SSMIC Game Development Workshop - Brian Robbins June 21,2007 How do I make a game? Quick look at lots of different tools Discuss pros/cons of each

SSMIC Game Development Workshop - Brian Robbins June 21,2007

How do I make a game?

Quick look at lots of different tools Discuss pros/cons of each Will not tell you what is the right tool


Flash

Ubiquitous on the web Everyone has Flash, everyone uses

Flash Vector or Bitmap images Video It’s pretty great


Flash Ubiquitous Cheap Huge developer

community Fairly powerful

Only good for web Can be used for

download Can have poor

performance


Director

Around since 1996 Like Flash but better Real-time 3D on the web Extensible


Director Fairly powerful Very mature tool Affordable 40% install base Most ubiquitous web

3D

Very mature quirks 40% install base Lack of recent

updates


Java

Code once, run anywhere C++ like syntax Runs on phones and in-browser


Java Code once, run

anywhere Fairly ubiquitous Syntax familiar to

programmers

Not really run anywhere

Big & painful install Performance can be

an issue Decreasing in

popularity for client


Virtools

Advanced web-3D Background in Virtual Reality Making in-roads for consoles


Virtools Most advanced web-

3D Quick prototyping

and development Game industry focus

Expensive Near 0 penetration Very small userbase


Unity

New web 3D technology Fairly advanced features Lots of active development


Unity Extremely focused

on game development

Very active development

Built for solid web 3d Wii support

Still fairly new Near 0 penetration Mac only authoring


Torque

Based on Tribes engine Primarily 3D, but decent 2D support Indie focused in spirit No web-support


Torque Very indie focused Decent feature set Several versions Inexpensive Source Included Decent console

support Large community

Newest features have higher system requirements

More expensive for console development

Documentation


PopCap Framework

Engine behind all of PopCap’s games Built around the needs of casual game

developers Freely available


PopCap Framework Free Extremely well

tested Good 2D support

Limited to 2D Feature-set primarily

based on PopCap’s needs


.Net / XNA

XNA is Microsoft’s platformNot really a tool

.Net is a programming language Gaining more support


.Net / XNA Great for new PC’s

and Xbox Lots of support from

Microsoft Numerous

languages available

Some performance hit (probably negligible)

Windows & Xbox only

Framework is big


Console Engines

Vicious Cycle Unreal Engine Virtools or Unity (Wii)


Game Creators Club

Right now just for indies Pro version coming soon Cheapest way to get onto consoles Lots of support behind tools Unknown developer community


Multiverse

Generic MMO-tools Worth considering for indie-MMO Want to become the ‘browser’ of MMO’s


SecondLife

Interesting space Building tools within tools Beware the hype


Technology ?’s

Documents

SSMIC Game Development Workshop - Brian Robbins June 21,2007 How do I make a game? Quick look at lots of different tools Discuss pros/cons of each