Giving Corona A Try - NOT Abandoning GameSalad

ToastKitten

Well, I joined GameSalad at the point to where I have never seen an update.It never really bothered me, but I'm pretty impressionable. Once the forum members started to ask what the delay was for, I naturally obtained the same mindset. I think that this is a perfect opportunity to give Corona a try. It'll definitely be a great method of waiting for the big GS update!

Also, I thought if I really want to argue a case for GameSalad, I should at least try it right? Being arrogant and saying that one is better than the other isn't really a good argument.

I have no idea what is in store, but there is one thing I've liked that I've seen... The scripting.

That was a great part about GameMaker when I first started using it. The drag and drop feature was really easy to use. Once you got more advanced and wanted to do more with your game, you could access the scripting engine and use their language (GML.) Once I saw http://developer.anscamobile.com/ with all the different functions, it was like I was back home with GML or my current CS course with Java.

I'll keep updates from time to time on things that I like and dislike about Corona. One thing I'm not going to do is get in with the community. I've come to like coziness of GameSalad's Forum

Anyways, wish me luck!

ZackGS

The worst thing about corona is there community. It blows. Compared to here where people actually answer your questions relatively fast, you could be waiting days for a response to a question on the corona forums.

Due to that reason I haven't continued using corona. They are the exact opposite of Gamesalad.
Gamesalad doesn't like posting news on updates, Corona does. Gamesalad likes helping the community with there problems, corona doesn't seem to care.

quantumsheep

Good luck with it!

QS

AppChogie

I hope you have fun as thats the main reason for making games.

Regards

Keith

MotherHoose

the embeddable lua scripting language is free:
http://www.lua.org/
online reference manual, wiki, and etc.

also interesting:
put lua into your xCode
a nice tutorial...

MH

Photics

InfusedDreams said:
The worst thing about corona is there community.

I don't know, I think the Ansca Mobile team is quite active. I think that's a strong point for the Corona community. Here, we have developers that are passionate, but Gendai Games is secretive and silent. At the Corona side, there's a clearer roadmap and lots of activity from the ones who make the software.

tollhousestudio

Yeah I would agree with that to be honest.

I have been looking at what Corona can do, and really cant deny the fact it has so many features that I want in my games that ive had to put on hold because of the lack of options.

Mainly joints, box2d, general good memory management for more complex engines etc...

I have all the faith in the world with GS and have been impressed with its easy UI. But I cant say I dont want to try Corona, just to see what it can really do.

BeyondtheTech

Photics said:Here, we have developers that are passionate, but Gendai Games is secretive and silent.

That's gonna change, if I have something to say about it.

On a side note, took a few days after I purchased their product to be able to launch it properly on my machine. Apparently, they're big on this "can't have license on more than one machine" ideology, which makes it difficult for people like me with a MacBook and an iMac and work independently between the two. I have to remember to manually deactivate one copy and activate the other before it can be used.

At least for GS, I can install it everywhere and anywhere, and publish as long as I have the credentials to do so.

TymeMaster

ToastKitten said:
Well, I joined GameSalad at the point to where I have never seen an update.It never really bothered me, but I'm pretty impressionable. Once the forum members started to ask what the delay was for, I naturally obtained the same mindset. I think that this is a perfect opportunity to give Corona a try. It'll definitely be a great method of waiting for the big GS update!

Also, I thought if I really want to argue a case for GameSalad, I should at least try it right? Being arrogant and saying that one is better than the other isn't really a good argument.

I have no idea what is in store, but there is one thing I've liked that I've seen... The scripting.

That was a great part about GameMaker when I first started using it. The drag and drop feature was really easy to use. Once you got more advanced and wanted to do more with your game, you could access the scripting engine and use their language (GML.) Once I saw http://developer.anscamobile.com/ with all the different functions, it was like I was back home with GML or my current CS course with Java.

I'll keep updates from time to time on things that I like and dislike about Corona. One thing I'm not going to do is get in with the community. I've come to like coziness of GameSalad's Forum

Anyways, wish me luck!

I don't blame you, Gendai has no clue what customer service is. In addition, its crazy that it takes 4 months for an update from a company that is getting its ass kicked. I've been developing software for almost three decades, and trust me that taking 3 months on BETA software to release an update is the sign of incompetent developers.

I would suggest you give Unity3d a try, it pretty much blows away every engine out there. And javascript will be easier for you than LUA, plus javascript will look good on your resume.

Once Game Maker comes out for the iPhone, GameSalad is dead.

victorkin11

Yes, I think game maker will better than Gamesalad!

Maybe Gendai have another dish, appsalad, have most desired API you want, but you need to pay to upgrade you express license!

dknell

I have been using Corona for a little over a month now (while waiting for a GS update) and I have to say that I am quite pleased with the community. A lot of the times you will even get a very descriptive reply from one of the Corona developers with example code. They also constantly add update the documentation and release new code samples. All-in-all I think they have a very good product, competent team, and great community.

@BeyondtheTech, they changed their usage terms and you can use multiple computers. The new version should reflect this change. Email their support if you still have issues. I am using Corona on 2 computers with no problem.