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0 pointscardanome3y ago0 comments

Godot is the safest and best choice for most 2d games and simple 3d games. You absolutely should keep learning it.

What makes Godot really good for beginners can a bit of friction for experienced developers: Especially with GDScript it feels like old-school Python with only one obvious way to do things, which is great but also means it is very opinionated. Node-based OO inheritance is the main abstraction. You don't get any interfaces or traits. Everything is a deep inheritance hierarchy with all the good and bad that brings. (In godot 4 we at least finally get closures.)

And yes, some people absolutely love thinking about their games as a hierarchy of nodes but for me who likes to build data-driven games that is just not the right abstraction.

Of course there are other languages to choose from and there is even a ECS extension for Godot 4 but there can be a bit of friction if you want to design your game differently than the "golden path" the Godot developers have laid out. Still even with the friction, I still think godot is the best choice for my projects.

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JoeyJoJoJr3y ago

I’d really like to go all in on Godot, but the path to release on consoles is very vague. I really wish it had first class support for consoles.

cardanomeOP3y ago

Godot will never have first class support for consoles. That is because of the console manufactures that only offer proprietary SDKs and require you to sigh NDAs.

The strategy would be to target PC first and if successful use that money to fund console ports, as there are third party companies that offer that.

If you really care about consoles, you should just use Unity/Unreal. Though even then you will need a license and it is up to the manufacturer whether they approve your game.

JoeyJoJoJr3y ago

I just don’t see that as a great strategy, when libraries like Heaps, Kha, and Monogame all have support for consoles that is provided once you prove you are a part of the developer program, and also have proven, quality products released. As you mentioned, Unity, Unreal, and even Game Maker, provide a clear path for console support. I don’t want develop an entire game with a library or engine, only then to have to hand over the keys to a third party company. There are so many games on the Nintendo Switch store because it is actually comparatively easy to get your game onto there. There are obviously challenges associated with licensing, but I don’t want further challenges dealing and negotiating with another 3rd party later down the track.

It appears to me that console support is a means for the Godot creator/contributors to make some money. That’s ok, but there are too many unknowns for many developers to consider it as an option. If it was clearly stated “pay X amount to gain Switch/Xbox/PS support”, I would totally choose Godot.

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0 pointscardanome3y ago0 comments

Godot is the safest and best choice for most 2d games and simple 3d games. You absolutely should keep learning it.

And yes, some people absolutely love thinking about their games as a hierarchy of nodes but for me who likes to build data-driven games that is just not the right abstraction.

0 comments

JoeyJoJoJr3y ago

I’d really like to go all in on Godot, but the path to release on consoles is very vague. I really wish it had first class support for consoles.

cardanomeOP3y ago

Godot will never have first class support for consoles. That is because of the console manufactures that only offer proprietary SDKs and require you to sigh NDAs.

The strategy would be to target PC first and if successful use that money to fund console ports, as there are third party companies that offer that.

If you really care about consoles, you should just use Unity/Unreal. Though even then you will need a license and it is up to the manufacturer whether they approve your game.

JoeyJoJoJr3y ago

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse