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Author Topic: How far can a non programmer take playmaker?  (Read 8587 times)

AarongamerX

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How far can a non programmer take playmaker?
« on: May 29, 2012, 03:22:15 PM »
I was wondering how far can an average Joe take this program. I have a very vague concept of programming. Like loops, variables, instances, etc. But how good is the visual editor. Do you still have to program to make a good game? I'm using contruct 2 an html 5 game maker. I think its the best 2D game making program ive used. I'm debating whether or not to buy playmaker for the simple fact that i'm not sure how flexible it is.

But if this program is what i think it is i will buy it.

kiriri

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Re: How far can a non programmer take playmaker?
« Reply #1 on: May 29, 2012, 03:30:43 PM »
I personally am amazed at what you can do with playmaker... I thoroughly checked the competition before buying a copy, and I must say, I'm more than pleased. On most subjects, playmaker allows you to basically copy and paste an entire script without seeing one line of script . Most of the function you would use as a programmer have been directly ported into an action, which means you often time work just as you would with hard code, only without the worry of declaring/defining something the wrong way or making typos.
Compared to the other visual scripting engines, this one is the most down-to-earth . That means on the one side it might actually require you to think some before creating stuff, but on the other hand there is really almost nothing you cannot create. And if there is, I'm sure someone will try his best to create an action for it, as the customer support is just amazing. Just have a look at other posts and you'll quickly notice how much effort is spent developing features to make us happy :D
Best,
Sven

jeanfabre

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Re: How far can a non programmer take playmaker?
« Reply #2 on: May 29, 2012, 04:07:23 PM »
Hi,

 Without a single line of code, that is not even knowing what the script editor looks like, you can go very, very far, but you have to be aware of two things. You will still need to learn and master playmaker, in order to go very far with it at all. this goes without saying of course, but sometimes we forget when we see a new tool that looks cool, that mastering it will be key to success.

The problem might be elsewhere for Joe, if he doesn't have any experience in 3d and virtual 3d, it will be difficult to pick up , because he will have to learn 3 things at once, what is a 3d world and what it means, Unity itself and playmaker, so this is something to be very careful with, it's not because playmaker requires no scripting, that it means you don't need to know what a virtual 3d world is , what a collider is, what you can do with vector maths, or how to animate a model.

Having said that, I know how to script, I know what real time 3d is,  and will never start a new project without playmaker! simply because not only you can do a lot without scripting, BUT it gives you access to a lot more than that. It's simply easier to performs some tasks with playmaker than with scripts! I have for example designed a  full blown robot simulator for industrial application, and without playmaker it would have been hell, with playmaker it all of sudden becomes fun and really comprehensive. I do mix scripting and playmaker together tho, because I am no afraid to and because sometimes it is easier to do thing in script, especially for  advanced frameworks and tasks,like Inverse Kinematics or really complex management of data, or simply because you will use a totally cool framework but you will need to tight it with playmaker, so some binding scripts or special actions will be required.

To get a feel, I strongly encourage you to simply sit down with a cup of your favorite drink and watch all the videos and screencast available, this will certainly give you a good grasp of what it can do.

Not going that "far" in terms of what playmaker can do, I ported  M2H great c# simple games examples, I suggest you get them from the app store, and then study the help I am currently building around it, 100% playmaker, not scripting AT ALL for them games, I made them with the standard set of playmaker action, nothing more: https://hutonggames.fogbugz.com/default.asp?W880 and for of them game, it took me less than an hour to do them! that opening the game, removing all scripts and build the interaction from scratch with playmaker!

AND, if you ever find your self stuck with a process you have difficulty to create, simply ask us, we will happily help you, and even create these actions that you might need, if you don't really feel up to create your own ( which is by the way very, very easy anyway, and the forum is loaded with examples of custom actions, as well as simply opening the standard set of actions ( all playmaker actions are open source, so you can really learn from it).


Bye,

 Jean

AarongamerX

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Re: How far can a non programmer take playmaker?
« Reply #3 on: May 29, 2012, 11:52:30 PM »
Thanks for the heads up guys. So i can just copy and paste scripts eh? That sounds awesome. I'm using unity right now as a level designer. I'm working with programmers to make a bullet hell game. It would be cool if i could make a game without any programming. I am used to scripting though. Such as UDK's kismet and Flash's action script.


Red

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Re: How far can a non programmer take playmaker?
« Reply #4 on: June 19, 2012, 08:32:53 PM »
To be fair, even though pretty much everyone here will sing it's praise, it can be a bit on the intimidating side if you're just getting into using it... there are a TON of actions and knowing which action to use in a particular situation can leave you drawing a blank.

that's why i would strongly suggest you check out the tutorials since they will give you a good idea of just how flexible this add-on is.

I can't count on my hands and feet how many times i would draw a blank when going "okay, i need to do this... but how?!" but, that's why there's the wiki, the tutorials and the community.

if you stick with it, you can learn quite a bit.
« Last Edit: June 19, 2012, 08:35:23 PM by Red »

shinodan

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Re: How far can a non programmer take playmaker?
« Reply #5 on: June 20, 2012, 04:00:38 AM »
MY whole life ive dreamed of making games, but i just dont have a programming brain, i know basics but i can only really make small amendments to scripts already there.

That is why i feel ive robbed playmaker, it gives me the ability to "wire up" commands and scripts that open up a world of possibility for my games, i now look at game mechanics and constantly think about how i could do something similar with playmaker in my games, and its always possible.

Im kinda lucky really, if playmaker had not appeared i might have given up trying to make games......