IG Maker vs TGB and TX2
by Matt Farrel · in Torque Game Builder · 10/26/2009 (12:55 am) · 3 replies
IG Maker ($80): http://tkool.jp/products/IGMAKER/index.html
Until today I thought TGB was the only versatile 2D engine out there that could support decent platformer graphics and functions with relative flexibility. I've been having a huge problem lately trying to adjust to how TGB works to get a solid foundation going. Then I came across a product by Enterbrain (the maker of the awesome RPG Maker series) that allows a developer incredible ease in creating platformer games.
The awesome thing about this new editor is that it can compile the game for windows, XNA, or Flash. That's pretty sweet. T2X can export into PC and XNA, but I keep reading lots of issues with trying to get it to work with XNA (compiling errors and such). So far this program seems as flexible, easy to use, and inexpensive as RPG Maker was, and I'm sold for giving it a solid attempt with my game. Having to find a programmer who is familiar with TGB (and it's price tag to get non-familiars interested) has been a hindrance to our indie studio's progress, and to make simple edits to even the platformer starter kit requires a solid grasp on programming (not to mention the notoriously poor documentation on TGB). Not to mention the huge price tag associated with removing the link from credits that prevent putting games on many popular portals (like Steam).
Has anyone else tried IG Maker that can tell me why TGB or TX2 is worth buying over IG Maker for a platformer game?
Until today I thought TGB was the only versatile 2D engine out there that could support decent platformer graphics and functions with relative flexibility. I've been having a huge problem lately trying to adjust to how TGB works to get a solid foundation going. Then I came across a product by Enterbrain (the maker of the awesome RPG Maker series) that allows a developer incredible ease in creating platformer games.
The awesome thing about this new editor is that it can compile the game for windows, XNA, or Flash. That's pretty sweet. T2X can export into PC and XNA, but I keep reading lots of issues with trying to get it to work with XNA (compiling errors and such). So far this program seems as flexible, easy to use, and inexpensive as RPG Maker was, and I'm sold for giving it a solid attempt with my game. Having to find a programmer who is familiar with TGB (and it's price tag to get non-familiars interested) has been a hindrance to our indie studio's progress, and to make simple edits to even the platformer starter kit requires a solid grasp on programming (not to mention the notoriously poor documentation on TGB). Not to mention the huge price tag associated with removing the link from credits that prevent putting games on many popular portals (like Steam).
Has anyone else tried IG Maker that can tell me why TGB or TX2 is worth buying over IG Maker for a platformer game?
#2
The issue I have with most other tools is that you don't get the source code. I'm a programmer, I like to know what's going on under the hood and have the option to change that if necessary. I have yet to find a 2D engine like TGB where you get the source code as well as great editors, and a great community.
10/26/2009 (12:24 pm)
Not only Amanda but others are using RPG Maker too with some success. I haven't heard of IG Maker until now. Interestingly that engine seems to be made by the same company that produces RPG Maker, Enterbrain. The issue I have with most other tools is that you don't get the source code. I'm a programmer, I like to know what's going on under the hood and have the option to change that if necessary. I have yet to find a 2D engine like TGB where you get the source code as well as great editors, and a great community.
#3
10/26/2009 (12:26 pm)
There are definitely great games made with RPG Maker, but most of the ones I've seen have not hit big portals (Amanda being the exception). They're extremely popular on indie linkshare portals and the like, though. I know I've bought some! 
Associate David Montgomery-Blake
David MontgomeryBlake
One of the things you will need to look at is what the requirements are on the portals you are targeting and whether you can make the changes necessary to the engines to hit those requirements. Do you need to make changes? Do you need to add portal statistics tools to the product? Are you looking at an exclusive contract that will serve ads from the portals?
I'd say to go through the eval period and run with it if it works well for you. It would be interesting to know if it receives acceptance on portals. Amanda has been successful on the portal side with RPG Maker, so I don't see why you shouldn't give it a try.