I have an idea for a game similar to 'Teh Forum Game', but with dreams instead.
I've done very little programming before (I've made some good code in DROD, and made a small TADS game, but that's it) but I want to be able to make it so the gameplay can change from, say, a platformer to a shooter, to a top-down minigame, one after the other.
And then, if I create a good engine, and people want to, like what was done with TFG, other people could make their dreams and I'd add them to the game.
So if I were to do all this (And yes, it is pretty ambitious for my first game. I'll probably make a platformer first), what would be best for me to use? The Games Factory, MMF2, or MMF2 Developers?
The problem with construct is that, whilst being free, it is still under-development, which means that not all features are there.
MMF2 is complete at least (it doesnt have some features of Construct, and no doubt has some things Construct doesnt have) and it at least has a free demo to try.
My advice is that if you don't already have MMF/MMF2/TGF/TGF2 is to try both construct AND MMF2 demo, and see which you feel most comfortable with.
http://www.scirra.com My opinion: Pleh. Maybe I'd like it if I got used to it, but there's no real point to that since I already have something else that's fine.
For a simple game like that, I'd say use The Games Factory or GameMaker. If you need more advanced features, then you'll need Construct or TGF2/MMF2.
GameMaker is Free and probably the easiest to use, but is not the quickest to create a game in .. that honor belongs to TGF 1.
ClickTeam will not sell you TGF 1, and TGF 2 is tougher to learn because of the interface, so I'd say make your first games in GameMaker, then once you've mastered that, see if you can get a copy of TGF 1 secondhand like I had to since ClickTeam won't sell it anymore, then after mastering the basics of that, test out Construct, and after the incomplete and strange but usable interface alienate you a bit and amuse you somewhat, and it's features amaze you, then buy TGF2, because MMF2 is almost $200 and MMF2 Developer is around $300, and those are the Cheapest game creation tools that I know of (besides GameMaker Registered version which is $20) .. but they only cost a few hundred instead of several hundred because they are build on 2d. They are all easy to use in comparison to most 3d editors though. If I knew of a 3d editor with the simplicity of any of the ClickTeam products, I'd abandon 2d for a year or two to make a 3d game, then continue making 2d things for the quickness of creation and when I don't need 3d.
So yea ... try GameMaker, then try TGF 1, then try Construct, then try TGF2/MMF2. Construct is Free and has a ton of nice features but is still under development. TGF2/MMF2 are easier to use for the time being, and have the advantage of being completely finished and fairly polished products. If you have cash to spare, get TGF2. If you are Rich, buy MMF2 Developer.
If you want 3d, forget about it. Learn 2d first. If you can't make a simple 2d game, then you won't be able to make a 3d one.
Blood of the Ancient One, Seen only as Shadow, Faster than Lightning, Fierce as the Greatest Dragon, Nearly Invisible, Floating in a Dream, Entered through the Demon Door, Destroyer of Evil in a Realm with a Red Sky Scarred, Who could I be ?
True, Game Maker is good too. It's gone far ahead of what it used to be and it's practically free.
MMF2 wins the award for overall best game creator.. but I warn you, it has a lot of bugs ("features", really) that you won't realise until about 250 hours of working on your game. If you want to only make games, get TGF2. MMF2 is better if you're making applications as well.
Construct is damn good now that I know how it works. But as the Scirra guys have said, use it for only light projects. Also, it has the best use of technology of all the easy game making stuff, so you should look at it. However, be warned that a lot of people hate it and you risk being ostracized from TDC if you decide to go on that path
Oh, and to correct mbk, MMF2 is only about $100, though you have to add shipping fees of about $50 or so.
Disclaimer: Any sarcasm in my posts will not be mentioned as that would ruin the purpose. It is assumed that the reader is intelligent enough to tell the difference between what is sarcasm and what is not.
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