But how do you know WHERE your project is out of control? I want lots of animation, and sound, and music. I understand to avoid constraints, but they have to be used to do certain stuff.
I've worked with game technology for the better part of the past six years at my day job. When you work with any type of framework like this there are always performance ceilings you have to work under and come up with tricks to achieve what you want to achieve. This isn't a limitation of just GS, the grass always seems greener on the other side but all game engines big and small face these kinds of issues.
In regards to GS, those ceilings are going to vary between project to project. Finding out how to streamline and optimize your project is part of the overall process and it's unavoidable. Unfortunately there isn't a one-size-fits-all solution either, it really depends on what you're doing.
For example, I found it more performant to handle certain types of animation on the image level than doing it on the object level. So instead of animated an actor in GS, I animated it by hand and used an image sequence instead.
Actually I won't be bashing on GS for the performance of my game. I'm very new with GS and was very pleased how easy it is to learn it. I found GS about 3-4 weeks ago and it's amazing how much I've learned and accomplished. I'm also a Unity3D owner but was not able to accomplish as much as I did with GS in a short period of time.
I'm pretty sure there are a few things that I haven't taken into consideration to optimize my game but that is the beauty of GS. It's fun and not as difficult to figure out compared to other platforms. Plus if I don't figure it out, this community is very helpful or a lot of pros that you can hire and willing to assist.
I don't do this for a living but does want to make it tirades my employment independence Optimistic? Yes I am.
I am 14, haven't made much off of Gamesalad yet, but hopefully soon. Obviously this won't be my career, but it would be nice to have some cash laying around:) plus, making games is fun.
steve86 said: I'm almost in your situation, except that I graduated 1 year ago, and I saved some money from my previous job and I'm trying to start a mobile apps company that will mostly do games. Right now I'm a one man army from my bedroom but I hope that can change in a year or two.
I'm 24 so I still got a couple of years until my parents kick me out of the house lol.
Nice man, I'm a one man army myself, working in my parents office, lol. I'm hoping i can make some money with the game i'm developing right now before i buy pro. Good luck in the future man!
steeler0038 said: Nice man, I'm a one man army myself, working in my parents office, lol. I'm hoping i can make some money with the game i'm developing right now before i buy pro. Good luck in the future man!
Yes that is wise, right now you only need pro if the GS splash screen bothers you or if you have several games and you want to promote them using links in your apps. (main reason I bought pro, splash screen didn't bothered me). Third reason being iAds but not a lot of devs use them.
But I seriously think all the good coming features like game center in app purchase etc are going to be pro only. That's when a serious dev working full time will need pro if you want to make a decent profit IMHO.
"So instead of animated an actor in GS, I animated it by hand and used an image sequence instead."
Can you explain what you mean?
In this specific example I had an actor moving across the screen (left to right) and rotating. The rotation was causing some performance hitching because there were three or four actors doing this. So instead of having GS handle the rotation animation (I had a rotation behavior on it), I did that animation on the image level. So, I then animated that by hand (animation is what I went to school for :P) frame-by-frame outside of GS and then imported the sequence of images. Then I just used the animation behavior and brought in the sequence of images.
I might regret saying this (when it doesn't work out) but I am pretty sure I can make a living out of Game Salad. I'm on my third app, (one now under review at Apple). Making games combines all my strong points. Drawing, making music, animating, scripting, and hopefully marketing. I have at least 5 more games in my head from big to tiny like Kung Fu Finger (build in 5 days) and always have new ideas for updates. I have a lot of time at my hand. I am a freelance graphic designer which earns me a nice living (at times) but making games is just much more fun. Next to that I like the community here a lot. A lot of skillfull and helpfull people. I hope to be one of them
@LudwigHeijden Its not necessary to moderate the forums if your not a moderator. Also they were done with the discussion so I don't see what the problem is.
to the OP: I am 14 and would love to go into comp science later on in life. My first game is waiting for review and I am very excited for it's release No word on sales yet but I'll be sure to share. Eventually, I figure once I release many games the sales even if they are few, but habitual, I can make money even while at school. Also the skills I have been able to learn will help me on later in life. So no to the making a living, but hopefully in the long term I will create some source of income.
I haven't had the time to make as many games as I wanted to, what with school and trying to finish up an EP, but the apple checks do help out the family a lot, especially in the worst of times.
When GS adds twitter, facebook, challenge via email etc links, I think games made with GS will reach new sales heights. Also, I'm starting to see a lot of comments for apps I have, and are great, but people get upset if they can't post hight scores to game center etc, and leave 1 star.. Some of these features are now expected to come with purchased apps, and excused in free apps. Once GS adds these features I "think" the word will spread a little further and sales will reach a tad higher. The longer it takes for these features to be added, the more revenue will be lost and the more games without these features will be skipped as possible purchase choices. (my opinion based on comments I read in the app store)
As far as living on Game Salad.. for me to live on game salad, I'd have to clear my current household income which is well over 100k a year, I don't see that happening. Plus, I'm having fun with templates, learning Photoshop and Illustrator, and gathering my jaw from my keyboard at what some of you guys do. I hope in a couple years to make a game I'm proud to call my own. If it doesn't make a financial gain.., well, that was never my goal.
Comments
In regards to GS, those ceilings are going to vary between project to project. Finding out how to streamline and optimize your project is part of the overall process and it's unavoidable. Unfortunately there isn't a one-size-fits-all solution either, it really depends on what you're doing.
For example, I found it more performant to handle certain types of animation on the image level than doing it on the object level. So instead of animated an actor in GS, I animated it by hand and used an image sequence instead.
I'm pretty sure there are a few things that I haven't taken into consideration to optimize my game but that is the beauty of GS. It's fun and not as difficult to figure out compared to other platforms. Plus if I don't figure it out, this community is very helpful or a lot of pros that you can hire and willing to assist.
I don't do this for a living but does want to make it tirades my employment independence
Great thread BTW.
Im 15 and have made about $3000 off of GameSalad (Worked for someone making apps for a while.)
-Josh
But I seriously think all the good coming features like game center in app purchase etc are going to be pro only. That's when a serious dev working full time will need pro if you want to make a decent profit IMHO.
Good luck to you too Sir.
"So instead of animated an actor in GS, I animated it by hand and used an image sequence instead."
Can you explain what you mean?
Making games combines all my strong points. Drawing, making music, animating, scripting, and hopefully marketing. I have at least 5 more games in my head from big to tiny like Kung Fu Finger (build in 5 days) and always have new ideas for updates. I have a lot of time at my hand. I am a freelance graphic designer which earns me a nice living (at times) but making games is just much more fun. Next to that I like the community here a lot. A lot of skillfull and helpfull people. I hope to be one of them
Lump Apps and My Assets
Okay, I was thinking you might be talking about something like rotation. Thanks for clarification.
Lump Apps and My Assets
Its not necessary to moderate the forums if your not a moderator. Also they were done with the discussion so I don't see what the problem is.
to the OP: I am 14 and would love to go into comp science later on in life. My first game is waiting for review and I am very excited for it's release
As far as living on Game Salad.. for me to live on game salad, I'd have to clear my current household income which is well over 100k a year, I don't see that happening. Plus, I'm having fun with templates, learning Photoshop and Illustrator, and gathering my jaw from my keyboard at what some of you guys do. I hope in a couple years to make a game I'm proud to call my own. If it doesn't make a financial gain.., well, that was never my goal.
Thanks, my thoughts exactly.