusion 2, and I've just decided to take a look at the new AGS editor and see what that can do for me.

I've always been curious and heard good things about Python, and I've just downloaded it but I'm a bit intimidated by just straight up programming. I'm not sure where to begin with it so I'll be relying heavily on tutorials. However, this almost appeals to me more than something like GameMaker because I actually really enjoy scripting and I feel -somewhat- comfortable with writing code. At least, the idea of it. I'm only somewhat familiar with object-oriented coding thanks to learning how to script on a much older version of AGS.

This isn't for a specific project, as such. What I'd like is to find an editor that I can concentrate on learning, so that when I want to make a game - bam. I can go to it and get stuck into it. I suppose, ultimately, I'm looking for something that isn't going to be extremely limiting when trying to make a game outside of a certain type (AGS is -great- but of course, is engineered towards adventure games).

So, what I'd like to hear is just about your own experiences, and how you feel about different editors/languages.

Thanks guys!
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kirkjerk
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Joined: 12 Apr 2006
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 20, 2008 9:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well since A I hate when no one answers one of my threads and B I can hardly stand to bypass an invitation to talk about myself...actually, C, I've been asking some similar questions here as of late.

My background is a bit more techie than some, I've been doing Perl and Java coding for a living for a while now... stuff I've done stuff in includes

VB3 + 4, which was great in the mid-90s for making little windowsy games

2600 Assembly language... which of course sounds like a cruel joke for an novice programmer, but recently a friend has reinvigorated by interest in Batari BASIC, this crazy primitive BASIC that lets you make games that run on a real Atari 2600.... not a bad choice of something fun to tool around in IF you have some fondness for the system and its quirks.

then, frankly not much 'til Processing in Java; actually this might be a good middle ground, maybe? I think it might be easier to pick up than, say, PyGame (then again I seem to have a hard time learning new stuff... I dabbled with PyGame a bit with the One Laptop Per Child Physics Game Jam.

I do like the processing runs in a browser as well as a standalone app. There aren't many game specific libraries around, but putting in images and sounds is very easy.

I took an intro to Flash class, but what I've seen so far is definateily aimed more at graphics designers than game coders. so I can't sayh how it compares.

I also mean to look more into GamesFactory (downloaded it once, didn't get very far) and of course I did some Klik N Play at Glorious trainwrecks. (weirdly for me KNP is a lot harder than Processing...)

If you have an hour or so some afternoon, it's cool just to page through Processing.org's examples and the little baby programs they show in the language reference.. some of the effects they get with tiny amounts of code are cool, one of my games, draggin, http://kirkjerk.com/2007/12/04/ , was 70% my love of one little demo they did on the site, i just loved the mechanic of the dragon that felt like a pile of string.

So I gues I'm pimping processing. http://kirkjerk.com/java/ , you can see some of the stuff I've done, plus it all comes w/ source code... generally just a single file, the way I tend to write the stuff... but still you can use Java's idea of classes and collections, which are very powerful and not very hard to learn and help you keep things organized and grouped if you know at least a tiny sliver of how to think in Object Oriented ways...
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KinokoFry
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Joined: 26 Jun 2008
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 12:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Processing, eh? I took a look at your dragon game - great stuff! I got to about 50 playing with my tablet pen.

I've actually spent the last 2 or 3 days learning the ways of Multimedia Fusion 2, and today I downloaded the demo of the Developers edition to see if it's worth getting.

So far, I'm very impressed and I feel like I will be able to do some good things with it.

EDIT: Also, just solved a big problem I had. It works even better now!
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Patrick Alexander
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Joined: 26 Jul 2007
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 26, 2008 12:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Of relevance:

http://www.developmag.com/news/30554/Drag-and-drop-XNA-development-gets-one-step-closer

Action Game Maker, from the RPG Maker people. Will export to XNA and Flash.

"The tool is limited to 2D game creation, but despite its moniker supports various genres of games - including platformer, action adventure, action RPG, shoot-em-up, strategy and puzzle games - with genre-specific wizards to help budding designers get started on their magnum opus."

"Action Game Tsukuuru launches in Japan on December 12th for 10,290 Yen (approx £52). No western release has been mentioned thus far, but Enterbrain's two most recent Tsukuuru games were both localised and distributed electronically through Download.com."
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kirkjerk
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 26, 2008 1:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Patrick Alexander wrote:
http://www.developmag.com/news/30554/Drag-and-drop-XNA-development-gets-one-step-closer

Action Game Maker, from the RPG Maker people. Will export to XNA and Flash.

"The tool is limited to 2D game creation, but despite its moniker supports various genres of games - including platformer, action adventure, action RPG, shoot-em-up, strategy and puzzle games - with genre-specific wizards to help budding designers get started on their magnum opus."


Hey, between this and seeing what some people are doing on Little Big Planet for more physics-y games.... wonder if it's just more cool Net Yaroze - cool but limited in scope - if there's some kind of shift.

We Are All Glorious Trainwreckers Now.
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