Haven’t posted in a while, so here’s a little update on what I’ve been up to lately.
Basically, I’ve abandoned Unity for now, though I’d like to get back to learning it at some point. But I’m much more familiar with Java, so I looked around and found jMonkeyEngine, an open-source Java-based 3D engine, so I’ve been learning that. I’m currently working on a small 2D mystery game for PC and Android platforms. (Like a small adventure game, where you go around talking to suspects, searching for clues, collecting inventory and using it, etc.) It will use pixel art, since I can actually create pixel art with a bit of clicking around. Currently I’m using Pyxel Edit to create the pixel art, which is small and elegant and quite affordable (only $9 at the time of this writing). Pixel art actually isn’t too difficult for a non-artist like me. Well, OK, it’s still possible to create really crappy pixel art. What I mean is that it’s much more approachable for a non-artist; you can create an effective passable character (and walk-cycle for that matter) much more easily than, say, trying to draw something with pencil and paper or trying to actually model and texture something in 3D. And it’s not difficult to search for references online to see how other artists did things; everything is made of pixels anyway. So I’m confident I can create the sort of graphics I think this game will need. Still, if I had the money, I’d rather hire a free-lancer. After all, it’s still a time-consuming process, especially the animation.
Anyway, while I’m more familiar with Java programming, jMonkeyEngine has far far less online support than Unity (and their forums are difficult to navigate and contain many broken links). The engine also has far less features. For example, to achieve the animated textures I need for my 2D game, I had to program my own shader. Granted, that’s not too difficult to program once you know how to do it, but I spent over a week just focusing on how shaders work (and only scratched the surface, I’m sure).
Still, the advantage is that I’m working in a programming language I’m much more familiar with, and I’m not obligated to pay any license fees or anything when my game is released. So, while I’m sure I’ll switch back to Unity (or GameMaker) at some point, I do very much appreciate the option of jMonkeyEngine.
So that’s what I’m up to at the moment. I have no idea how long it will take to finish this game, assuming I don’t abandon it. Guess we’ll see. I’m crossing my fingers that it doesn’t take longer than March 2016. (Which means it will probably take until March 2017.)
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