3D GameStudio

[Hymenoptera]

I've been a game studio developer for a few years, and I'm just getting into Crystal Space.  Crystal Space appears to be much more powerful, but definately more mysterious...


Is anyone familiar with 3d Game Studio (A6) who can outline advantages/disadvantages of each engine?

I am going to be working on a multiplayer/cooperative virtual environment and want to make sure I make the right choice;!

[DaHoC]

Hi,
I have created a small game using the predecessor of that engine a while ago (that hasn't changed much since from GS 3D to GS A6) and I very soon got to the limits of the Game Studio (e.g. massive multistorey effect-loaded areas were not possible!). The Game Studio is definitely easier to use than Crystal Space, but with CS, you have nearly unlimited possibilities. It sure is a bit hard to get into the matter, but I think it's worth it. CS is very active atm (documentation rewrite, CrystalBlend,...) and has a great future I think. The choice is up to you (and it also depends on what you are willing to do). There is no networking standard provided by CS atm, but there is one other advantage: In Game Studio A6, you have to pay to get the save/load games support if I remember correcly. CS is totally free.
For engine features comparison, there is a page in the faqs: http://www.crystalspace3d.org/tikiwiki/tiki-view_faq.php?faqId=5
Hope I could help, GoodLuck

[Keen]

3D Game Studio is ALOT easier (in my opinion =P).

3DGS is aimed for the beginner coder (if I remember correctly, you don't need code to create games) and onwards. While CS is aimed more towards more experienced C++ coders (of course the determined inexperienced beginner can still learn =D).

Well you could say CrystalSpace is lower level comparitively, like C++ and Python... =)

[Hymenoptera]

interesting, thanks.

another issue that i am wondering about is once a Crystal Space project is complete and ready to be distributed, would one need to use an installer maker program such as NSIS ?

3D GameStudio is fairly easy to tie things together for easy installation on other people's systems--

I am concerned that if all end users of a crystal space game are required to set it up in the lengthy manner I had to, it just won't fly for the neo-luddites.

any thoughts?

[Keen]

I'm not sure I get you correctly... are you asking if CrystalSpace has an inbuilt Install maker for when CS apps are completed?

If so, then no, CrystalSpace doesn't have one, and yeah you have to use NSIS

The end users shouldn't have a problem with using a distributed CrystalSpace game, as long as you have the required libraries and other resources along with it (like planeshift).

[morgul]

 Hymenoptera, check out my game, (ghttp:gne.g33xnexus.com/precursors). We only have an alpha release on the site right now, however, the windows version comes complete with an installer (NSIS). It was really easy to set up, and as you can see, the end user doesn't need to do anythihng, but run the installer. it's a good example of what it takes to distribute a CS game.

--morgul