A few questions,

[Lehtem]

What programs give the most flexibility for making games? I mean generally I've had a game concept for about 2 days now, and I'm now looking at what programs I should get to make it.
Generally I'd guess mainly sprite sex would be the premise of it.
But after playing FTL, it struck me, the idea of a game where the main interface is like that but more H oriented. Generally encounters would be more "you come across something (station, lost ship, ect) you're given a few choices like scan the ship for life signs, send a boarding party, leave, and or blow it up.
The idea of the story is to say find and research Alien life. Forgive me if this isn't the place to post it, but pretty much, I have an idea I want to see completed and I don't know where to start really.

 

[UrineOnU]

Re: A few questions,

What programs give the most flexibility for making games? I mean generally I've had a game concept for about 2 days now, and I'm now looking at what programs I should get to make it.
Generally I'd guess mainly sprite sex would be the premise of it.
But after playing FTL, it struck me, the idea of a game where the main interface is like that but more H oriented. Generally encounters would be more "you come across something (station, lost ship, ect) you're given a few choices like scan the ship for life signs, send a boarding party, leave, and or blow it up.
The idea of the story is to say find and research Alien life. Forgive me if this isn't the place to post it, but pretty much, I have an idea I want to see completed and I don't know where to start really.

Well there are so many ways to create games these days it really comes down to preference. For simplicity I would use RpgMaker,Yoyogames Gamemaker,Construct,Adobe Flash Cs,Java,Multimedia fusion, etc. .
There are so many, but a lot use a specific language for code, In order to get the maximum results of all the game creation program you will need to learn the code that program uses. If you learn ruby, you can do things in rpgmaker that are otherwise impossible with the basic functions. If you learn GML for Gamemaker you can have the same results of drag and drop +more.

Again it really comes down to preference, But if I were to recommend a program It would be Gamemaker.

I used it 2 years ago and I just pushed it aside not thinking to highly of it, until I noticed the games people were making with it and how simple they were executed and solid the gameplay was.There are tons of ways to make many different styles of games with it,platformer games, scrolling shooters,racing games, puzzles, adventure games ect...

But also you need to think of other things like art programs(paint,adobe photoshop,Sai,Gimp),and audio programs(audasity,flstudio,garageband)for game creation as well. So before you start, think very carefully on what you want to use and how you are going to do it. Going in without a plan is the worst strategy of all.

 

[reddo]

Re: A few questions,

Well there are so many ways to create games these days it really comes down to preference. For simplicity I would use RpgMaker,Yoyogames Gamemaker,Construct,Adobe Flash Cs,Java,Multimedia fusion, etc. .
There are so many, but a lot use a specific language for code, In order to get the maximum results of all the game creation program you will need to learn the code that program uses. If you learn ruby, you can do things in rpgmaker that are otherwise impossible with the basic functions. If you learn GML for Gamemaker you can have the same results of drag and drop +more.

Again it really comes down to preference, But if I were to recommend a program It would be Gamemaker.

I used it 2 years ago and I just pushed it aside not thinking to highly of it, until I noticed the games people were making with it and how simple they were executed and solid the gameplay was.There are tons of ways to make many different styles of games with it,platformer games, scrolling shooters,racing games, puzzles, adventure games ect...

But also you need to think of other things like art programs(paint,adobe photoshop,Sai,Gimp),and audio programs(audasity,flstudio,garageband)for game creation as well. So before you start, think very carefully on what you want to use and how you are going to do it. Going in without a plan is the worst strategy of all.

You can make pretty much anything you want with Gamemaker. Of course, complex games have a very good chance of requiring code. But coding isn't that hard in there.

@OP: Do you have any experience with coding? Flash is pretty intensive to get into even as a programmer from other fields, I imagine it's a daunting task to someone new to the whole idea.

GameMaker is very limited if you're going to make something without any coding whatsoever. And to use the Drag'n'Drop interface to its fullest you're pretty much programming without writing.

The GM language, however, is a lot simpler than most other languages you see around. It has many limitations because of this, but usually it means it's easier to code stuff in it and learn it (unless you're trying to go around said limitations, as then it requires a lot of work).


There are also makers like RPG Maker and Fighter Maker and the such. If they are closer to how you want your game to play out, they're indeed the best tools for it. Still, without being able to code you can't do much in RPG Maker besides default simple RPG game, which will make it boring unless VERY well executed. Coding in RPG Maker is also pretty annoying as you have to get used to its engine first.

So, there's a tool better suited for everything. But I'd go for Game Maker being the most flexible one which also allows for the best results. But reinventing the wheel is a waste of time, if there's a program that suits its needs perfectly, that should be your choice.

 

[Cactuses]

Re: A few questions,

If you want pure flexibility you have to use a coding language do the whole program from scratch
Which is quite a lot of work

Game maker is pretty good progam, but there are also other programs for game making too such as Construct. Flash action code works pretty nicely aswell and easier to host.

 

[Lehtem]

Re: A few questions,

Thanks guys, and @UrineOnU Thanks for pointing out the music and sprites part. I think I'll learn flash before attempting to make this just some sort of grasp on it. And Reddo, I have a little experience with it. Not enough by far but generally I know I can do coding. So first I'll get a grasp on the language then I'll pick up the idea again.