So, what is a game engine? I am sure if you are reading this you already know the answer to this, but for those of you who do not know: A game engine is the basic frame of a video game. It is the software you create your world in and it is the software you play a game in. For me it is what I use to stitch together my assets to create an environment.
There are many different gaming Editors out there available for those who want to experiment. Currently I am working in Cryengine but know a fair amount of UDK as well. Within those editors you can create a map - a world if you like, which you can then populate with your assets or just use the basic items already found in engine.
So why are engines important?
Well without one there would not be a game - so yeah, they're pretty important. Be it on your new Xbox one or your android phone, they all have engines but different companies use different ones. Some even use their own personal design. I intend to explore just a few of these engines today.
Cryengine 3 - Known for games such as Crysis and Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2.
Might as well start with the engine I know more about. Using Cryengine has been a lot easier for me in comparison with UDK as I found its interface easier to deal with. All you had to do was put the right file in the right folder and your object was in, setting up a material for the asset could be done through 3DS Max or through Cryengine itself, but it was simple to set up and easy to remember. The nice thing about using CryEngine is that no coding is necessary. I am familiar with some basic HTML coding but not with other types of coding.
Being able to move my assets, place, scale and even create collisions directly in the engine is incredibly useful if your proportions seem slightly off.
As for functions Cryengine has the ability to port to new gen consoles, PS3/Xbox 360/PC and even Ios and Android, considering how powerful mobile phones are they're becoming a larger and larger part of the gaming industry world - this gives users of Cryengine a much larger market, rather than only porting to a single console.
Overall Cryengine 3 has a nice easy interface to understand and is capable of working with many platforms. Now lets look at a more specific engine.
GameMaker - developed by Yo-yo games and typically known for Hotline Miami.
This is an engine mainly used for mobile gaming platforms and PC/web hosted games. It is relatively cheap in comparison with some of the larger engines available. The nice thing about this particular editor is that is it easy to use, be it used by a novice or long time experienced game creator. It specializes in 2D style games rather than 3D but can be used to create games quickly. Larger companies could spend a year working on a game in an editor like Cryengine or UDK, whilst a nifty little engine like GameMaker can have a single person create their game in a matter of weeks. The editor also has real time physics available and Open Source Audio.
Of course there are disadvantages to go along side its advantages. The market is cut by a relatively large amount by not porting to Playstation or Xbox arcade, meaning many games created can only be placed via PC or Mobile- of course this is no problem if the game you are developing is for PC or Mobile.
There are many engines out there for people to try, you just have to find the one you work with best and hone your skills using it. There are plenty of tutorials to help people along the way.
Links and references:
http://www.develop-online.net/news/the-top-14-game-engines-the-list-in-full/0114330
http://www.deluge.co/?q=what-is-a-game-engine
https://www.yoyogames.com/
http://www.crydev.net/
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