Cheap/free web game environment

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Original post by JBourrieAny recommendations?

Well, you could always give Java a try. I realize that many people have come down hard on Java for programming because it's an interpreted, not compiled, language - but it will run on any computer and on any operating system, and for what it's worth, it is a very complete, extensive, and powerful language to use. If you want to do game design, consider Java3d.

Processing is a Java based environment, and got really slow at resolutions higher than 200x200 (approx.)

Is that the fault of Processing, is this an issue that doesn't happen when using Java directly? I had assumed that the Java environment was to blame. Maybe not?

Might be Processing's fault, it layers a bunch of stuff on top of the normal Java canvas stuff.

I'd at least try Java to see if it's much different.

I'll do that. Java is pretty easy, just the speed hit had me worried. If that's processings fault, then I'm set with Java. Thanks :)

I haven't personally used it myself, but I hear WildTangent is pretty good? (I recommend JAVA, though).

Not sure there is a huge amount of choice really, at least not if you want to try and target a decent marketshare. The main environments being Flash (its only $699, Studio is $999), Director/Shockwave (more expensive), Java. There are a few others (Virtools or Unity3D for example - both focus on 3D), but as I said the plugins arn't exactly ubiquitous.

I wouldn't worry about Java speed, in fact i'd hazzard a guess that its probably the fastest environment available, since all others are interuprted.

You can forget about WildTangent, when I last looked at it, it had been discontinued for sometime, they appear to be focusing on developing their own games from their new engine now.

So given your budget i'd say Java is the way to go ;)

Personally i'd suggest looking at Director, but its out of your price range and the 3D engine is getting a bit old these days. It does have the largest plugin user base for 3D and lets you quickly prototype. If you can find D8.5 then you get access to Havok, although its probably less featured than you are use to.

Its worth checking out mtasc which is a free open source action script compiler which allows you to create flash swf files, without having to buy the expensive Flash studio:

www.mtasc.org

This was also discussed on the following thread:

www.gamedev.net/community/forums/topic.asp?topic_id=410145

How about Virtools? I've seen some good things about it, namely this article about it. However, its website seems to be down or moved, or nonexistant or something.

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Original post by Ezbez How about Virtools? I've seen some good things about it, namely this article about it. However, its website seems to be down or moved, or nonexistant or something.

Virtools probably has the most advacned, fully featured 3D engine of any of the online web plugins. Its major drawback is its price, which I believe (from memory) is several thousand pounds ( might even have been as high as $5k and thats without some extras like physics)

Odd the site is down, probably just a glitch.

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Original post by abstractworlds Its worth checking out mtasc which is a free open source action script compiler which allows you to create flash swf files, without having to buy the expensive Flash studio: www.mtasc.org This was also discussed on the following thread: www.gamedev.net/community/forums/topic.asp?topic_id=410145

Yeah, I looked into the whole open-source flash FLAMES thing. The resources are few and far between, and the learning curve just seems too high for a quick hobby project.

I think I'll see how well it works using Java, since it's free and I already know the language. I'm actually a bit surprised, now that I think about it, that Processing scared me away from it. It's obvious that people have written programs at higher resolutions in Java... I wonder what it is that makes it so slow?

if you're already familiar with opengl, don't hesitate to take a look at jogl(jsr-231). and yes, it works with applets.

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Original post by gumpy macdrunken if you're already familiar with opengl, don't hesitate to take a look at jogl(jsr-231). and yes, it works with applets.

Wow, yeah, that's awesome :)