2DGameBuilder: a promising Game library for PC, PSP, PS3 (and Maybe PS Vita?)
Note from Wololo: this article is about a tool that is being actively developed but for which nothing has been released yet, beyond the PSP Demo (link below). It looks promising but take anything you read below with a pinch of salt until something gets released.
I got contacted recently by the author of this tool who would like to gauge the need for such a library. Below is a description of the project in his own words:
What is 2dGameBuilder?
2dGameBuilder is a user friendly and easy to use game authoring tool. Currently the tools is focused on creating platformer games the likes of Wonderboy, Super Mario etc. In the future maybe it will support the creation of other kind of games, like RPG, Shooters, Point and Click adventures, etc. 2DGameBuilder is under development and a Beta version with some limited functionality is to be released at some point. To see the tool in action you can check 2DGameBuilder Facebook page and YouTube channel.
How did it start?
I was born in the 70’s. I enjoyed playing coin-ops arcades. I always dreamed of making my own arcade games. Few years ago I bought an old arcade machine and I played games like Wonderboy and Mega Twins. That was enough inspiration for me to start learning game development. I experiment with some game mechanics and some graphics and I soon realized that it is not efficient to develop everything using code. To overcome this problem I opt to develop my own level editor/game builder which will allow me to create the arcade games I envision. Currently 2dGameBuil
Development
All development for this tool is done in C++. For graphics rendering I am using the glib2d library (a modified OpenGL version of it for PC, Linux and PS3). This impose some limitation in the sense that this library was written for the PSP which is quite old now and it has limited capabilities (can not use vertex shaders for example). This might change in the future but in a way that it will keep PSP compatibility even with limited features. I love this device and I don’t want to let go.
Features
Below is a list of functionalities/features:
Already implemented
- Load Texture Atlases from Texturepacker and ShoeBox
- Create Layers for Parallax Scrolling effect. Layer speed and depth is adjustable
- Possibility to draw the sprites from Texture Atlases in tile-mode (even when rotated) and free-hand
- Possibility to mix sprites from different Texture Atlases to different layers (using Z for depth ordering)
- You can create a game via a wizard and package all resources used and levels in a folder. A game can have several levels and a level several layers and texture atalases.
- Can render text using fontstash
To implement before Beta Release
- Sound/Music support
- Own collision and detection. Ability to define collision areas.
- Full BOX2D integration as an alternative to own collision and detection implementation and for realistic physics support
- PS Vita run-time support using the open source SDK
- Ability to use texture-repeat feature to fill large areas of the screen
To implement in the future
- Particle System
- Triggers and Events
- High Scores Support
- Steam API integration
- Ability to group sprites into complex objects and reuse them to draw level faster
- Integrate Spine animation system.
- Ability to draw polygons and not just rectangles as of now
- Own 2D Animation system
Game Engine
To support games/levels created with 2dgamebuilder I am also developing a run-time for each platform. Currently i have some prototype of a run-time (you can call that a game engine) for the PC, Linux, PSP and PS3. If you are wondering No I do not have access to official SDKs of PSP and PS3 but i am using the open source ones. Now that PS-Vita has an open source SDK I am planning to create a run-time for PS Vita.
Demo Download (PSP)
You can download a Demo of 2DGameBuilder for the PSP here. It is a very small demo that loads a game/level created with 2dGameBuilder.
Usage for the demo:
select – centers camera and bring zoom to 1
L1 R1 – rotate camera left and right
cursor – keys move camera up down right and left
square – zoom camera out
circle – zoom camera in
More details on the developer’s site here.
Cool.first
Looks cool, Currently on HumbleBundle is a deal for gamemaker pro for $1 and there are modules available for easy porting . There is a psvita and ps4 module available if you apply to be a developer.
You can buy gamemaker for 1$ but u will not have the cbance to see your creation running on Vita or PSP unless you are a license developer from SONY.
Awesome, gonna keep my eye on this project
That’s awesome, nice to see such things, especially to be compatible with the PSP
Woooow
More platformers, just what we needed! kappa
Yes to all of this
“I got contacted recently by the author of this tool who would like to gauge the need for such a library.”
As junior game designer, I’d love to check into this for the vita aswell.
Time flies quickly away so having an easy to use engine like this one can only increase the motivation of people who could do something to actually digg in.
Such tool/editor/builder is capable of changing the way creating games.
Not impressed. It’s cool if he gets it done some day, but I’m not crossing my fingers, I don’t trust one man projects anymore since DaggerXL and Bob’s game.
You are right that is why I am planning to open the source code so others can contribute. I have been developing this in my free time for the last 2 years.
This is really cool. Admittedly, I probably would not end up using it since I am proficient with Game Maker: Studio and it would be much faster for me to develop a PS Vita game with that… Not to mention it could be released and sold as an official game, rather than homebrew as this tool would allow. Also, I’m certain this tool won’t be able to match the power of more professional game development tools out there. It’s still an amazing work and the type of thing I would love to develop just for the experience… But if I’m honest, I can’t practically see myself using it because the alternatives are more enticing.
Others may be more open to trying this tool. If it is very accessible to new developers, that is one way to draw in people that may have never delved into game development because they just didn’t find the right tool that appealed to them. I noticed that a runtime environment exists for multiple platforms, but there was no mention of the development environment… It is my opinion that the platforms that really make sense for development are desktop operating systems (Windows, Linux, Mac). Individuals and companies alike have tried to make game IDEs on video game consoles before, and they always fall short in terms of performance, flexibility, etc. I hope for your sake you are focusing your time on making the IDE for Windows and Linux, where most developers spend a large majority of their time already.
Yap you are right exiating solution are not even comparable with this. This is something done for fun and to learn. Is just a hobby. Is sonething it gives me satisfaction. The development environment is Visual Studio C++ using GLFW, OpenGL, imGui, Libpng, zlib and box2d. The GUI is coded using the imGui library which is minimalistic and simple. It currently compiles for Linux and Windows. With a bit of effort an OSX compilation should be possible. With a bit more effort it can even run on PS3 🙂 Is still new and not mature but i want this to be something extremely easy to use, u just run it drop in some graphics and start designing. I am building this so I can design a platform game i have in mind but wby not share it so others can reuse it? I want to believe once I open the source others will also help to make this a very powerfull and easy to use tool…..
http://seva-bbc.livejournal.com/281703.html