Making Video Games for Free: Online Game Makers
Use Internet Game Engines to Create Games without Buying Adobe Flash
Feb 8, 2009
Adobe Flash is an industry-recognized animation, online application, web content creation and game making software package that has revolutionized the creation and distribution of casual games. With its easy to learn interface and simple ActionScript scripting language, making games with Flash and sharing them on the internet is an enjoyable hobby, and for many independent game developers, a lucrative career.
However, a license for Adobe Flash CS4 costs just under $700, and while earlier versions of Flash are available at a reduced price, this price tag is still beyond many game designers who wish to profit as a Flash game developer.
Flash Alternative Free Online Game Makers
A solution can be found in the growing number of online game maker websites that allow the user to create and share their games without purchasing Adobe Flash.
These web-based game engines provide simple drag-and-drop user interfaces and all of the media files necessary to make simple games. The more evolved game creation sites also allow the user to upload their own media files to further customize the look and feel of a game.
Create Flash Games for Free
These game making sites are free of charge, although they require email registration to unlock all the features of their online game designing software. Such sites include:
- Sploder!
- BYOND
- PlayCrafter
Make Simple Flash Games with Sploder!
Sploder! provides game templates with a simple interface to create either basic 8-way scrolling maze shooter games, or arena-style top down robot battle games. Sploder! are currently expanding their game template options with the inclusion of a platform game engine.
While the game genre options are limited, the customization options allow the user to create unique game levels, and Sploder! is an ideal game creation platform for the game design beginner or casual hobbyist.
Make Multiplayer Online Games with BYOND
BYOND is several levels of complexity above Sploder! And allows the user the freedom to create multiplayer games for free in any genre. Furthermore, with the use of integrated subscription options and with a player base numbering in their thousands, game developers have the opportunity to make money from making games with BYOND.
Of all the free online game creation systems currently available, BYOND is perhaps the most powerful, flexible and best-supported in terms of documentation and community.
Game Making with PlayCrafter Online
PlayCrafter by ZipZapPlay holds the middle ground between the sophistication of BYOND, which is a fully-fledged multiplayer game engine, and the simplicity of Sploder! which is more of a level editor. PlayCrafter allows the user to create fantastic physics-based games by choosing a game template and modifying it, much as with Sploder! but with many more options that allows the creation of unique games.
Featuring a vibrant community with almost twelve thousand games published, PlayCrafter caters for all levels of game making experience, and the user interface is a joy to use.
Make Online Games for Free: the Future
With an increasing number of online game creation systems appearing across the web, and with the increasing number of ways of profiting from casual online game development, the future is looking bright for both game developers who are on a budget and game engine developers who have recognized that the online market for casual games is a young and growing field.
While Adobe Flash may yet be beyond the price range of many game makers, these free online game engines offer a real alternative for designing, creating and distributing games for fun and profit on the world wide web.
 |
