I feel very inspired to create an original board game for the Rift with lots of 3D animations, etc. However I need an engine to do this as I want to see results fast.There are three engines I have in mind - Unity, UDK and CryENGINE. Are there any others?CryENGINE is my first pick before UDK and last Unity. Unity is last simply because I have to pay upfront. The other two are free until you actually start making money. And if you release anything for free they will also stay free.CryENGINE is my first choice because I get the latest engine for free while UDKs latest version is still kept for licensing only. And the latest version of CryENGINE also have native Oculus support as to the UDK needing its own build.Why I even have Unity in my list is because it is a clean game engine, not created for a specific title in mind. While CryENGINE and UDK are made for 1st person shooter games. As you can see when starting an almost clean level you still get the first person view with a gun ready to use.So my question is this. While CryENGINE and UDK are 1st person shooter engines. How hard/easy will it be to create a 3rd person board game with these egines? Can they be reworked to be any game type even far away from the 1st person shooter genre they initially are?Any thoughts as to what game engine to choose if I want to create games other than 1st person games? (Actually, the board game will be a 1st person game, not just a move-around-and-shoot game)

Unity is also Native with Oculus, just so you know, and its really simple to create any kind of game with these engines, cause all of them start in FPS mode, that's only because its the only camera that doesn't require a mesh meaning, it suits most games on launch and allows for simple development. I have been taught more UDK than any other engine, and to create a 3rd Person is simple you just offset the camera in the UScript, but to make a board game will require more work, but I know its possible as my Team from university made a Grid Based Board game similar to XCom and how that moves but on a more rigid platform. Why would you want to make a 3rd Person board game using the Oculus Rift though? Doesn't that totally defeat the point of simulating a 1st person experience/Virtual Reality?You did mention its 1st person on the board now, but that only confuses me more, but i hope my information helped, All engines are very capable of 3rd Person easily, UDK more than others i'd say, its much more thoroughly documented especially if Unity is your last choice

"Nemecys" wrote:Unity is also Native with Oculus, just so you know, and its really simple to create any kind of game with these engines, cause all of them start in FPS mode, that's only because its the only camera that doesn't require a mesh meaning, it suits most games on launch and allows for simple development. I have been taught more UDK than any other engine, and to create a 3rd Person is simple you just offset the camera in the UScript, but to make a board game will require more work, but I know its possible as my Team from university made a Grid Based Board game similar to XCom and how that moves but on a more rigid platform. Why would you want to make a 3rd Person board game using the Oculus Rift though? Doesn't that totally defeat the point of simulating a 1st person experience/Virtual Reality?You did mention its 1st person on the board now, but that only confuses me more, but i hope my information helped, All engines are very capable of 3rd Person easily, UDK more than others i'd say, its much more thoroughly documented especially if Unity is your last choiceThanx for a good reply. Yes, I do know that Unity comes native with Oculus. If it didn't it wouldn't be an option at all :) I do know I've been mixing 1st person and 3rd person. It almost makes me a bit fuzzy. Think about this. Without the Oculus, any board game is 3rd person. It is only with the Oculus a board game becomes 1st person. But it is only the view that is 1st person, in VR the actual game is 3rd person.Anyhow, this is something I'm going to have fun with creating a board game...

If you want to see results fast, then Unity really is the best option.You get a 4 month trial with the Rift purchase, so that should be enough time to start prototyping your game.Both UDK and CryEngine were designed for FPS games, but if you should still be able to make a board game if that's what you want. I don't have enough experience with either engine to say which one is better.Also, if you are more comfortable with C++ programming, you can look at Torque or OGRE, both of which have unofficial Rift support. Torque seems pretty fully featured, and is open source MIT licensed (so totally free). OGRE is also open-source, but it's just a rendering API, you will still need find other libraries for sounds/physics/networking/etc.

"cybereality" wrote:If you want to see results fast, then Unity really is the best option.You get a 4 month trial with the Rift purchase, so that should be enough time to start prototyping your game.Both UDK and CryEngine were designed for FPS games, but if you should still be able to make a board game if that's what you want. I don't have enough experience with either engine to say which one is better.Also, if you are more comfortable with C++ programming, you can look at Torque or OGRE, both of which have unofficial Rift support. Torque seems pretty fully featured, and is open source MIT licensed (so totally free). OGRE is also open-source, but it's just a rendering API, you will still need find other libraries for sounds/physics/networking/etc.Thanx. I will take a look at Torque. I'm comming from years of C++ so having to do some real programming is a huge pro for me. My nemisis is 3D design :cry:

Has anyone done a serious platform comparison looking at the pros and cons of choosing between UDK, Unity, Cry, and Torque? My take on this so far; UDK is lagging with little or no support in sight. CryEngine has an awkward pipeline using cgf and dds files so work with certain software might be wonky. Torque looks a bit stunted in the quality of rendering and materials. Leaving Unity that will require a $3000 commitment one way or the other, either $75 a month for nearly two years of development or pay it up front before there is any revenue stream; for two of us.Paying for Unity is not out of the question, but from everything I've seen, which is obviously NOT everything, the image quality of the engines for an exploratory world seems to me to favor UDK or Cry, hence why I had chosen UDK.Any thoughts?

What engine to choose | Meta Community Forums

21 Replies

Nemecys
Honored Guest
12 years ago
Unity is also Native with Oculus, just so you know, and its really simple to create any kind of game with these engines, cause all of them start in FPS mode, that's only because its the only camera that doesn't require a mesh meaning, it suits most games on launch and allows for simple development.

I have been taught more UDK than any other engine, and to create a 3rd Person is simple you just offset the camera in the UScript, but to make a board game will require more work, but I know its possible as my Team from university made a Grid Based Board game similar to XCom and how that moves but on a more rigid platform.

Why would you want to make a 3rd Person board game using the Oculus Rift though? Doesn't that totally defeat the point of simulating a 1st person experience/Virtual Reality?

You did mention its 1st person on the board now, but that only confuses me more, but i hope my information helped, All engines are very capable of 3rd Person easily, UDK more than others i'd say, its much more thoroughly documented especially if Unity is your last choice
Anonymous
12 years ago
"Nemecys" wrote:
Unity is also Native with Oculus, just so you know, and its really simple to create any kind of game with these engines, cause all of them start in FPS mode, that's only because its the only camera that doesn't require a mesh meaning, it suits most games on launch and allows for simple development.

I have been taught more UDK than any other engine, and to create a 3rd Person is simple you just offset the camera in the UScript, but to make a board game will require more work, but I know its possible as my Team from university made a Grid Based Board game similar to XCom and how that moves but on a more rigid platform.

Why would you want to make a 3rd Person board game using the Oculus Rift though? Doesn't that totally defeat the point of simulating a 1st person experience/Virtual Reality?

You did mention its 1st person on the board now, but that only confuses me more, but i hope my information helped, All engines are very capable of 3rd Person easily, UDK more than others i'd say, its much more thoroughly documented especially if Unity is your last choice

Thanx for a good reply. Yes, I do know that Unity comes native with Oculus. If it didn't it wouldn't be an option at all :)

I do know I've been mixing 1st person and 3rd person. It almost makes me a bit fuzzy. Think about this. Without the Oculus, any board game is 3rd person. It is only with the Oculus a board game becomes 1st person. But it is only the view that is 1st person, in VR the actual game is 3rd person.

Anyhow, this is something I'm going to have fun with creating a board game...
cybereality
Grand Champion
12 years ago
If you want to see results fast, then Unity really is the best option.

You get a 4 month trial with the Rift purchase, so that should be enough time to start prototyping your game.

Both UDK and CryEngine were designed for FPS games, but if you should still be able to make a board game if that's what you want. I don't have enough experience with either engine to say which one is better.

Also, if you are more comfortable with C++ programming, you can look at Torque or OGRE, both of which have unofficial Rift support. Torque seems pretty fully featured, and is open source MIT licensed (so totally free). OGRE is also open-source, but it's just a rendering API, you will still need find other libraries for sounds/physics/networking/etc.
Anonymous
12 years ago
"cybereality" wrote:
If you want to see results fast, then Unity really is the best option.

You get a 4 month trial with the Rift purchase, so that should be enough time to start prototyping your game.

Both UDK and CryEngine were designed for FPS games, but if you should still be able to make a board game if that's what you want. I don't have enough experience with either engine to say which one is better.

Also, if you are more comfortable with C++ programming, you can look at Torque or OGRE, both of which have unofficial Rift support. Torque seems pretty fully featured, and is open source MIT licensed (so totally free). OGRE is also open-source, but it's just a rendering API, you will still need find other libraries for sounds/physics/networking/etc.

Thanx. I will take a look at Torque. I'm comming from years of C++ so having to do some real programming is a huge pro for me. My nemisis is 3D design :cry:
unity2k
Honored Guest
12 years ago
Has anyone done a serious platform comparison looking at the pros and cons of choosing between UDK, Unity, Cry, and Torque?

My take on this so far; UDK is lagging with little or no support in sight. CryEngine has an awkward pipeline using cgf and dds files so work with certain software might be wonky. Torque looks a bit stunted in the quality of rendering and materials. Leaving Unity that will require a $3000 commitment one way or the other, either $75 a month for nearly two years of development or pay it up front before there is any revenue stream; for two of us.

Paying for Unity is not out of the question, but from everything I've seen, which is obviously NOT everything, the image quality of the engines for an exploratory world seems to me to favor UDK or Cry, hence why I had chosen UDK.

Any thoughts?
Anonymous
12 years ago
"unity2k" wrote:
Has anyone done a serious platform comparison looking at the pros and cons of choosing between UDK, Unity, Cry, and Torque?

My take on this so far; UDK is lagging with little or no support in sight. CryEngine has an awkward pipeline using cgf and dds files so work with certain software might be wonky. Torque looks a bit stunted in the quality of rendering and materials. Leaving Unity that will require a $3000 commitment one way or the other, either $75 a month for nearly two years of development or pay it up front before there is any revenue stream; for two of us.

Paying for Unity is not out of the question, but from everything I've seen, which is obviously NOT everything, the image quality of the engines for an exploratory world seems to me to favor UDK or Cry, hence why I had chosen UDK.

Any thoughts?

Just one more. Even though what you say is correct at the moment - that Rift support is best in Unity. Choosing either UDK or CryENGINE now will most likely mean better Rift support in the future.

I have been going from one engine to the next, trying to find the differences and who have the best documentation/tutorials, and what simply suits me the best. And it seems like I might stop at UDK.

The one reason I don't go for Unity is pricing. If unity had licensing options like UDK or CryENGINE I would go for it right away. And the only reason for choosing Unity is simplicity.
cybereality
Grand Champion
12 years ago
I would not pick an engine based on visual quality. When you look at the screenshots you are mostly looking at the quality of the artwork, or the included visual effects. They all ultimately use the same DirectX API calls to draw graphics using a GPU. Any modern engine will allow you do attain similar graphical quality given the same art assets.

I would be much more interested in the ease of use, the art asset pipeline, available help or tutorials, the size of the community, cost and licensing options, etc. These are the things that are much more important.
aguilar92
Honored Guest
12 years ago
Which engine did you end up going with I can't decide either myself. Which do you guys think is the best free engine? I've been using torque but I cant seem to find many tutorials.
raidho36
Explorer
12 years ago
I've made a bit research into this and, well, it's really complicaed quesiton. Looks like you'd have to lay out cards with a bunch of top engines' names to the lucky wheel and spin it, and then just stick to it. I say it's Torque, CryEngine, UDK and Unity, maybe a bunch of other less notorious engines, maybe some obscure ones.
KrisRedbeard
Explorer
12 years ago
It will be nice when (if?) we can put Unreal Engine 4 into the list of possibilities.
C++ source.

Blueprint visual scripting system.

Native Rift support.

Nextgen visuals.