Advice on choosing an engine

[zcbmmbcz]

So I had this idea for a game in mind and I'm looking for some advice on choosing a game engine.

The game itself I plan on having it mostly be point and click, something similar to COC but with actual (AI generated) graphics, all 2D. I also want to make a more detailed and involved combat system (turn-based focus on battle fuck, stuff like that) with different statuses, etc. for the player character depending on what hits them.

I've already ruled out Unreal (not using 3D) and Ren'py (too limiting), and I don't want to make the game on RPGMaker. Currently I'm debating between Unity and Godot, and I just wanted to get some advice on which of the two, and which other engines, I should choose.

As an aside, I would say I'm mediocre at coding. Not a complete noob, but not great at it either. I also have a bit of experience with unity, but I hear Godot is easier to learn.

 

[Winterfire]

Ren'py (i don't know how to use it)

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Also, why would you want to learn Godot, if you've already experience with Unity? How much experience are we talking about here?

 

[eevkyi]

Considering that there are no technical limitations preventing the creation of such a project in any of these engines, the answer to your question boils down to a matter of preference and personal experience with the technologies embedded in each one.

Try creating a prototype with each one to better evaluate which one works best for you.

 

[zcbmmbcz]

fixed

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Also, why would you want to learn Godot, if you've already experience with Unity? How much experience are we talking about here?

One single youtube tutorial game, nothing much outside of that. So probably around a couple hours of experience tops.

 

[Winterfire]

One single youtube tutorial game, nothing much outside of that. So probably around a couple hours of experience tops.

In that case I suggest you to either:
1- Give a serious shot at Ren'Py, as you were wrong about its limitation (For context, people have made games like this with Ren'Py: https://f95zone.to/threads/sakura-dungeon-v1-0-5-winged-cloud.997/ ).
2- Learn Godot, it's an investment for your future as Godot is a very promising and growing general purpose game engine, open source, and at this point with many tutorials and even assets you can use.

 

[secret_agent]

Besides the combat, which I feel might be your greatest stumbling block as a new dev, I feel you should relook at Ren'py using Twine. You can use Twine to basically build out your story narrative with branches and such to do most of the work for you, then convert it to Ren'Py. There's a few videos on Youtube. Ren'Py isn't that difficult to learn, additionally you can ask ChatGPT to help you code it using Ren'Py if you get stuck (be warned, ChatGPT gets into error loops quite often with Ren'Py specific problems, but it does generally okay with most stuff. I'm using ChatGPT to assist with Ren'py coding now.)

 

[Winterfire]

Besides the combat, which I feel might be your greatest stumbling block as a new dev, I feel you should relook at Ren'py using Twine. You can use Twine to basically build out your story narrative with branches and such to do most of the work for you, then convert it to Ren'Py. There's a few videos on Youtube. Ren'Py isn't that difficult to learn, additionally you can ask ChatGPT to help you code it using Ren'Py if you get stuck (be warned, ChatGPT gets into error loops quite often with Ren'Py specific problems, but it does generally okay with most stuff. I'm using ChatGPT to assist with Ren'py coding now.)

Good tip, but I would suggest against using AI, especially when it comes to Ren'Py specifically.

There already exist frameworks for Ren'Py, a quick google search found this:

You must be registered to see the links

but there are more.

 

[zcbmmbcz]

In that case I suggest you to either:
1- Give a serious shot at Ren'Py, as you were wrong about its limitation (For context, people have made games like this with Ren'Py: https://f95zone.to/threads/sakura-dungeon-v1-0-5-winged-cloud.997/ ).
2- Learn Godot, it's an investment for your future as Godot is a very promising and growing general purpose game engine, open source, and at this point with many tutorials and even assets you can use.

I feel like for Ren'py it's more of people pushing the engine to its extremes, and that is probably not beginner friendly. I also have frankly no interest in playing or making any VN games because those bore the hell out of me so learning an engine specializing in something I don't care for seems like a waste of time.

I have been thinking about learning or at least experimenting with godot, so I guess I could try it out first.

Besides the combat, which I feel might be your greatest stumbling block as a new dev, I feel you should relook at Ren'py using Twine. You can use Twine to basically build out your story narrative with branches and such to do most of the work for you, then convert it to Ren'Py. There's a few videos on Youtube. Ren'Py isn't that difficult to learn, additionally you can ask ChatGPT to help you code it using Ren'Py if you get stuck (be warned, ChatGPT gets into error loops quite often with Ren'Py specific problems, but it does generally okay with most stuff. I'm using ChatGPT to assist with Ren'py coding now.)

Like I said above, I just don't think Ren'py would be a good fit for me as a first time dev since it probably requires a lot of finagling to get a VN engine to play like a RPG. I'll probably watch a few Ren'py video tutorials when I have the time. Maybe it'll prove me wrong, but I don't plan on making my game story-heavy or VN-esque especially as my first real game.

 

[Winterfire]

I feel like for Ren'py it's more of people pushing the engine to its extremes, and that is probably not beginner friendly. I also have frankly no interest in playing or making any VN games because those bore the hell out of me so learning an engine specializing in something I don't care for seems like a waste of time.

But what's a VN? Images and Text. You will still have those in your game regardless.

Dialogue, the definition of a character, a working and proven save/load system (with persistent variables), title screen (+ other interfaces that you'll need in most games), and much more.
I don't know what type of game you'll want to make, but keep in mind that Godot (like Unity) are general purpose engines, meaning that you'll need to create all those core features yourself. Ren'Py would allow you to go straight to creating content.

 

[zcbmmbcz]

But what's a VN? Images and Text. You will still have those in your game regardless.

Dialogue, the definition of a character, a working and proven save/load system (with persistent variables), title screen (+ other interfaces that you'll need in most games), and much more.
I don't know what type of game you'll want to make, but keep in mind that Godot (like Unity) are general purpose engines, meaning that you'll need to create all those core features yourself. Ren'Py would allow you to go straight to creating content.

I do eventually want to make games with action and movement, etc. so I think learning how to make a title screen, a save/load system, etc. on an engine that can do that will be better for me in the long run. And like I said before I don't plan on making any VNs now or in the future, so learning to use a engine specifically made for VNs seems counter intuitive. I appreciate the advice though.

 

[anne O'nymous]

1- Give a serious shot at Ren'Py, as you were wrong about its limitation (For context, people have made games like this with Ren'Py: https://f95zone.to/threads/sakura-dungeon-v1-0-5-winged-cloud.997/ ).

And also this: Lust Hunter. More small bugs, but come with a RPG Maker-like map system and a dress up system.

 

[anne O'nymous]

[sorry for the double post]

I feel like for Ren'py it's more of people pushing the engine to its extremes, and that is probably not beginner friendly.

They are using the engine for what it can do, and so far not a single game available here pushed it to some extreme. Some, too many, follow an over complicated path, but it's not the same thing.

I mean, a space invader clone in Ren'Py would globally looks like this:

screen theGame():

    key "K_left" action If( playerX > Xmin, playerX -= 1, NullAction() )
    key "K_right" action If( playerX < Xmax, playerX += 1, NullAction() )
    key "K_space" action AddToSet( Missile( missileSprite, playerX ) )

    for atom in enemies:
       add atom.sprite pos( atom.x, atom.y )

   for atom in missles:
       add atom.sprite pos( atom.x, atom.y )

   add playerSprite pos( playerX, playerY )

init python:

    class Enemy( renpy.python.RevertableObject )
        def __init__( self, sprite, x, y ):
            self.sprite = sprite:
            self.x = x
            self.y = y
            self.moveRight = True

        def move( self ):
            if self.moveRight:
                if self.x < xMax:
                    self.x += 1
                else:
                    self.y += 1
                    self.moveRight = False
           else:
                if self.x > xMin:
                    self.x -= 1
                else:
                    self.y += 1
                    self.moveRight = True

    class Missile( renpy.python.RevertableObject )
        def __init__( self, sprite, x ):
            self.sprite = sprite:
            self.x = x
            self.y = 900

        def move( self ):
            self.y -= 1

    def moveThem():
        tic += 1
        if tic < 20:
            return

        tic = 1
        for atom in enemies:
            atom.move()      

        for atom in missiles:
            atom.move()

        [check for collision]

    config.periodic_callbacks.append( moveThem )

And there's really nothing pushing Ren'Py to its limits in this.

Like I said above, I just don't think Ren'py would be a good fit for me as a first time dev since it probably requires a lot of finagling to get a VN engine to play like a RPG.

It just need the same level of knowledge than with Godot. Minus all the part regarding the input and output handling. And in both case, if you don't read the doc you'll go nowhere.


Not saying that Ren'Py is the engine you should pick, just correcting your misconceptions.