Gamesalad alternative.

Does anyone know of any thing similar to game salad other than game maker? I love game salad but I just cant afford it now that it has no free version.

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Comments

  • CodeMonsterCodeMonster ACT, AustraliaMember Posts: 1,078

    You won't find a better program than gamesalad.
    Gamesalad is actually quite cheap compared to a lot of other programs.
    If you want to develope games for free. Code from scratch using Xcode.

    But as for an alternative program. None come to mind.

  • ThoPelThoPel GermanyMember, PRO Posts: 184
    edited July 2015

    @justinagruber@gmail.com
    It depends on the desired functions and what kind of games you want to build. E.g. take a look at Stencyl, I bought it with the last humblebundle - as every software it has pros and cons :)

  • jay2dxjay2dx Member Posts: 611
    edited July 2015

    Yeah not sure we're aloud to talk about this on the forum but stencyl, I too got it on the latest humble bundle mostly wanted spriter though, anyways I'll prob make a platformer with it and try to steam green light that bad boy! As it allows you to publish a windows, Mac and Linux exe! Pretty great imho but I also bpught game salad pro this last week as it's awesome and well worth the money!

    I also find now paying for pro again I'll be more inclined to release more games!

  • MentalDonkeyGamesMentalDonkeyGames Member Posts: 1,276

    In my experience, GS is much easier to pick up and learn than Stencyl. Sure Stencyl has some awesome features that GS doesn't, but you can still do a LOT with GS.

    And GS has this awesome and helpful community!

    Mental Donkey Games
    Website - Facebook - Twitter

  • jay2dxjay2dx Member Posts: 611

    Totally agree with the above statement I just wish we could publish a windows exe so we can release tot gog or steam maybe! All we have is Mac App Store, which isn't too bad to be honest, and I would only use stencyl for a platformer actually, nothing else,

    But to add I'm well underway with a rather big platformer in GS and it's coming along great! :)

  • PestoPesto Member Posts: 38

    Post like this might seem not to be a good idea but I think over all they are because the GS developers can hear from users what they like about other software. That way they can possibly change the roadmap to make GS better.

  • PestoPesto Member Posts: 38

    I searched online quite a lot before downloading GS and it was interesting. Construct 2 gets high marks but it can't really port to mobile that well. It seems that is a "must-have" feature these days. Also, it is only PC. The only other software that seems comparable is Fusion 2.5, IMO

  • KevinCrossKevinCross London, UKMember Posts: 1,894

    I keep trying Stencyl and while I can work through the tutorials and understand how it all works, as soon as I want to try and do something without a tutorial it all goes tits up! It just doesn't seem as user friendly as GameSalad.

    GameBuilderStudio is another alternative. I'm not really sure I'm feeling that one either.

    I'm sure if I'd used either of those before GameSalad my opinion would be different.

    I've kind of given up looking for alternatives and will be coming back to GS at the end of August.

  • jonmulcahyjonmulcahy Member, Sous Chef Posts: 10,408

    guys, do you really think the GS forums are the place to be talking about GS alternatives?

  • RabidParrotRabidParrot Formally RabidParrot. Member Posts: 956

    @jonmulcahy said:
    guys, do you really think the GS forums are the place to be talking about GS alternatives?

    I mean it really doesn't change the fact that GS more superior than the options.

  • PestoPesto Member Posts: 38

    @jonmulcahy said:
    guys, do you really think the GS forums are the place to be talking about GS alternatives?

    That's a good question. A discussion like this can help with the development of GS as long it is looked at in a positive way. For instance, Fusion and GM have a sprite editor, I would love one in GS. In saying that thou, maybe there is a place for suggestions for GS development here that I am not aware of....I'm still pretty new here.

    One thing I can say is the community here is extremely helpful and for that I am most grateful!

  • justinagruber@gmail.com[email protected] Member Posts: 12

    I love the community and the software, but I just can't afford 200 dollars a year.

  • MentalDonkeyGamesMentalDonkeyGames Member Posts: 1,276

    You can pay $19 / month. That helps a lot. You don't need to pay the $199 as a single payment.

    Mental Donkey Games
    Website - Facebook - Twitter

  • justinagruber@gmail.com[email protected] Member Posts: 12

    @NipaDidIt Then it's even more expensive.

  • justinagruber@gmail.com[email protected] Member Posts: 12

    I decided to just take the time to learn coding and I am going to use Unreal engine.

  • ChechesoftChechesoft Member, PRO Posts: 171

    I have used Multimedia Fusion, and it is easy, have more flexibility than gamesalad in some areas, and have lots of plugins that their community develops giving it many new functions and let you develope exe files for PC too.
    But it is not cheaper than game salad, which I prefer anyway.
    As you said, the best option would be learn to code.

  • CaptFinnCaptFinn Member Posts: 1,828

    Even if its similar to Gamesalad. It wont be cheaper than Gamesalad.

  • PestoPesto Member Posts: 38
    edited August 2015

    I don't think Fusion 2.5 is that similar to GS. I actually think Stencyl is a better comparison. The one thing about GS and Stencyl is that they both get you thinking more about game logic and coding. Personally, I think if ever someone wanted to eventually code their apps, having past experience with GS or Stencyl would be more beneficial than Fusion. Not knocking Fusion because it is a very nice app, just my opinion.

    As for cheaper, I don't necessarily agree. If I buy Fusion for $99 I can at least make a playable .exe file. Unless I am mistaken with the $19/mo subscription, you can only publish your game to the HTML Arcade. Not a bad option, but you can't send your game to your friends to play, they have to go online to the arcade (which I guess is not big deal really). Yet, after 5 months with GS you have paid the cost of Fusion and no longer have access unless you keep paying. So in a years time, GS cost $228, and Fusion cost $99.
    Another scenario would be in that years time you decide to publish to iOS, so with GS you would would pay $29 for that month, bringing your yearly total to $238 (11 months at $19 and one month at $29). With Fusion I would have to buy the add-on iOS exporter for $150, bringing my yearly total to $249. So in the example year I would have paid $11 more to use Fusion to do the same thing, BUT, the big difference is that I don't have to pay anymore with Fusion to use it. So, in say 2 years time, with GS, I would pay $466 (23 months at $19, and one at $29), while with Fusion I still only pay $249. So in 2 years, I pay $217 more to use GS to publish to iOS. Of course if I paid for the developer version of Fusion at $399, over 2 years I still am paying less than GS. The one caveat here is that with the $29/month with GS I can publish to many different devices/platforms, not just iOS. So immediate cost savings goes to GS. After about 20 months, I'd say cost benefit goes to Fusion developer edition.

  • UtopianGamesUtopianGames Member Posts: 5,692

    @jonmulcahy said:
    guys, do you really think the GS forums are the place to be talking about GS alternatives?

    Yes

  • GnarlyGnarly canadaMember Posts: 840

    . After about 20 months, I'd say cost benefit goes to Fusion developer edition.

    But your time and ease of use etc etc have much more value than a few dollars.

    Like comparing two cars. You can buy the cheapest car you possibly can but which one would you rather drive? Some cost is all that matters. Thats fine. But GS is still the best VALUE! Its a bargain.

  • GameAlchemistGameAlchemist Member Posts: 106

    You can try Buildbox, some of the "Best New games" are made from that on the app store. But personally, I would wait and watch till they get Graphene SDK out, or just improve GameSalad to a point where they have all features like polygon collision, joints, better optimization(zero lag with bigger games), maybe even lights and shadows like buildbox.... who knows how many features they might add in the near future.

  • LovejoyLovejoy Member Posts: 2,078

    @Game Alchemist said:
    But personally, I would wait and watch till they get Graphene SDK out, or just improve GameSalad to a point where they have all features like polygon collision, joints, better optimization(zero lag with bigger games), maybe even lights and shadows like buildbox.... who knows how many features they might add in the near future.

    Ghaphene is not longer being worked, it has been put on hold.

    Fortuna Infortuna Forti Una

  • GameAlchemistGameAlchemist Member Posts: 106

    @Lovejoy well, I did know that it was on hold but the way you say it feels longer :neutral:

  • UtopianGamesUtopianGames Member Posts: 5,692

    GameSalad is the quickest and easiest to use although it lacks a lot of key features its pretty cheap for what it is, you could try Corona, GMStudio or wait for our DBA Dream Engine in a month or 2.

  • CodeMonsterCodeMonster ACT, AustraliaMember Posts: 1,078
    edited August 2015

    @UtopianGames said:
    DBA Dream Engine in a month or 2.

    ooooo, thats exciting :smiley:

  • LovejoyLovejoy Member Posts: 2,078

    @UtopianGames said:
    or wait for our DBA Dream Engine in a month or 2.

    Darren going all out, next on the list would be deep blue publishing, deep blue ads etc.

    Fortuna Infortuna Forti Una

  • neomanneoman Member, BASIC Posts: 826

    @UtopianGames said:
    Or wait for our DBA Dream Engine in a month or 2.

    Nice one! Good on you Darren! :wink:

  • ThoPelThoPel GermanyMember, PRO Posts: 184

    @UtopianGames said:
    DBA Dream Engine

    Register me as a beta tester :)

  • The_Gamesalad_GuruThe_Gamesalad_Guru Member Posts: 9,922

    @UtopianGames said:
    GameSalad is the quickest and easiest to use although it lacks a lot of key features its pretty cheap for what it is, you could try Corona, GMStudio or wait for our DBA Dream Engine in a month or 2.

    Ballsy business move. You have to respect that. Squabbling and tit for tat I have no interest in and is pointless but that move is straight business savy. As they say, sucesses is the ultimate revenge.

  • ArmellineArmelline Member, PRO Posts: 5,358
    edited August 2015
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