Programming using "Game makers"

[Silicate Wielder]

I recently downloaded a program called "Sphere" it's a so-called "Game-making" program that allows users to program in Javascript, although you could technically write something other than a game using it.

I like that while it gives me the option to use it's built-in graphics engine I could start off with a bare canvas and write my own using commands-built into it's API to write to the screen directly.

For those of you who use such programs to write games or other programs/software what do you use? What are your thoughts on such programming tools?

[onewingedangel666]

I love RPG Maker, it's not very complicated, and great for beginners. If I knew how to script I would use Unity though, it's probably the best Game Engine out there.

[Vin5]

I used Stencyl once, it's pretty funny but I got bored quickly.
There is this game series called Thief with Garrett. I'm not talking about the fourth game which was released not that long ago (and which is nothing to me in compare to the older ones) but about the 1-3 games. There was a programme released for 1-2 called DromEd, you could make fanmissions there. It's pretty old but some people still use it and I learnt it a bit too.

[northy]

Just learn to code your own. Start with an engine and build your way up from there. Unity is a good one for beginners. You need to put the effort in though, don't expect it to be easy!

[Sasha M]

I took an actual physical class on that before. It's a pretty basic engine. Game Maker Studio is more fleshed out.

The class was with Game maker.

[Jordyy]

I love RPG Maker, it's not very complicated, and great for beginners. If I knew how to script I would use Unity though, it's probably the best Game Engine out there.

Unity + Best game engine? lol...


UE4 best free engine.

[luq_]

I find such game makers quite restrictive and inflexible when it comes to developing things. Then again, I can't really say I've written any games (unless one written completely in Java with awful 2D graphics which I abandoned not long after starting it counts).
Can't wait to get my hands on UE4 though, I've obtained a student's license a while ago, but never got the time to actually set everything up.

[Kirina]

I find such game makers quite restrictive and inflexible when it comes to developing things. Then again, I can't really say I've written any games (unless one written completely in Java with awful 2D graphics which I abandoned not long after starting it counts).
Can't wait to get my hands on UE4 though, I've obtained a student's license a while ago, but never got the time to actually set everything up.

AFAIK UE4 went free, so if you ever subscribed to them you get 30$ to spend in the marketplace.

[Wilde]

Meh, I never did much game development but when I did I used C++ w/ OpenGL or SDL. If I were to try it now, I'd probably use OpenGL and build the engine from scratch or I'd use the Unreal engine.

[KidWithTheHeadband]

I've mostly just used UnrealED & Serious Editor for designing "Games."

I never really bought into using these Game Makers because a majority of the time anything made by them looks like an exact clone of another game already made in the engine. But I assume there are exceptions.

UDK & UE4 are pretty cool. I've played around in those but never got as much rolling compared to what I did in UnrealED.

Unity on the other hand, looks pretty cool. But it also looks a lot more complicated compared to UDK/UE4