Homebrew [Request] A app that can make even small games without coding.

[Sono]

@Jacklack3: Again, if you want, I could send you the development executables if you want to test them.

I can't upload it, because it corrupted along with my other projects

Anyways, speaking of Lua... I'll rename my project from "MarioMaker3DS" to "Mario Engine", because it's more programmable than it's a level maker xD

 

[Jacklack3]

It never goes to "C# shit", it doesn't even come close to it's syntax. Even searching "lua tutorials" brings up multitudes of tutorials.


There is already good documentation for existing lua engines, he just can't find it apparently.

Lua-users wiki
Love wiki
LPP docs


If your only intent is to start arguments, why did you even bother creating a thread. Nothing in his reply ever downplayed you.

Im not aguring. im just saying that as long as it treats me like a 4 year old im fine.

 

[thatbooisaspy]

Im not aguring. im just saying that as long as it treats me like a 4 year old im fine.

Whoops, misread, sorry. I thought it said "Sure, as long as you stop treating me like a 4 year old"

 

[Jacklack3]

Whoops, misread, sorry. I thought it said "Sure, as long as you stop treating me like a 4 year old"

Oh. Thats okay. I was thinking you misread it. No prob. xD

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Feel free to list some ways you can do this!

 

[Damon_girl]

Is lua really easy to learn? Can someone with zero programming and coding skills learn it?

 

[MasterFeizz]

Is lua really easy to learn? Can someone with zero programming and coding skills learn it?

Yes, someone with zero skills can also learn c or c++, well any language actually. If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. Also, start small and make your way up, don't start with big projects.

 

[The_Nanobots]

Feel free to list some ways you can do this!

If you really want to be treated like a 4 year old, and have a copy of minecraft(It should be simple enough to find a hacked edition) then I would recommend http://computercraftedu.com/ for your introductory lua tutorial. It's sort of a tutorial to get you familiar with programming in general, then into lua after it thinks you are ready.

Is lua really easy to learn? Can someone with zero programming and coding skills learn it?

It's definitely on my list of easy languages to program in, considering I started with it. Absolutely a much better first language than C, FORTH, or Lisp.

 

[zoogie]

For the DS there was a paid app called DSgamemaker that did what you were talking about, OP. It was limited to 2d graphics although some nice homebrew came out of it.
I don't know if anyone will bother to make one for the 3ds though.
@Foxi4

 

[Damon_girl]

If you really want to be treated like a 4 year old, and have a copy of minecraft(It should be simple enough to find a hacked edition) then I would recommend http://computercraftedu.com/ for your introductory lua tutorial. It's sort of a tutorial to get you familiar with programming in general, then into lua after it thinks you are ready.

It's definitely on my list of easy languages to program in, considering I started with it. Absolutely a much better first language than C, FORTH, or Lisp.

Do you have to be good at math? Sorry if that's a dumb question, but I notice a lot of these programs use numbers in them so I was curious.

 

[MasterFeizz]

Do you have to be good at math? Sorry if that's a dumb question, but I notice a lot of these programs use numbers in them so I was curious.

It depends on how complex the program you want to make will be. That being said, if you want to make simple games you will only need simple math.

 

[Shadowtrance]

Well....

I'm to impatient to learn lua.
I even tried once but i couldn't find any tutorials what so ever.
It starts with.
print ("Hello World!")
and then it goes to C# shit.

More like too lazy to even try.
Plus, C# and LUA aren't really that much alike at all... For one, one is a scripting language while the other is a mainly object-oriented language.

And what's wrong with C#? Don't be dissin' C#..

There's plenty of tutorials/guides/whatever out there for pretty much every language there is if you look around.

 

[Foxi4]

What the OP is asking for is how to make a cake without knowing how to bake. Even "Game Makers" are designed to *teach* coding principles, not to spit out complete, quality software products (*cough cough* shitty indies *cough*). They're a great starting point for learning, not an actual solution. Learn how to code - it's simple and there's plenty of tutorials available. It's a skill that will translate to other forms of computing (and even logic and mathematics), unlike using some form of drag and drop nonsense. As for the battle between scripting (LUA) and interpreted languages (C#), they both suck - we're talking about a low-power standardized device, a language that compiles to native code like C/C++ would be far superior. The only advantage of LUA or an interpreted language is portability, and that's the last thing you need in an application for a single dedicated platform. Scripts or intetpreted code waste resources that are not plentiful, and even if they were, there's absolutely no reason to waste them in this instance.

 

[jaksy]

What the OP is asking for is how to make a cake without knowing how to bake. Even "Game Makers" are designed to *teach* coding principles, not to spit out complete, quality software products (*cough cough* shitty indies *cough*). They're a great starting point for learning, not an actual solution. Learn how to code - it's simple and there's plenty of tutorials available. It's a skill that will translate to other forms of computing (and even logic and mathematics), unlike using some form of drag and drop nonsense. As for the battle between scripting (LUA) and interpreted languages (C#), they both suck - we're talking about a low-power standardized device, a language that compiles to native code like C/C++ would be far superior. The only advantage of LUA or an interpreted language is portability, and that's the last thing you need in an application for a single dedicated platform. Scripts or intetpreted code waste resources that are not plentiful, and even if they were, there's absolutely no reason to waste them in this instance.

I really don't want to start an argument here, but I strongly disagree with that sentiment about "game making programs" only being for teaching coding principles and not made for creating a marketable end product.

That may have been true ten years ago, but it just doesn't apply any more.

edit: While I of course don't discourage getting a functional knowledge of some basic languages, it'd be unfair to discount "game makers" such as the clickteam products or even "GameMaker" itself as not designed to create an end product.
They are just as feature rich and usable as any other modern game engine/development environment.

Also coding and using a game production tool are not mutually exclusive in any way like you are treating them.

Infact a lot of times they are a good solution as an IDE for quickly building your end executable or porting to another platform.

 

[The_Nanobots]

What the OP is asking for is how to make a cake without knowing how to bake. Even "Game Makers" are designed to *teach* coding principles, not to spit out complete, quality software products (*cough cough* shitty indies *cough*). They're a great starting point for learning, not an actual solution. Learn how to code - it's simple and there's plenty of tutorials available. It's a skill that will translate to other forms of computing (and even logic and mathematics), unlike using some form of drag and drop nonsense. As for the battle between scripting (LUA) and interpreted languages (C#), they both suck - we're talking about a low-power standardized device, a language that compiles to native code like C/C++ would be far superior. The only advantage of LUA or an interpreted language is portability, and that's the last thing you need in an application for a single dedicated platform. Scripts or intetpreted code waste resources that are not plentiful, and even if they were, there's absolutely no reason to waste them in this instance.

Yes programming in C/C++ is the ideal solution, however the games that people will try to build with an scripting language are for all intents and purposes unlikely to need to use all or even most available resources on the 3ds. A gba emulator should absolutely not be written in Lua, but there is no reason that they shouldn't write their tetris or pong clone with it.

 

[Foxi4]

I really don't want to start an argument here, but I strongly disagree with that sentiment about "game making programs" only being for teaching coding principles and not made for creating a marketable end product.

That may have been true ten years ago, but it just doesn't apply any more.

edit: While I of course don't discourage getting a functional knowledge of some basic languages, it'd be unfair to discount "game makers" such as the clickteam products or even "GameMaker" itself as not designed to create an end product.
They are just as feature rich and usable as any other modern game engine/development environment.

Also coding and using a game production tool are not mutually exclusive in any way like you are treating them.

Infact a lot of times they are a good solution as an IDE for quickly building your end executable or porting to another platform.

That's because 10 years ago we had some standards and today Game Maker crap like Undertale gets a GOTY award. Listen, I know this from personal experience - back in the DS days I used to be a very active member of the DS Game Maker community and I wouldn't trade those years for anything else. The framework taught me how programming works, and I don't mean just syntax, I mean the logic of how a computer works. That being said, I quickly reached the limit of what a Game Maker can do and shifted my efforts to learning C in order to build libraries that would expand functionality of DSGM far beyond what it was meant to do. Before long, DSGM itself became the bottleneck to what I could do and expanding further required me to cut off the excess resource-waster. Game Makers are great - they introduce computer logic in a way that's easily digestable, but they're not a complete programming solution and they never will be because they limit your imagination with the imagination of whoever made the Game Maker IDE. Learn C - custom Game Maker syntax and drag-and-drop is cool, but full freedom is better. Grab a library if you must, don't go full bare metal, but don't limit yourself.

Yes programming in C/C++ is the ideal solution, however the games that people will try to build with an scripting language are for all intents and purposes unlikely to need to use all or even most available resources on the 3ds. A gba emulator should absolutely not be written in Lua, but there is no reason that they shouldn't write their tetris or pong clone with it.

You underestimate the ambition of homebrew programmers, see above. Back in the day, DSGM didn't support 3D - I spent many sleepless nights to make it do just that, but it broke core functionality in the process. With clean code the process would be substantially easier and wouldn't require any fenagling, but I thought to myself - "there are kids out there who want to do this but can't due to artificial limitations, I have to make it happen", so I did. Now, I'm no coding prodigy, I'm self-taught, but I know one thing - if I can learn this with no coding background, anyone can. Just do it - dip your toes in, read examples, experiment and become passionate about the hobby, that's the way to do it.

 

[Jacklack3]

That's because 10 years ago we had some standards and today Game Maker crap like Undertale gets a GOTY award. Listen, I know this from personal experience - back in the DS days I used to be a very active member of the DS Game Maker community and I wouldn't trade those years for anything else. The framework taught me how programming works, and I don't mean just syntax, I mean the logic of how a computer works. That being said, I quickly reached the limit of what a Game Maker can do and shifted my efforts to learning C in order to build libraries that would expand functionality of DSGM far beyond what it was meant to do. Before long, DSGM itself became the bottleneck to what I could do and expanding further required me to cut off the excess resource-waster. Game Makers are great - they introduce computer logic in a way that's easily digestable, but they're not a complete programming solution and they never will be because they limit your imagination with the imagination of whoever made the Game Maker IDE. Learn C - custom Game Maker syntax and drag-and-drop is cool, but full freedom is better. Grab a library if you must, don't go full bare metal, but don't limit yourself.
You underestimate the ambition of homebrew programmers, see above. Back in the day, DSGM didn't support 3D - I spent many sleepless nights to make it do just that, but it broke core functionality in the process. With clean code the process would be substantially easier and wouldn't require any fenagling, but I thought to myself - "there are kids out there who want to do this but can't due to artificial limitations, I have to make it happen", so I did. Now, I'm no coding prodigy, I'm self-taught, but I know one thing - if I can learn this with no coding background, anyone can. Just do it - dip your toes in, read examples, experiment and become passionate about the hobby, that's the way to do it.

I think Game Makers can teach someone the basics of coding while letting them do what they want to!

Its kinda more better to have limitations because you find workarounds that look awesome and could get you known.

Game makers are sometimes not the solution.

The reason why i don't like coding is you have to remember a whole bunch of nonsence and it can be very messy and forgetful.

Thats why i like Scratch. Yea sure it doesn't teach me anything about programming at all but it does let me do what i want to do...Make the things i want to.

If you have a programming language or a game maker im fine with that.. But the problem is that everybody doesn't care if you can make the best game in the world with it or that its so simple for happy creative people to make stuff... They care how it looks.

I feel we are being stupid for hating on something that does the same thing but just simpler.

I agree that there are TONS of limitations but there are workarounds that can be mindblowing.

If you want me to code, make it like Super Mario Maker.

Have sound effects, make it so easy, make it colorful, make it fun to just make stuff....

Scratch is just right for me, and there are converters that can convert it into a real program.

And i feel other people feel this way too. So thats why i suggested this.

 

[HeyItsJono]

That's because 10 years ago we had some standards and today Game Maker crap like Undertale gets a GOTY award. Listen, I know this from personal experience - back in the DS days I used to be a very active member of the DS Game Maker community and I wouldn't trade those years for anything else. The framework taught me how programming works, and I don't mean just syntax, I mean the logic of how a computer works. That being said, I quickly reached the limit of what a Game Maker can do and shifted my efforts to learning C in order to build libraries that would expand functionality of DSGM far beyond what it was meant to do. Before long, DSGM itself became the bottleneck to what I could do and expanding further required me to cut off the excess resource-waster. Game Makers are great - they introduce computer logic in a way that's easily digestable, but they're not a complete programming solution and they never will be because they limit your imagination with the imagination of whoever made the Game Maker IDE. Learn C - custom Game Maker syntax and drag-and-drop is cool, but full freedom is better. Grab a library if you must, don't go full bare metal, but don't limit yourself.
You underestimate the ambition of homebrew programmers, see above. Back in the day, DSGM didn't support 3D - I spent many sleepless nights to make it do just that, but it broke core functionality in the process. With clean code the process would be substantially easier and wouldn't require any fenagling, but I thought to myself - "there are kids out there who want to do this but can't due to artificial limitations, I have to make it happen", so I did. Now, I'm no coding prodigy, I'm self-taught, but I know one thing - if I can learn this with no coding background, anyone can. Just do it - dip your toes in, read examples, experiment and become passionate about the hobby, that's the way to do it.

Different strokes for different folks, friend. There is no one set right way to approach these sorts of things. Obviously C/etc have their advantages but they have major disadvantages too; they are not by any means entry level. I mean sure some people could pull it off but if someone is looking for something like a Game Maker then the solution for them is not to tell them to go learn C++. It's great that you managed to find a passion in it and that you managed to learn a lot but that does not apply to everyone, or even most people for that matter. Starting with something like C is enough to frustrate people and have them give up early, whereas starting on Lua or with something like Game Maker gives time for passion and curiosity to build. Seriously though, there's no need to bash simpler methods of doing things just because in your case, going complex worked out. And as for the whole "10 years ago we had some standards". Lol, I don't know who 'we' is but you've honestly got to understand that these things are subjective opinion. If Game Maker games and games like Undertale don't do it for you, that's more than OK. But it's very clear that these games are much loved by many people, that doesn't indicate a drop in standards it just indicates a difference in opinion. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, just like there's nothing wrong with using GM or drag-and-drop solutions or Lua. I wish there was a drag-and-drop style app for homebrew development, it would mean an easy, entry level method of getting people like OP who just want to exercise their creativity in a way that works for them interested in the scene. And from there, who knows what the community might achieve.

 

[jaksy]

That's because 10 years ago we had some standards and today Game Maker crap like Undertale gets a GOTY award. Listen, I know this from personal experience - back in the DS days I used to be a very active member of the DS Game Maker community and I wouldn't trade those years for anything else. The framework taught me how programming works, and I don't mean just syntax, I mean the logic of how a computer works. That being said, I quickly reached the limit of what a Game Maker can do and shifted my efforts to learning C in order to build libraries that would expand functionality of DSGM far beyond what it was meant to do. Before long, DSGM itself became the bottleneck to what I could do and expanding further required me to cut off the excess resource-waster. Game Makers are great - they introduce computer logic in a way that's easily digestable, but they're not a complete programming solution and they never will be because they limit your imagination with the imagination of whoever made the Game Maker IDE. Learn C - custom Game Maker syntax and drag-and-drop is cool, but full freedom is better. Grab a library if you must, don't go full bare metal, but don't limit yourself.
You underestimate the ambition of homebrew programmers, see above. Back in the day, DSGM didn't support 3D - I spent many sleepless nights to make it do just that, but it broke core functionality in the process. With clean code the process would be substantially easier and wouldn't require any fenagling, but I thought to myself - "there are kids out there who want to do this but can't due to artificial limitations, I have to make it happen", so I did. Now, I'm no coding prodigy, I'm self-taught, but I know one thing - if I can learn this with no coding background, anyone can. Just do it - dip your toes in, read examples, experiment and become passionate about the hobby, that's the way to do it.

Again you're painting with a very broad brush, and pushing your own opinions as fact.
Games like Five Nights at Freddy's, Undertale, Wings of Vi are generally well regarded, regardless of the tool used to create them, what's actually important is the end product and many people really love those games.
You're not going to get far in a constructive discussion when you blast games out of nowhere without any real argument to back it up, as without reasoning it sounds like spite from jealousy of their perceived undeserved success.

While of course being bound by a game making application can be limiting if you are beyond it, it can also be an extremely useful tool if you utilize it properly.
I'm not sure about ds game maker in particular(it's probably can't be used as an IDE like clickteam products can be), but I imagine you've had a rather limited experience with these creation tools and probably don't realize just how functional they are.
I'm just as old as you and I've been familiar with these products for over 15 years, I'm not pulling it out of my ass when I say they've come a long way.

I'd also like to point out limitations aren't inherently a bad thing, as we all know from console gaming, limitations often breed creativity.

 

[Rinnegatamante]

https://gbatemp.net/threads/hcge-multiplatform-game-engine-sonic-mega-man.375559/

 

[MRJPGames]

Ok, so it could be done.
I don't know if it will be done though, you'ld essentially have to make a game, a level editor a sprite editor and stuff. Essentially quite a lot of work, and all games would probably feel about the same.

I think a more realistic idea is for someone to make a game (a platformer for instance) and then add a level editor, but if someone wants to make it I do think it would be a fun homebrew, just a lot of work.