My new goal for this blog is to compare two game engines while I try to
make the game with both. The first two engines that I plan to use are
Unity-now with its 2D abilities and Construct 2 the free version. I will create written tutorials explaining how to do each step and
these tutorials will explain problems that I have and solutions that I
discover. We are going to create a platform game which features robots and aliens.
The best place to start is with a game design document. I know we don't need a whole large document for what we are attempting to do. So how about a few sentences explaining what we are trying to accomplish.
The first part of our game will be complete when we have a background, a graphic representing the robot. Some way of preventing the robot from falling through space and a platform or two. My next post will discuss how to do this in Unity.
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Using Unreal Engine 4!
I was overjoyed on March 20, when I heard that Unreal Engine 4 was released and not only that; but it would only cost $20. a month. I purchased it soon after and have been having a lot of fun with it.
There is no doubt that Unreal Engine 4 is a powerful game engine. What is especially nice is that there are many tutorials on how to use it already and the documentation is complete enough to have all sorts of things to try. There are even complete games with source code that you can use and modify.
The main downside for me is the lack of available content to use for prototyping. UDK is still the winner their and Unity as well. I will post new information about Unreal Engine 4 soon.
There is no doubt that Unreal Engine 4 is a powerful game engine. What is especially nice is that there are many tutorials on how to use it already and the documentation is complete enough to have all sorts of things to try. There are even complete games with source code that you can use and modify.
The main downside for me is the lack of available content to use for prototyping. UDK is still the winner their and Unity as well. I will post new information about Unreal Engine 4 soon.
Friday, March 21, 2014
Packt's 2000th Title Campaign Offer
From Packt Publishing
Packt
Publishing celebrates their 2000th title with an exclusive offer - We've got IT
covered!
Known for their extensive range of pragmatic IT
ebooks, Packt
Publishing are celebrating their 2000th book title `Learning Dart’– they want
their customers to celebrate too.
To mark this milestone Packt Publishing will launch a
‘Buy One Get One Free’ offer across all eBooks on March 18th – for a limited
period only.
`Learning Dart’ was selected as a title and published
by Packt earlier this year. As a project that aims to revolutionise a language
as crucial as JavaScript, Dart is a great example of an emerging technology
which aims to support the community and their requirement for constant
improvement. The content itself explains how to develop apps using Dart and
HTML5 in a model-driven and fast-paced approach, enabling developers to build
more complex and high-performing web apps.
David Maclean, Managing Director explains `It’s not by
chance that this book is our 2000th title. Our customers and community drive
demand and it is our job to ensure that whatever they’re working on, Packt
provides practical help and support.
At Packt we understand that sometimes our customers
want to learn a new programming language pretty much from scratch, with little
knowledge of similar language concepts. Other times our customers know a
related language fairly well and therefore want a fast-paced primer that brings
them up to a competent professional level quickly.
That’s what makes Packt different: all our books are
specifically commissioned by category experts, based on intensive research of
the technology and the key tasks.’
Since 2004, Packt Publishing has been providing
practical IT-related information that enables everyone to learn and develop
their IT knowledge, from novice to expert.
Packt is one of the most prolific and fast-growing
tech book publishers in the world. Originally focused on open source software,
Packt contributes back into the community paying a royalty on relevant books
directly to open source projects. These projects have received over $400,000 as
part of Packt’s Open Source Royalty Scheme to date.
Their books focus on practicality, recognising that
readers are ultimately concerned with getting the job done. Packt’s digitally-focused
business model allows them to quickly publish up-to-date books in very specific
areas across a range of key categories – web development, game development, big
data, application development, and more. Their commitment to providing a comprehensive
range of titles has seen Packt publish 1054% more titles in 2013 than in 2006.
Erol Staveley, Publisher, says `Recent research shows
that 88% of our customers are very satisfied with the service knowing that we
offer a wide breadth of titles in a timely manner, and owing to the quality of
service that they receive 94% of customers are willing to recommend Packt to
friends and family. It’s great that we’ve hit such a significant milestone, and
we want to continue delivering this fantastic content to our customers.’
Here are some of the best titles across Packt's main
categories - but Buy One, Get One Free will apply across all 2000 titles:
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Some great news! Packt Publishing is having a buy one get one free book sale going on now until the 26th of March. They are a fantastic publisher with lots of game development books. I have so many of their books that I barely know where to start. If you decide to purchase any please let me know in the comments section. Happy Shopping!
Buy one Get one Free Sale
Buy one Get one Free Sale
Monday, March 10, 2014
Scratch 2.0 Game Development Hotshot
“Scratch 2.0 Game
Development Hotshot”
[Note: I have received
a free copy of this book in exchange for writing a review. The review contains my own thoughts and
opinions.]
“Scratch
2.0 Game Development Hotshot” published by Packt Publishing is guide to
learning how to program in Scratch 2.0, a new version of the popular visual
programming environment originally developed by the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT). First thing to note about this book is that it’s not a
beginner’s guide to Scratch. I would
suggest trying out a few tutorials from the Scratch 2.0 website before you
start the projects that are in the book. There are 10 projects that provide exercises
that are increasingly more complicated.
Each
chapter guides you through making a game and some chapters let you enhance one
of your previously made games. There is
a file that you can download from the Packt Publishing website that includes
most of the graphics and scripts that are necessary to create each game.
“Scratch 2.0 Game Development Hotshot” begins
each chapter by describing the game you will create and what you will learn
after completing it. Then there is a
picture of game in its finished state.
Step-by-Step instructions on how to make each game are included as well
as descriptions of what you are doing and why it is important. Each chapter ends with Hotshot challenges
which provide you with several ideas of how to enhance the game.
The
appendix provides an overview of version 2.0’s new interface indicating where
all the important tools are. This is
also serves as a primer on using Scratch 2.0.
Scratch 2.0 is available as a web-based application and also as a free
download. Before you download Scratch
2.0, be sure to check the version as there are still links on MIT’s website
pointing to Scratch 1.4.
“Scratch 2.0 Game Development Hotshot” published
by Packt Publishing is definitely a good book to further you knowledge of
Scratch 2.0 and while you are learning you also are development fun games to
play afterwards.
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Monday, March 3, 2014
My review of CryEngine 3 Game Development: Beginner's Guide
[Edit: Here is the link to the book:
http://www.packtpub.com/cryengine-3-game-development-beginners-guide/book]
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for
writing this; however this review contains my opinions and thoughts.
Developing a game with the
CryEngine 3 free SDK is no simple task.
This book strives to make this a little easier for anyone interested in
developing their own game. The engine is
primarily meant for First Person Shooters (FPS) and other open-world
games. The book was based on CryEngine 3
version 3.4 and currently the engine is on 3.58, so there are some differences
between the book and the engine you will be using. The also recommend using 3ds Max, Photoshop,
Notepad++, Flash CS 5.5 and a few others.
CryEngine 3 now accepts several free programs that you can use in place
of the costlier software.
The book starts off with an
overview of the engine and then jumps into using the Sandbox, which is the
level editor for CryEngine. Using the
free level that comes with the engine the book demonstrates how to move around,
sculpt your landscape and place items.
Once you have your basic level to use, the book moves to using the
FlowGraph Editor, which lets anyone without programming knowledge, create a
graph to have their game objects do things.
Up to this point, I have been using
the book with only the occasional reference to CryEngine’s Documentation. I definitely suggest that you bookmark the
document and forum webpages for easy reference.
Next the book covers using C++ and
for this the book suggests some prior knowledge in C++. I agree that the programming aspect of
CryEngine is a little difficult for a person new to programming.
CryEngine 3 covers using Scaleform
to create your HUD and then 3dsMax to create your own assets. Flash CC, which is the current version of
Flash, does not support Actionscript 2 which is what the book needs you to
use. You can use other products such as
Blender to create your own models and there are several free alternatives to
programming Actionscript 2; but I still suggest using Flash to create the
health bars, etc.
CryEngine 3 has a wonderful
cutscene editor that lets you create animations and all sorts of other
wonderful cutscenes and such. This book
demonstrates how to use the tools for this and rounds out with a chapter on
Audio design and another chapter on finishing the level for use by everyone.
CryEngine 3 Game Development:
Beginner’s Guide is a definite asset to have by your side and you create
wonderful levels with this tool.
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