Is GameSalad worth it yet?
8x8n8
Member, PRO Posts: 81
Hi everyone,
I was making games for GS last year, but I stopped because there were so many basic, basic, basic, basic functions that GS lacked that it made the game making process frustrating. I would constantly be imagining interactions and I would research and dig only to find a big fat 'no, GS can't do it' at the end of my efforts.
I know some great games have been made on GS. Maybe some will say that I should make some simpler games. But if I come to you and say "I want to make a movie" and you hand me a brush, paint and canvas, do you think I'll buy them for $100? No dice. So I dropped GS for the time, hoping the devs would do something. Most of the features I want in GS are not complicated, nor would they be hard for the dev team to implement.
So my question is have any of the following features been implemented? I can't check because I don't have Snow Leopard yet, and if GS has gotten any better I might be able to justify the purchase.
The simple requests that should be easy for GS dev to implement, and if they have not I tack it up to either laziness or UI design incompetence:
- the ability to make an actor image bigger/different shape than the collision area
- ability offset an actor's center of rotation
- more actor shapes than circle and square (yawn)
- grid and layer handling features in level editor (meaning actor locks, move to front/back, right click to get dropdown menu of all selectable actors on a given click point)
- copy/paste in level editor
- all the truly useful behaviors optimized so they don't eat up so much CPU that they're unusable meaning: timers, spawn actor, constrain etc, you know the culprits
- flip/mirror images/animations
The pie in the sky desires:
- online reporting, for leader boards etc
- the ability to save a game or in game information (for rpgs and such)
- zoom in/out during game
- in app purchases
- connectivity to facebook
So, am I going to drop $100 on GS?
I was making games for GS last year, but I stopped because there were so many basic, basic, basic, basic functions that GS lacked that it made the game making process frustrating. I would constantly be imagining interactions and I would research and dig only to find a big fat 'no, GS can't do it' at the end of my efforts.
I know some great games have been made on GS. Maybe some will say that I should make some simpler games. But if I come to you and say "I want to make a movie" and you hand me a brush, paint and canvas, do you think I'll buy them for $100? No dice. So I dropped GS for the time, hoping the devs would do something. Most of the features I want in GS are not complicated, nor would they be hard for the dev team to implement.
So my question is have any of the following features been implemented? I can't check because I don't have Snow Leopard yet, and if GS has gotten any better I might be able to justify the purchase.
The simple requests that should be easy for GS dev to implement, and if they have not I tack it up to either laziness or UI design incompetence:
- the ability to make an actor image bigger/different shape than the collision area
- ability offset an actor's center of rotation
- more actor shapes than circle and square (yawn)
- grid and layer handling features in level editor (meaning actor locks, move to front/back, right click to get dropdown menu of all selectable actors on a given click point)
- copy/paste in level editor
- all the truly useful behaviors optimized so they don't eat up so much CPU that they're unusable meaning: timers, spawn actor, constrain etc, you know the culprits
- flip/mirror images/animations
The pie in the sky desires:
- online reporting, for leader boards etc
- the ability to save a game or in game information (for rpgs and such)
- zoom in/out during game
- in app purchases
- connectivity to facebook
So, am I going to drop $100 on GS?
Comments
http://gamesalad.com/corporate/roadmap/
http://gamesalad.com/membership/pricing
And no you will not be dropping $100 on GameSalad.
I'll probably regret writing this tomorrow but... I'm actually a bit p***sed, after 4 pints of real ale... (thank goodness my friends were driving) played bass in a jam session in a pub tonight; went alright despite my brain turning to mush with too many hops. Are you interested int that information? No, of course you're not.
""You are in a maze of twisty passages, all alike." - Zork temp domain http://spidergriffin.wix.com/alphaghostapps
*Collision sizes are the same circle and square.
*leaderboards (gamecentre) in pro.
*I use the zoom in and out in my game.
*i heard someone got facebook to work one month ago or so [http://gamesalad.com/forums/topic.php?id=21200]
*save and load attributes no sweat
so its getting there (your requests). Been enjoying it myself!
Send and Receive Data using your own Server Tutorial! | Vote for A Long Way Home on Steam Greenlight! | Ten Years Left
But it is in beta, free, and already pretty awesome. So yeah I think it's worth the time.
Answer: BOT
Sure, GameSalad has issues. But overall, the software is fast and easy to use. I tried game creation with other SDKs. GameSalad has been — by far — a more enjoyable experience. Also, the basic version of GameSalad is FREE!
"*First one on the list has an easy workaround..that im sure was possible even a year ago!"
True, but the solution was so CPU and variable heavy it wasn't really feasable for use in a real game. Also if they added this as a true 'feature' it would allow for a lot of other opportunities like faux-3d effects like isometric views, and generally much better looking 2d collisions, and therefore playability.
"*Collision sizes are the same circle and square.
*leaderboards (gamecentre) in pro.
*I use the zoom in and out in my game.
*i heard someone got facebook to work one month ago or so [http://gamesalad.com/forums/topic.php?id=21200]
*save and load attributes no sweat"
"I think they plan to add image flipping soon and you can already save/load variables."
" scribblstudios said:
I would also like the ability to parent objects to each other and have actors be able to access other actor's attributes.
Also possible now from the instance level. "
This makes me very, very happy
Sorry about the tone of the OP, but there's nothing like a loaded question to draw out the truth. It sounds like a lot of the stuff that made me grind my teeth is getting addressed, so it looks like I'll be back on board.
"Ain't no Talent Behaviour in GS yet tho'."
That made me lol! Good thing too, cause I got plenty of that. The proof is in the pudding though, so I'll see you all in the App Store. Thanks for the info guys.
do you use game maker?
If yes, I'd be interested in having a quick chat with you ... some place where we don't interrupt anyone (like emails).
On my personal website, http://ernstrenner.com is a contact button which goes to an email account that I can read while on the go.
I'd like to know a few things about that app. $25 is pretty much a no brainer
If not, no sweat ... life goes on
VS any other language and that price.... I don't think so.
Gamesalad's cost is 500 just because you can make app for iOS. Game maker is 40 dollars (With a free version for MAC/Windows) And if your game is good, YoYo published it for iOs and Android, for free, and you have TONS of options.
(It also has D&D)
I switch my project to Crown SDK for obvious reason.
GameSalad however, have some amazing physics and portable to iphone. These are the two reasons I switched to GameSalad but they should take a bit of inspiration from GM for a few stuff.
GS is easier for beginners to learn, but for someone who is used to GM it can be a bit frustrating because the way GS function is not as convenient. It is really perfect for physic games, but when it comes to static gameplay elements, it can be complex to make something very simple.
I am slowly getting used to GS though and I'm starting to really love it, and it's still in beta so I hope those features are coming anytime soon.
Send and Receive Data using your own Server Tutorial! | Vote for A Long Way Home on Steam Greenlight! | Ten Years Left
Send and Receive Data using your own Server Tutorial! | Vote for A Long Way Home on Steam Greenlight! | Ten Years Left
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http://www.gamesaladforum.com/
http://gshelper.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/GameSaladCookbook#p/