Firstly, hello everyone! I hope you're all well. Right, my background. I'm a code monkey with experience of coding my own games in a variety of languages, from BBC Basic (remember that?) to C++ with lots of things inbetween. These have been simple games which wereren't particularly innovative in design - text MUDS, Space Invaders/Pong type games, simple platformers. Oddly enough I'm not employed in programming and have no formal qualifications - I've always steered well clear of cetification because I truly enjoy programming and I'm one of those people who can't do the things I enjoy at the whim of another. I'm a baker, for anyone interested =P As well as programming experience I have extensively modded games and worked with a variety of toolkits. So what the hell am I doing here? Well, aside from sprites and 'modding' the odd .dds in photoshop, when it comes to art assets I am a complete beginner. I've got a 3D project in mind (my first) and I've decided to pick up a 3D engine to ease myself into it. Months of playing about in trial versions has led me to a choice between DX Studio and GameStudio (A7). I can't choose between them so I'm looking for some help before I purchase. I have a budget for my project which includes contracting out (some of) the art assets and most of the 3D visual work (don't know what it is called - lighting, filters, all that atmospheric stuff which I'm clueless about). I've farted around with terrain and folliage generation software and am fairly competent in that, but when it comes to actual artist direction of the project I know I am sunk. I'll probably have to purchase at least 2 licenses for whatever engine I choose, so I want to choose the one that the folks that do this sort of work will be less restrained by. Naturally, I'd love the one that that can be pushed further than the other. Put simply, if you're an art dude or dudette (I just know I'm probably lumping abaout 500 jobs into one role here, such is my ignorance), which have you preferred? Art direction I'm hoping for is something like The Path, though hopefully higher fidelity. Lots of filters and overlays etc. and as many polygons/triangles/whatever you call them on the screen at once. I'm not interested in a comparison that isn't art related; I've played around in the engines and I'm confident I can work around everything else. If I'm making any horrible assumptions regarding 3D development here, please let me know. I walk by Rockstar North studios each day on my way to work and thought about popping in to 'borrow' their RAGE engine, but I'm not sure of the wisdom in that =D

Quote "'borrow' their RAGE engine"

why don't just download UDK?

I've used to play around with both Game Studio and DX Studio, and I think that Game Studio has more root in game development while dx studio is more for multimedia, although yuo can develop a game using it. Of course, being now (not actually new, but at least don't have too much legacy code compared to game studio) at least it look great and easy to use.

Still, have you tried Unity 3D? At least it's has a book published with teach you well.
Personally, I stick to Unity 3D, now that it's free.

Quote:Original post by Obs
I walk by Rockstar North studios each day on my way to work and thought about popping in to 'borrow' their RAGE engine, but I'm not sure of the wisdom in that =D

Try walking in and asking, I see no harm in asking.

I did look at Unity3D - it looks (to me) awesome. I stayed away from it because of licensing costs for the Pro version - I was hoping to use some of the features that are only in the Pro version in my project. I say hope because that depends on who exactly I end up paying to do some of the work.

I briefly considered UDK and was again scared away by licensing costs - although I'm under no illusions that I'm going to be able to sell the game for a profit (nevermind sell it full stop), I'd like that opportunity. I've given it another look and realised I have completelty misread licensing costs. Free to develop with, royalty bearing license of $99 which equates to 25% of turnover above $5000. Ok, if my game becomes a blockbuster it could turn out to be very expensive, but I can't see that happening =D

Thank you, the decision is clear to me now.

DX Studio vs GameStudio? UDK wins!

Although I'll see what Rockstar can offer tommorow - ha!