23 replies to this topic

[GetOutOfBox]

Hi, I know this has been posted many times, but I'm having trouble finding one that suits my needs. It should be open source or freeware, though if you have a really good commercial one post and I'll check it out.

I'm looking for an engine that suits a begginer, like a GUI editor, with not too much coding required, though I'd like scripting so I can get started with programmign and later move on to something like C4 engine. I'm looking for a 3D game engine, with decent to good graphics. Support for popular 3D model formats would be nice too, I don't want something that can only use its proprietry model format, like Alice Storytelling (my high school uses that for the total n00bs at game design, I've used Gamemaker and some other 2D engines before).

I'm not expecting to make games like UT3 with an easy to use engine, I'm aware of the fact that really good quality games require programming, I'd just like to get started.

If someone knew a really good tutorial or book that teaches 3D game programming (like hardcore pretty much just code engines) that would be begginer friendly post that too.

[fireside]

Blender game engine is a good starter engine. If you already use another modeler, it has quite a few imports. If you aren't using a modeler yet, it's a good one and the models are automatically put into the engine. It uses logic bricks to start out programming and then you can go to python scripting.

[GetOutOfBox]

I'll check it out, meanwhile I'm still open to any ideas.

[Wrks]

Unity.

[delinkx]

gamestudio

[alphadog]

Unity, Torque3D, Gamestudio, Gamecore, Delta3D.

That should be more than enough to get going...

[wgarnett]

I have the same question too,now I use Unity3D

I also want to know any other better 3D Game Engine ?

and any MMO online 3D Game Engine to develop ?

[alphadog]

There's a huge breadth of types of environments, from cookie-cutter like RealmCrafter, to DIY like Horde3D + other libraries.

Depends on where you want to put your time and how much your game design and requirements deviates from the cookie-cutter options.

[boss_007]

GetOutOfBox said:

I'll check it out, meanwhile I'm still open to any ideas.

if you are a beginner ,i would suggest dx studio

[Sol_HSA]

if you're a beginner, I would suggest building your own.
Seriously.

[alphadog]

I would heartily recommend against building your own engine, unless you want to be the kind of game developer that builds the tools other developers use to create a game, rather than being a game builder.

If you want to create games, start creating games, not game engines. There are plenty of skills to hone there...

Let's put it another way: someone who builds a web application doesn't start by building a compiler nor a web application framework. And, no, a race car driver doesn't have to know how to strip and rebuild an engine to be an effective driver.

[TheNut]

If the game is simple, scrap the engine entirely and plow straight into the problem. SDL + game logic. Sol's recommendation of developing your own engine isn't all that bad of an idea either. Without a team, the odds of building a successful 3D game, regardless of an engine, are slim to none. You might as well put that time to good use and learn about the mechanics involved rather than blow away time trying to find or make high quality game resources. The experience gained from understand how everything works will help you build games with any engine and solve problems much quicker.

[alphadog]

SDL is a game engine, albeit a simple one that forces you to reinvent not the whole wheel, but maybe just the inner tube?

[SyntaxError]

Sol_HSA said:

if you're a beginner, I would suggest building your own.
Seriously.

Yeah I kind of agree with this. It's mainly because you will learn so much in the process. I know it kind of seems reversed. You might think an experienced guy would build his own. That might be the case also. But an experienced guy also knows quite a bit about graphics and game programming already. He has the knowledge to judge what premade stuff he should use and what he should write himself. If you are a rank beginner you will have a hard time judging these things. Building your own engine will give you a good foundation of knowledge even if you make a lot of mistakes and it isn't perfect. Even if you end up throwing it out later. You aren’t going to build a world beater game the first time anyway so you might as well learn as much as you can in the process.

[rhamm1320]

I have to side with using a pre-built game engine. Since you title indicates begginer, go with an existing engine. I use GameCore and love it. If you want a free engine, just in the last few day, 3DRad has become a free engine.

As for building your own, it would be like asking someone who does not know how to swim to jump in the deep end of the pool. Of course they may be able to swim, but they could also sink to the bottom and drown.

You can make a game without knowing how to make a engine. As you get more experience, you may opt to design your own game engine.

[SyntaxError]

rhamm1320 said:

As for building your own, it would be like asking someone who does not know how to swim to jump in the deep end of the pool. Of course they may be able to swim, but they could also sink to the bottom and drown.

Except for no one ever died by screwing by screwing up a game engine :)

Also you can always go back and fix your mistakes later.

[alphadog]

SyntaxError said:

If you are a rank beginner you will have a hard time judging these things.

If you are a rank beginner, just about any engine will do... and you should shower.

[SyntaxError]

alphadog said:

and you should shower.

Only if you are working in a team.

[TheNut]

Have some dignity!

[starstutter]

Just to throw a thought in here:

Quote

You can make a game without knowing how to make a engine. As you get more experience, you may opt to design your own game engine.

The only reason I disagree with this is because of how demoralizing this transition is. If you start off making you own engine, the technology and capability increases are gradual and you get that "glee!" feeling when you accomplish a new graphics, script, logic or physics feature.

On the other hand, if you get used to using Unreal 3 for several years and then suddenly decide to build your own engine, your first trial will probably be no more advanced than the origional quake engine. Believe me, seeing your beginning tech next to professional tech is quite depressing.

However, speaking in the long-run, it is possible to create an engine that can visually achieve professional level graphics (given that you have decent art). :)