Currently developing a 2D game engine

[Balk]

In my free time I've been in the works of a professional grade 2D game engine that I planned to distribute for free. The package is going to include an Artist/Designer tool, and a high level library to read/use the exported files from the tool. The tool will be capable of constructing complex sprite entities with ease, background creation, sounds, and effects management (no programming knowledge needed). The design is based off of Nintendo's DS artist tools.

This project currently is targeting the XNA framework however it's not too late to convert it over to (C++) SDL. I wanted to know how much interest the community would have in this project. Also, what is a good way to get the word out about this engine to the people using Pandora? The idea is to have a large supporting community. Thanks! p&|a

 

[fischju]

Great dude, a guy was asking here about Game Maker because he wasn't good at coding. The best way to spread the word would be a development blog/thread updated regularly.

 

[Balk]

Well you'll need at least one programmer on your team to actually write the game and use the libraries, but the design tool is about as complicated as a simplified photoshop. The development blog is good idea. I was going to wait until near completion of the project before setting that up, but this way I can build hype and even get some input from the users during development.

 

[dentrado]

sounds nice!
do you mean free as in gratis / no cost or free as in free software / open source?

 

[Dunny]

Yep, definitely interested - the more the merrier. Mine's in Delphi, and has to be ported over to freepascal. Fortunately, the engine has very little to do graphically or sound-wise, it's mostly sprite/layer/tile management so should go over well.

Looking forward to seeing what yours can do

D.

 

[Balk]

sounds nice!
do you mean free as in gratis / no cost or free as in free software / open source?

Well I certainly don't mind working with a team to help move things along, but to be honest I've never worked on an open source project before, let alone ran one. I wouldn't know where to begin on how to keep it organized and regulate the project. I would also need to get all the design in digital form as it's practically all in a paper notebook at the moment.

Possibly in the future when there is documentation it may go open, but at the moment it's just "free of charge". I'm trying to shoot for first public release before 2009.

 

[kin]

Nice project!

I always say: It's not the graphics that makes the game, but the openminded imagination put into it.

 

[ORFJackal]

Well I certainly don't mind working with a team to help move things along, but to be honest I've never worked on an open source project before, let alone ran one. I wouldn't know where to begin on how to keep it organized and regulate the project.

In that case this will be helpful: http://producingoss.com/

I've watched the video presentations that they have on that page and they gave me many good ideas on how to run FOSS projects better, even though I've been involved with many FOSS projects already in the past. I haven't yet read the book (you can download it for free), so I can't comment on it, but I have high expectations.

 

[Vorporeal]

sounds nice!
do you mean free as in gratis / no cost or free as in free software / open source?

Well I certainly don't mind working with a team to help move things along, but to be honest I've never worked on an open source project before, let alone ran one. I wouldn't know where to begin on how to keep it organized and regulate the project. I would also need to get all the design in digital form as it's practically all in a paper notebook at the moment.

Possibly in the future when there is documentation it may go open, but at the moment it's just "free of charge". I'm trying to shoot for first public release before 2009.

One thing you can do (at least at first) is release the software for free (but withhold the source) to keep it easier to manage. Then, once you get accustomed to managing and distributing open-source software, you can open up the source. To some extent, it's easier to manage a project when you're the only one looking at the source - you don't have to put time and effort into documenting absolutely EVERYTHING and getting the source into a format that people would understand.