So here we go (again), and before i start: i remember i recently skimmed over an article that talked about cross platform technologies and compared different engines, do you know of such an article on gamedev? I'm interested in a game engine(free or paid) that can run on as many platforms. I've looked at Unity and it looks nice(only pc, mac, iphone, wii), ogre, C4. What do you recommend? I certainly need iphone,pc,mac, maybe linux and one or two consoles.

What exactly do you need the engine to do for you?

Quote:Original post by Zahlman
What exactly do you need the engine to do for you?

Well, i need it for some indie projects i'm going to pursue. First of all i need it to be cross platform to be able to ship on as many people as i can. Also i need it to be scalable(so it must be able to do advanced precomputed lighting as well as handle multiple dynamic per pixel lights with shadows). Physics is a key topic, it must support pretty decent physics. Also it must have a great community that can help when stuck on different issues. That and a clean design that is also powerful and easy to learn and develop with. I need it to help me develop fast not stand in my way. Up until now Unity 3D seems a good choice.

Basically, you want it to be perfect. There is no such thing.

How about Gamebryo's Lightspeed?

Quote:Original post by loufoque
Basically, you want it to be perfect. There is no such thing.

QFT. Every engine satisfies some strict subset (possibly the empty set) of all possible requirements. I'd like my engine to come with a pony, too ... but that's not going to happen.

As always, I hate to sound like a jerk when I say this, but... Given your apparent skill level, experience and budget, it appears as though your post may be a brilliant joke/troll. If not:

1) I apologize.
2) The fact that it can be mistaken for one should tell you something. (Hint: reconsider whatever it is that you're pursuing).

Yeah deffinately, aiming a game at both iphone and 360, and expecting to use the same codebase for each is kind of rediuclous.

It could work for a very small subset of games (turn based, minimal graphics, minimal CPU) but meh, while technically possible i doubt its what you are shooting for haha.

Various platforms have different quirks that change how your game has to be designed at the very core:

Wii - it has a mouse like pointer with 2 buttons so it can be a good platform to share PC platform code with. It is very neutered in CPU/GPU though compared to other platforms. Not a lot of RAM, no internal hard drive. crappy multiplayer support. It can do arcade style controller input though as well as the pointer style input.

360 - powerful CPU and GPU, lots of RAM. Internal hard drive. no point and click interface (you can emulate it VERY crappily with the controllers analog sticks, etch a sketch style)

PS3 - much like 360 but not as much RAM, special considerations for CPU too.

Iphone - touch and click interface, but very neutered CPU and GPU since it's handheld. No way to really do arcade style input (ie controller).

DS - more neutered than iphone in CPU/GPU/RAM. touch and click interface, also arcade style interface.

So, tell me how you are going to make a game that even works for all these platforms from a DESIGN point of view?

It isn't (really) possible, so step #1 of your cross platform requirements, the failure is your design :P

get past step 1 before trying to get to step 2!

Quote:Original post by Deliverance
So here we go (again), and before i start: i remember i recently skimmed over an article that talked about cross platform technologies and compared different engines, do you know of such an article on gamedev?

I'm interested in a game engine(free or paid) that can run on as many platforms.
I've looked at Unity and it looks nice(only pc, mac, iphone, wii), ogre, C4. What do you recommend? I certainly need iphone,pc,mac, maybe linux and one or two consoles.

I believe Torque does all of those platforms. Unity can deploy to most of the ones you listed.