Game development programs

[xhurleyx]

Does anyone know of any game development software that a n00bie like me could use? What are the most powerful game softwares out there? I want to get the best of both worlds, relatively easy to use and powerful enough to make some great games. Also, are there any good shareware/freeware 3d game softwares on the net?

[Gout]

Yeah, I know a few, check out these:-
virtools
Blitz3D
Quest3D

Blitz3D as far as I know is very easy to use and is very cheap!
I'm currently using Virtools for a game design of my own, and so I can say with a lot of experience that it is really easy to get interactive games running quickly (it has a drag and drop interface - no programing) but it is very expensive, if you email them, they'll send you an evaluation copy though.
I think Quest 3D is similar to virtools but its a but cheaper, you can also download a demo of it from there website.

Hope this helps, Good luck!

[xhurleyx]

I was looking at the Virtools website and i couldnt find a couple things. First, which program is the main one that someone would start with? Is it the Virtools Dev? And Second, i couldnt find the price of the software. I looked at all three programs and Virtools and Quest looked like the better of the three, but virtools looks outstanding.
In virtools, do you need to know a lot of programming skills? And does virtools have tutorials? Thanks for your help.

[Gout]

To program Virtools you need to create flow diagrams on your objects. to do this you drag different building blocks onto your object and then link them up. E.g. you import a character with a walk animation, drag the character controller building block, and the keyboard mapper building block onto your object, set a few options from a drop down menu, and you should have a character up and running. It's very good, although it does get very complicated when you want to do quite ambitious stuff :D

The down side is that it costs LARGE amounts of money, roughly about the same as 3dstudio max.

My advice would be to contact them about it and ask them to send you a demo disk. It will be time limited to a month so you will be able to see if you like it, if you do and you're rich you can go and buy it.

If you like it and you're skint you can send them their disk back but keep it installed on your machine and set your clock back or remove the battery on your motherboard (simple and rude trick - bit of a pain in the arse though), the software should still work.

Of course I wouldn't advise the second option, you also might like to try finding virtools Nemo. Nemo is like a version 1 of there software, exactly the same to program but without some of the advanced graphics effects. I managed to pick up a copy on Ebay for ?10. Maybe you'd be able to as well. Or try www.theswapmeet.com and ask on that website if anyone would sell you there old version (the swapmeet is a virtools developer site).

[xhurleyx]

i could probably find the software by other means. I'll try. But who knows, i might end up finding a way to buy it cheaper. Also, i was wondering, have you made any complete games of your own? If so, where can i find a demo of it to check it out?

[Gout]

Um... Nope, no finished games that I've made on my own. I work for a game developer so the few games that I have been a part of deveolping have been as part of a team. Our last game released being Topgun : Combat zones.

In my own time I'm developing my own game, its both a videogame and a boardgame, the plan will be to complete it in the next year or so, hopefully I'll get some screenshots up on the website soon to get some reaction :D

Good luck with your work, and good luck trying to get hold of the right software.

Mike

[minimus]

i just use 3ds max 8. modelling there and rigging and animating then i export the model to a game engine and play with it. realy cool wen i can play with pokemons in quake =D hehehe kill pokemons