Game Developer Career Guide

[absolutebreeze_1]

Today I happened to come across a copy of Game Developer Career Guide 2008(Autumn) and found a section on game engines quite interesting.

In the article they refer to Unity as a ‘point and click’ style engine - in the same genre as TGB.

Not having used Unity 3D (its not released on windows yet) I cannot really comment - but my understanding is that Unity is a lot more powerful than a standard point and click product like gamemaker or TGB. I guess the games available prove that.

Anyhow, here is the paragraph from the magazine that talks about it… and I was wondering what others here who have experience of Unity 3D feel/think about it - especially the extremely limiting point.

Point-and-click engines. Point-and-click engines are becoming more and more common these days. They include a full tool chain that allows you to point and click your way to creating a game.

These engines, which include GameMaker, Torque Game Builder, and Unity3D, are built to be as friendly as possible, and are made to require as little coding as possible. That’s not to say knowing a little coding doesn’t help, but it isn’t really a necessity the way it is for the mostly-ready and roll-your-own engines. The problem with many point-and-click engines is that they can be extremely limiting. Many do one or two types or genres of game well, or one or two types of graphics modes. This is not to say they’re useless. Even faced with the restrictions of these tools, it’s possible to make highly creative games or even find creative ways around those restrictions. The best thing about these engines is that they allow you to work quickly, and play your games quickly, without too muck work. If you’re just starting out in game design, you could do worse than these tools.

[Eric5h5]

That article is basically completely wrong; you’re not going to get very far in Unity without coding. It has a lot of drag’n’drop functionality for linking stuff together, but you script all the behavior. It’s not limited in any way, and doesn’t cater to any particular game genre. For that matter lots of people don’t even use it for making games at all, although it does lean in that direction.

–Eric

[StarManta]

Coding is definitely a necessity with Unity, so by that definition it’s only a point-and-click engine if you want to make an architectural walkthrough.

[absolutebreeze_1]

@""

That article is basically completely wrong; you’re not going to get very far in Unity without coding. It has a lot of drag’n’drop functionality for linking stuff together, but you script all the behavior. It’s not limited in any way, and doesn’t cater to any particular game genre. For that matter lots of people don’t even use it for making games at all, although it does lean in that direction.

–Eric

Thanks Eric,

I was kind of hoping that it wasn’t as simple to use as TGB

TGB is great and all, but I need something with more byte ;D

For anyone interested, you can view a free copy of the entire career guide at its website :

http://www.gdmag.com/archive/gdcg08.htm

[anon_10854433]

Hmm… It’s not even called Unity3D. It’s just Unity afaik. Sounds like they need to do a little research before writing about it. :roll:

[Charles_Hinshaw]

@""

Hmm… It’s not even called Unity3D. It’s just Unity afaik.

You are correct.

[anon_60548885]

That is misinformed at best, and completely fabricated at worst…

There is no point-and-click about it, you won’t be able to create anything in unity without custom scripts, period.

I am really surprised that was even said, if anything unity’s problem is the learning curve is to steep for non-programmers.

[anon_85819370]

@""

if anything unity’s problem is the learning curve is to steep for non-programmers.

Sorry spiralgear but I disagree, I consider my self as a non programmer, heck not even an artist, but I wanted to make video games and other stuff too for a long time and was willing to learn how to do it and Unity (and this community) makes it a lot easier compared to others that I tried.

Not a drag and drop(umm, kinda)… but I’m a drag and drop, cut and paste kind of developer wannabe

Ray

[anon_74101853]

@""

@""

if anything unity’s problem is the learning curve is to steep for non-programmers.

Sorry spiralgear but I disagree, I consider my self as a non programmer, heck not even an artist, but I wanted to make video games and other stuff too for a long time and was willing to learn how to do it and Unity (and this community) makes it a lot easier compared to others that I tried.

Not a drag and drop(umm, kinda)… but I’m a drag and drop, cut and paste kind of developer wannabe

Ray

I have never written any code but then a couple of months ago I said I would never be able to learn to model in 3d – two weeks later I released an entire Manhattan environment.

I suppose too there are scripts you can import and purchase for the coding?

[anon_4460040]

You know I was going to subscribe to this magazine but crap like this just puts me off from purchasing it.