An Introduction to Point-and-Click Game Engines Jonathan Martin

Game Development Write from scratch Use middleware package Renderware All Code Write from scratch Use middleware package Modify existing game engine Specialized game construction software Genre-specific construction software Renderware Doom, Source (Half Life), Unreal Game Maker, Torque 2D Point and Click RPG Maker XP, AGS, NWN

Genre-Specific Construction Software No Need to Reinvent the Wheel Requires the least amount of programming Tend to have the nicest user interfaces This all comes at the expense of freedom

Adventure Game Studio What can you do with it? Example games Adventure games (“point-and-click”) 2D only, though you can do “quasi-1st person” Can import many graphics/sound formats Breaks “meaningful play” down to basic level Example games

Adventure Game Studio

Adventure Game Studio Easily create point-and-click interfaces “C-like” scripting language for advanced functions Lucasarts-style conversation system should you want to use it. Inventory Support Built-In Plugin System for Advanced Users File Types Supported: Audio: OGG, MP3, WAV, MOD, XM, MIDI Video: BMP, PCX, PNG, GIF, TGA Display Modes Supported: 320x200, 320x240, 640x400, 640x480, 800x600 256-color, 16-bit color and 32-bit color Anti-aliasing and alpha blending supported in certain modes Available for Windows, Linux and Mac OSX

Adventure Game Studio Room Creation Demo

Adventure Game Studio The Adventures of Fatman First commercial game released using AGS Features full voice-acting Professional-Quality Animation

Also see… RPG Maker XP Create 2D tile-based RPG’s Point and Click interface similar to AGS Also has databases for Monsters, Weapons, Items, Stats, Characters, Skills…just about anything you’ve seen in a 16-bit era RPG

Notable RPG Maker Games Not Many Most Are Crappy FF7 Spinoffs “The Adventures of Reptile and Sub-Zero” Most Developers are using 3D engines now

Such as… Neverwinter Nights Create RPG scenarios in the 3D Neverwinter Nights engine Possible to create original content, but requires a lot of work

Neverwinter Nights Demo

Game Maker You can also check out… Room/object paradigm Doesn’t have built-in functions like RPG Maker and AGS Simple but powerful scripting language

Remember… 3D graphics not necessary!! Use the tools you are most comfortable with, not what you believe is inherently “better” Small amount of programming knowledge still required Test your game as you are making it—Iterative Design!

Resources http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/ http://www.gamemaker.nl/ http://www.enterbrain.co.jp/tkool/RPG_XP/eng/ http://nwn.bioware.com/builders/