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Tools for rapid prototyping of games
Good things for prototype systems:
- Based on a high level programming language
- Smallness
- Cross platform
- Mature toolchain to simplify asset generation
- Ease of moving to a production engine
Online
Advantages:
- Ease of running/viewing/playing
- Use of commonly installed things - web browser/flash plugin, blah.
- Low tech forces focus on the ideas - this is really important I think
Disadvantages:
- Have to run everything in a virtual machine/interpreter so a bit slow
- Not much in the way of graphics features (not really a problem for prototyping)
- 3D possible but is not really the focus in these systems, so it can be awkward
processing → http://processing.org/
haxe (compiles to swf/js/…) → http://haxe.org/
3D Engine based
Advantages:
- Prototyping in the same system you develop for saves time
- You can have access to the same features in the prototype as a final game
Disadvantages:
- Complexity kills creativity - game engines tend to have a lot of complexity
- Have to install stuff, more chance of platform incompatibility
Blender game engine → blender game engine notes
- Blender is a good option as it's the same tool used to create the artwork - there may already be a familiarity
- Scripted in python which is a good prototyping language
Fluxus → fluxus notes
- Fluxus is scripted in Scheme which is a good prototyping language
- Deliberate perversion to games industry 'best practices'
- Not working on windows
- Difficult to install - big minus points
- Working on it…