Free level editing software

[Sirrus]

What I've always wondered about game companies is how they can give out their SDKs for free. Examples: Source SDK and Unreal SDK.

Basically what I'm wondering is why Source and Unreal's SDKs are free when Torque 3D is $1,000. I know Torque 3D can be used to design games from the ground up, but if you know LUA, Blender, Hammer, Source SDK's choreography tool/face animator, and all the free software used for game design, couldn't you make a game comparable to HL2 from the ground up using free software?

Can someone who knows a lot about this please explain it to me?

[Ad Bot]

[Dusty12]

I don't think either of those developers really have problems with you making a game so long as you don't try and sell it.

[Saber15]

What I've always wondered about game companies is how they can give out their SDKs for free. Examples: Source SDK and Unreal SDK.

Basically what I'm wondering is why Source and Unreal's SDKs are free when Torque 3D is $1,000. I know Torque 3D can be used to design games from the ground up, but if you know LUA, Blender, Hammer, Source SDK's choreography tool/face animator, and all the free software used for game design, couldn't you make a game comparable to HL2 from the ground up using free software?

Can someone who knows a lot about this please explain it to me?

Torque 3D is a pre-made tool for making stuff (and is the whole Torque engine, IIRC); it'd take a tenth of the time to make a game using Torque 3D as all the other (probably incompatible) tools you listed.
The free Source SDK can only be used to make mods; it doesn't have the Source Engine's source code.

[OneWithFire]

I don't think either of those developers really have problems with you making a game so long as you don't try and sell it.

There you go.


People use SDK to make all the half life mods you see, but if you try to sell your mod, you're in for a huge lawsuit.

Hell, im even starting with my VGD colleagues to make a half life mod, because they know a bit of scripting along with me, im just the lonely old texture and map designer.


:c

[Sirrus]

Torque 3D is a pre-made tool for making stuff (and is the whole Torque engine, IIRC); it'd take a tenth of the time to make a game using Torque 3D as all the other (probably incompatible) tools you listed. Using the free software to make a game would require you to make a whole new engine, or a mod for an existing game.

All those tools are compatible. Hammer and the choreography/face poser tools are from Source SDK, Blender is a modeling program that I'm almost positive is compatible and LUA is a programming language.

[yuki]

Torque is a game engine.
Source SDK is a program/tool.

It's like "Why is Final Cut Pro like $500?"
Actually it's nothing like that, I cannot fathom why that is so goddamn expensive. After using it, trying to use any simpler video editing software is like playing with baby blocks.

[Sirrus]

Mmm. Good point, I didn't even factor in that you can't sell stuff you make with free SDKs.

Also Yuki Final Cut Pro is $500 because every Apple product ever is overpriced.


 

[OneWithFire]

Torque is a game engine.
Source SDK is a program/tool.

Source SDK is a game engine as well, it contains the source engine.

[Sirrus]

Source SDK is a game engine as well, it contains the source engine.

But when you buy Torque 3D you're also buying the engine, aren't you?

[OneWithFire]

But when you buy Torque 3D you're also buying the engine, aren't you?

Obviously, i would think...

But you buy the engine, then make your game, but then torque allows you to Market your game, but not the game making software or engine.

[Chrono]

The SDK may be free, however, licencing is not. (I think)

[OneWithFire]

The SDK may be free, however, licencing is not. (I think)

Valve, under no circumstances, will allow you to sell a game made on source, in fact, valve recieved all profits form dark messiah because it was made in source.

[Marcem]

With UDK you can make basically any kind of game imaginable, it's a free version of Unreal Engine 3.  The only thing is that you can't sell a game made with it. (I don't think)

[OneWithFire]

With UDK you can make basically any kind of game imaginable, it's a free version of Unreal Engine 3.  The only thing is that you can't sell a game made with it. (I don't think)

I looked it up, and alot of games use unreal 3, but i think that's the Licensed version.

[yuki]

Source SDK is a game engine as well, it contains the source engine.

What? No it doesn't. Try compiling a map without the the engine base installed. It doesn't contain the engine.

But when you buy Torque 3D you're also buying the engine, aren't you?

Sortof. When you buy Torque 3D you're buying licensing rights to sell the game that you made using it.