Looking for Opportunities to Use Playmaker for Game Development

[Shub]

Hello,

I’ve been exploring Unity for game development, and Playmaker stands out as an incredible tool for bringing ideas to life. I’m currently in a tough financial spot and cannot afford the license, even at the discounted price, but I’m eager to use Playmaker to work on a small project that means a lot to me.

I was wondering if there are any programs, options, or temporary access opportunities for developers in my situation to start working with Playmaker. I’m more than willing to pay for it as soon as I’m financially able.

Any advice or support from the community or developers would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for considering my situation!

[jeanfabre]

Hi,

Unfortunatly, there is no trial version of "free" version of PlayMaker.

It's currently at a 50% discount at $33 so I think it's a very good deal indeed.

Bye,

Jean

[Shub]

Hi,

Unfortunatly, there is no trial version of "free" version of PlayMaker.

It's currently at a 50% discount at $33 so I think it's a very good deal indeed.

Bye,

Jean

Hi Jean,

Thank you for your reply! I completely agree that the current discount is a great deal, and I really wish I could take advantage of it. Unfortunately, my financial situation right now doesn’t allow for it, even at the discounted price.

I understand there’s no free version or trial, but I was wondering if there are any community initiatives or developer programs that could help someone in my situation? I’d love to support Playmaker properly in the future, but I’m just looking for a way to start using it legitimately to continue developing my project.

Thank you for considering, and I appreciate your time!

[jeanfabre]

Hi,

Depending on your age, assuming your are a teenager or in your 20's I would suggest you find any job, just to save money and invest in this. You need a powerful computer, you need to pay for internet, rent, etc etc, so try to carefully analyze your budget and find a way to make some cuts so that you can afford the $30, because on a monthly budget, $30 is like a meal, so I am confident you can start saving  a couple of dollars here and there and in a couple of weeks, you have your $30 easy.

I used to wash dishes in shitty, dirty, junky bars until 3 in the morning to afford what I wanted, use to take boring jobs at packing factory in 12 hours shifts until I could find the job of my dreams. That was really shitty and depressing to be honest, but looking back, I don't regret it, it made it even more blatant that I really wanted to be a realtime 3d dev, as I was working these jobs...

Xmas is coming, instead of asking for socks, toys or else ask for playmaker! I used to ask for computing books on 3ds max, AutoCad, photoshop, flash programming when I was young, it's far more useful than a meaningless gift that will take the dust in a drawer...

Bye,

Jean

[Shub]

Hi,

Depending on your age, assuming your are a teenager or in your 20's I would suggest you find any job, just to save money and invest in this. You need a powerful computer, you need to pay for internet, rent, etc etc, so try to carefully analyze your budget and find a way to make some cuts so that you can afford the $30, because on a monthly budget, $30 is like a meal, so I am confident you can start saving  a couple of dollars here and there and in a couple of weeks, you have your $30 easy.

I used to wash dishes in shitty, dirty, junky bars until 3 in the morning to afford what I wanted, use to take boring jobs at packing factory in 12 hours shifts until I could find the job of my dreams. That was really shitty and depressing to be honest, but looking back, I don't regret it, it made it even more blatant that I really wanted to be a realtime 3d dev, as I was working these jobs...

Xmas is coming, instead of asking for socks, toys or else ask for playmaker! I used to ask for computing books on 3ds max, AutoCad, photoshop, flash programming when I was young, it's far more useful than a meaningless gift that will take the dust in a drawer...

Bye,

Jean

Hi Jean,

Thank you so much for your thoughtful and honest reply. Hearing your story and how you worked so hard to pursue your dreams is truly inspiring. It’s a reminder to me that dedication and perseverance can lead to great things.

I understand now that I should focus on finding creative ways to save or earn, even if it means starting small. For now, I plan to use Bolt to complete my project, but I hope to eventually earn enough to purchase Playmaker and support the amazing work you’ve done.

Your advice about asking for meaningful gifts like tools or learning materials also made me think differently about priorities thank you for that perspective.

Thank you again for taking the time to share your experience. It means a lot.

Best regards,
Shub

[jeanfabre]

Hi,

I am glad I could help

Yes. start with Bolt, also, don't shy away from learning c# it's not that hard after all, your best skill set will be when you can use both c# and PlayMaker inside Unity, you'll be all mighty and very productive.

Also, if you want to know more about my journey, we made a podcast with Stephen a while back, Alex Chouls ( the one behind PlayMaker) also did a podcast:

Bye,

Jean

[Broken Stylus]

Your main issue is that of money. If you can't afford spending $33 on a crucial tool, you won't get far on any kind of work. It's not just video games, you need money to do anything and that's because you need to acquire tools, be it solid stuff or software. And we haven't even gotten into the part where you may need a website and to do some promotion there too.

So first things first, find a job, even a half-time cheap one that would give you the rest of your month free time to work on whatever you want, it will go a long way to make your situation much better. It will also make you more confident and give you a sense of mattering as you do something.

Also, do not start a company unless you really do have a clear business solution that guarantees revenue within a year. Don't pay attention to indie dev stories where they stay stuck on the same project for years, most of them feature devs who already had enough money, networks and collaborators to go solo, and that's when the videos don't completely skim the grim parts.

Thank you for listening to my Ted talk.

[Shub]

Hi,

I am glad I could help

Yes. start with Bolt, also, don't shy away from learning c# it's not that hard after all, your best skill set will be when you can use both c# and PlayMaker inside Unity, you'll be all mighty and very productive.

Also, if you want to know more about my journey, we made a podcast with Stephen a while back, Alex Chouls ( the one behind PlayMaker) also did a podcast:

Bye,

Jean

Hi Jean,

I wanted to reach out and let you know that I've finally been able to purchase Playmaker! After our conversation, I took your advice to heart and found ways to save, and I’m excited to say that I can now fully invest in this incredible tool.

Thank you so much for your encouragement and for sharing your journey. It truly inspired me to stay persistent and keep pushing forward, even when things seemed tough. I can’t wait to dive deeper into Playmaker and fully integrate it into my project. Your advice on combining Playmaker with C# was also really motivating, and I look forward to learning both to become even more productive in Unity.

I’m extremely grateful for your support, and I hope to give back to this community in the future. I’m excited to keep progressing in my development journey, and Playmaker will be a huge part of that.

Best regards,
Shub

[jeanfabre]

Hi Shub!

Great I am glad you made the effort, it's a very positive move indeed!

Be sure to ping me on your progress, and ask questions on this forum. if you don't get any replied within a couple of days, ping me or email me and I'll take care of it.

Bye!

Jean

[akalp121]

I completely understand your situation—Playmaker is indeed a fantastic tool for Unity development, and it’s frustrating when financial constraints stand in the way of creative projects. While Playmaker doesn’t have an official free or trial version, there are a few avenues you might explore to gain access temporarily or find alternatives. First, consider reaching out directly to Hutong Games, the developers of Playmaker, to explain your situation. Some companies offer educational discounts, extended trial periods, or even temporary licenses for passionate developers in need, especially if your project has personal or non-commercial significance. It never hurts to ask politely—many indie developers have found success with a well-worded request.

If that isn’t an option, you might look into Unity’s Asset Store sales, as Playmaker occasionally goes on deeper discounts during major events like Black Friday or Unity sales. Alternatively, you could explore free or lower-cost visual scripting tools like Bolt (now free with Unity) or NodeCanvas (which sometimes has steeper discounts). While they aren’t identical to Playmaker, they can still help you prototype your ideas while you save up for Playmaker down the line.

Lastly, keep an eye on humble bundles or developer giveaways—sometimes tools like Playmaker are included in charity bundles or promotional offers. In the meantime, you could also dive into Playmaker’s documentation and tutorials to prepare yourself for when you do get access. I hope one of these options works out for you, and I wish you the best with your project! Let me know if you’d like recommendations for learning resources in the meantime.