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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. Adventure Game Studio

6. 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

7. Adventure Game Studio
Room Creation Demo

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

9. 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

11. 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

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

13. Neverwinter Nights
Demo

14. 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

15. 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!

16. Resources http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/