FA+
Shop
I need help.
13 years ago
General
I really don't know what to do anymore. I'm not sure if I'm gonna keep trying to make my own SDL GDK, or just go back to Game Maker. The whole reason I started this project was because I got caught up in the hype of the vaporware project, nD, and the actually successful project, Game Gadget. I wanted to make a free devkit that would be as easy to use as Game Maker (except, of course, for certain C++ limitations in terms of convenience) but would be totally free. Essentially, a 100% free version of Game Maker was what I was going for.
Then, earlier while working on a game which was just a simple thing where you play as Rainbow Dash and try to clear clouds out of the sky, I had a problem. My computer had a blue screen, and the source file for the game itself was corrupted. Not a big problem at the time, I thought, since it was a simple game to write, and I could easily remake it, which I did. Then, I hit a wall. Using the exact same logic as before, only with a little more organizing, I remade my game. But it doesn't work.
Instead of flying around and breaking clouds, Rainbow Dash just sits there in the same spot on the screen. Her wings are flapping, so I know her events are being run, but for some reason, keyboard events are being ignored. I honestly have no idea what's going on. The logic is so simple, if a key is pressed, accelerate in that direction. It's worked before, and I checked my GDK code, that's all intact.
Frustrated by this phantom logic error plaguing my game, I got to thinking of how I never ran into problems like this using Game Maker. And then I got to wondering why I started my own GDK in the first place. Game Maker wasn't exactly limiting me, but found something similar to what I was already doing called Dark GDK, which was free, and rather popular since it was a fast and efficient DirectX devkit. Even without a proper IDE (it was just starting source code and a library that opened in Visual C++) it was doing well. The problem was the limitations it had were astonishing, and it did things in such weird ways that I felt very uncomfortable with it. It felt unnecessary to use the built-in sprite class, for instance, because it had such an awkward setup, and making my own was simpler, even when I had to trick the drawing functions into doing something they (I'm guessing) weren't meant to do. Basically, I wrote my games in such a way that they behaved the way they would had I written them in SDL. The 3D part, great as it was, was stunted as well. It seemed to be very FPS-oriented, and didn't have options like setting the camera to a definite angle, retrieving an integer value of the camera angle, basic things like that. There was even a limited number of light sources you could use; if I recall correctly, it was seven. As you can imagine, I haven't used Dark GDK in a while.
Well, a friend of mine showed me the nD and got me into SDL. Once I'd gotten it working, I was thrilled, because I'd wanted to use C++ since another friend of mine told me he used C++ in making games professionally. Even when the threat of nD never seeing the light of day hit me, I still continued because of Game Gadget. Well, TL;DR there, Game Gadget sucks big time. I later found out about a console called Dingoo, which did all kinds of things Game Gadget didn't. Problem was, there was a limited supply (three by the time I found out about it) and before I knew it, the site shut down, and sales stopped. Unlike the Game Gadget, which was marketed towards triple-A developers wanting to republish old games on a hand held console, Dingoo was an entirely open-source console. At the time, investors didn't like the idea of a console targeted towards indie developers, because they didn't realize how much money was in the market, so Game Gadget got the investments, while Dingoo, to my knowledge, died off.
Now, I've been ranting for a while, but it's time for me to get back on track. So then, why did I start making my own GDK? Because I wanted to make hand held games on a system that had freaking buttons on it. I hated playing games on a smart phone because they don't have buttons, and I hate having my thumbs blocking the screen and having to peek under them just to make sure I'm tapping the right places. I wanted to make mobile, but not casual, games.
Then I saw Game Maker Studio was not only available on Steam, but now had an option for people who'd bought the Steam Greenlight license to submit their games directly there. I remembered the other reason why I wanted to make a freeware version of Game Maker: because GM Studio, at full publishing capacity, costs over 600$! And SDL could be run on more platforms than Game Maker could. I felt it was an injustice that a program aimed at hobbyists and indies would be so expensive. I wanted to make something that was about as easy to use and could be released for free. It wouldn't be exactly the same, naturally, but I was hoping to have all the important stuff be the same, like project management, most of the functions working much the same way, things like that. I basically wanted it so that those making games as a hobby wouldn't have to pay such extravagant fees just to pursue their hobby, and indie developers could use something easy while learning a more widely-used language in case they ever went pro.
Now, I'm thinking about the short term. I'm thinking about the game I was going to make, and why. I was hoping that if I started making games on my own, I could raise money for the community center and start helping out the folks in my area. If my own GDK ever got off the ground, it would be a major help to them too, since I could take a good portion of the donations out of what that got to donate to the community center, and other charities. I want to use my skills to do something good while also entertaining people.
If I were to switch back to Game Maker now, it would be costly if I were to make a cross-platform game, but if I were to sell that game, I could get money sooner rather than later. I feel like it's more important to get a little help now than hold out for a lot later when it could be too late for some of these people. But if I make my own free tool, I could make a lot more through donations and selling games made with that. I also feel dirty using Game Maker, not just because it's in several ways inferior to the possibilities of SDL, but because in using it, I'm feeding a greedy corporate giant.
I feel so conflicted inside that it's ground everything to a halt. I need advice. If anyone has any input, even if you think it wouldn't matter, please say what you have to say. I won't be mad at anyone or think less of anyone for any reason they have for me to do one or the other. But please, don't leave me with indecision. There's nothing more painful or frightening than uncertainty.
Thank you.
Then, earlier while working on a game which was just a simple thing where you play as Rainbow Dash and try to clear clouds out of the sky, I had a problem. My computer had a blue screen, and the source file for the game itself was corrupted. Not a big problem at the time, I thought, since it was a simple game to write, and I could easily remake it, which I did. Then, I hit a wall. Using the exact same logic as before, only with a little more organizing, I remade my game. But it doesn't work.
Instead of flying around and breaking clouds, Rainbow Dash just sits there in the same spot on the screen. Her wings are flapping, so I know her events are being run, but for some reason, keyboard events are being ignored. I honestly have no idea what's going on. The logic is so simple, if a key is pressed, accelerate in that direction. It's worked before, and I checked my GDK code, that's all intact.
Frustrated by this phantom logic error plaguing my game, I got to thinking of how I never ran into problems like this using Game Maker. And then I got to wondering why I started my own GDK in the first place. Game Maker wasn't exactly limiting me, but found something similar to what I was already doing called Dark GDK, which was free, and rather popular since it was a fast and efficient DirectX devkit. Even without a proper IDE (it was just starting source code and a library that opened in Visual C++) it was doing well. The problem was the limitations it had were astonishing, and it did things in such weird ways that I felt very uncomfortable with it. It felt unnecessary to use the built-in sprite class, for instance, because it had such an awkward setup, and making my own was simpler, even when I had to trick the drawing functions into doing something they (I'm guessing) weren't meant to do. Basically, I wrote my games in such a way that they behaved the way they would had I written them in SDL. The 3D part, great as it was, was stunted as well. It seemed to be very FPS-oriented, and didn't have options like setting the camera to a definite angle, retrieving an integer value of the camera angle, basic things like that. There was even a limited number of light sources you could use; if I recall correctly, it was seven. As you can imagine, I haven't used Dark GDK in a while.
Well, a friend of mine showed me the nD and got me into SDL. Once I'd gotten it working, I was thrilled, because I'd wanted to use C++ since another friend of mine told me he used C++ in making games professionally. Even when the threat of nD never seeing the light of day hit me, I still continued because of Game Gadget. Well, TL;DR there, Game Gadget sucks big time. I later found out about a console called Dingoo, which did all kinds of things Game Gadget didn't. Problem was, there was a limited supply (three by the time I found out about it) and before I knew it, the site shut down, and sales stopped. Unlike the Game Gadget, which was marketed towards triple-A developers wanting to republish old games on a hand held console, Dingoo was an entirely open-source console. At the time, investors didn't like the idea of a console targeted towards indie developers, because they didn't realize how much money was in the market, so Game Gadget got the investments, while Dingoo, to my knowledge, died off.
Now, I've been ranting for a while, but it's time for me to get back on track. So then, why did I start making my own GDK? Because I wanted to make hand held games on a system that had freaking buttons on it. I hated playing games on a smart phone because they don't have buttons, and I hate having my thumbs blocking the screen and having to peek under them just to make sure I'm tapping the right places. I wanted to make mobile, but not casual, games.
Then I saw Game Maker Studio was not only available on Steam, but now had an option for people who'd bought the Steam Greenlight license to submit their games directly there. I remembered the other reason why I wanted to make a freeware version of Game Maker: because GM Studio, at full publishing capacity, costs over 600$! And SDL could be run on more platforms than Game Maker could. I felt it was an injustice that a program aimed at hobbyists and indies would be so expensive. I wanted to make something that was about as easy to use and could be released for free. It wouldn't be exactly the same, naturally, but I was hoping to have all the important stuff be the same, like project management, most of the functions working much the same way, things like that. I basically wanted it so that those making games as a hobby wouldn't have to pay such extravagant fees just to pursue their hobby, and indie developers could use something easy while learning a more widely-used language in case they ever went pro.
Now, I'm thinking about the short term. I'm thinking about the game I was going to make, and why. I was hoping that if I started making games on my own, I could raise money for the community center and start helping out the folks in my area. If my own GDK ever got off the ground, it would be a major help to them too, since I could take a good portion of the donations out of what that got to donate to the community center, and other charities. I want to use my skills to do something good while also entertaining people.
If I were to switch back to Game Maker now, it would be costly if I were to make a cross-platform game, but if I were to sell that game, I could get money sooner rather than later. I feel like it's more important to get a little help now than hold out for a lot later when it could be too late for some of these people. But if I make my own free tool, I could make a lot more through donations and selling games made with that. I also feel dirty using Game Maker, not just because it's in several ways inferior to the possibilities of SDL, but because in using it, I'm feeding a greedy corporate giant.
I feel so conflicted inside that it's ground everything to a halt. I need advice. If anyone has any input, even if you think it wouldn't matter, please say what you have to say. I won't be mad at anyone or think less of anyone for any reason they have for me to do one or the other. But please, don't leave me with indecision. There's nothing more painful or frightening than uncertainty.
Thank you.
It is hard to be sure, but I'd say you shouldn't feel too bad about feeding corporate giants - there are so many, after all, you can't really avoid them.
I don't know if that'll really help. But if so, then it just becomes a question of whether you want to do something short-term or something long-term.