To expand on some of the thoughts from my previous rant on nim, here’s a tier list I made. Yep, it’s going to be my garbage opinions! But it also includes my (admittedly subjective) first-hand experience with using these frameworks. I’ve used some for years, others just a week. And it includes a few engines and not just frameworks. So there 🧐

Criteria

How can you judge anything without clear criteria? Mine are quite specific; I am interested in making 2D games, for both jams and long-term hobby projects, so the results will seem heavily skewed if you have different needs. I have made 3D games in the past, but it’s not my cup of tea. I may expand on why I’m not interested in a future post. I’m also really keen on frameworks that are great for game jams - I’ve written about that in the past. In no particular order here are things I look for:

• Learning curve
• Quality of documentation and examples, ease of troubleshooting in general
• How easy it is to package, including web export
• How fun it is to use, vs. fighting with instability and quirks
• How powerful and flexible it is

Also, some of these frameworks are super-specialised. I try to be fair here, for example if a framework is specifically made for VN games, I’m only going to judge it by how it can make a VN game.

Last but not least, I only list frameworks which I’ve at least attempted to make a game with.

The List

Read more

For a number of years, I’ve been looking for a great new programming language to make games with. When I came across nim, it felt like a breath of fresh air and my search seemed to be over. However, after trying it for a month or so, I have sadly concluded that it’s not the right language for me.

Disclaimer

Nim is a great language, in fact out of the languages that have come onto the scene in the last decade or so, nim is one of the more promising. This is not meant as a critique of the language overall, only that in its current state, and for my purposes, it is not the right choice.

Read more

I love 2D sprite-based games; they are easy to read and a great way to showcase beautiful art and character designs. A major downside is that drawing each sprite is a significant amount of work, and it can grow exponentially depending on the game perspective!

Choosing the right game perspective has a big impact on your game’s art budget. Here’s a rundown of different 2D game perspectives and how many different sprites you need to budget for.

Summary

Perspective	Sprites Needed	Genres	Examples
Top-down (vertical)	1x	action, arcade, puzzle, vertical scrollers
Side view	1-1.5x	beat-em-up, fighting, infinite runner, metroidvania, platformer, run-and-gun, side-scrolling
Isometric (4 directions)	2-2.5x	business simulation, turn based strategy, turn based tactics
Oblique	3-3.5x	action RPG, overhead shooter, RPG, RTS
8-directional	5-5.5x	8-directional shooter, real time tactics

Read more

Role playing games come in many different flavours but the game loop is a common element in all of them. Whether the game is combat oriented, or it focuses on stats and progression, exploration, or story telling, almost all RPGs follow this simple loop:

The terms and mechanics may differ between games but the loop is the same. The dungeon may not be a literal dungeon, but a forest, ruins or wilderness.

What’s interesting is how different RPGs use mechanics to compel players through this loop. Let’s look at a few classic mechanics:

Quests ❗️

There wouldn’t be much of a game if there’s no reason to enter the dungeon where you can get killed. Most RPGs have a main quest, the call to adventure that compels the player to venture forth.

But RPGs, especially Western ones, have lots of side quests, big and small, which give players a more immediate reason for fighting. They could be as mundane as killing 20 rats, or as involved as pulling off a heist.

In Oblivion, The Ultimate Heist is a 7-part quest that involves stealing a unique item from the most heavily guarded location in the game.

Read more

…on time, every time.

I’ve been game jamming for many years, from physical jams like Global Game Jam and online ones like Ludum Dare, as a solo jammer and in teams, using lots of different engines and tools. Some games did really well, others not so much, but most were fun, and every one was a useful learning experience.

And I’d like to share some wisdom with you!

One of the toughest challenges in game jams is how to finish on time. Everyone tells you the same advice - keep your scope small, have a plan or schedule, be flexible, use the tools you know best, take breaks and sleep - and after a few jams this advice quickly becomes experience… but somehow we keep having trouble finishing on time! Making something in such a short timeframe is really tough.

But here’s the one trick that has worked really well for me: make something you’ve already made before.

I know; that sounds wrong! Aren’t you supposed to make something new and innovative! What about the jam theme, are you just going to ignore that? Hear me out.

Read more