Hey guys.

Creating games is one of the best things you can do, am I right?
However, nowadays you can choose between so many languages, gfx libraries and game engines.

So lets vote!

Whats your favorite programming language for making a game?

Whats your favorite graphics library?

Whats your favorite game engine? (You may say your own ;))

And at last, whats your favorite game-genre when it comes to creating a game?

Dani AI

Generated

A short, practical follow-up that updates the thread and fills gaps left by the early replies.

Many valid tradeoffs exist: rapid iteration vs raw performance, single‑developer scope vs team scale, and native vs browser targets. Contributors here covered that spectrum (for example , , , and ); the guidance below focuses on picking a suitable stack and a minimal workflow to get a playable vertical slice quickly.

Tool suggestions tied to common goals:

  • Rapid 2D/3D prototype for small teams or solo devs: Godot (good iteration speed, GDScript/C# options). (godotengine.org)
  • C# developers who liked XNA-style flow: MonoGame offers a maintained, cross‑platform framework. (monogame.net)
  • Native C++ with fine control: use a lightweight layer (SFML/SDL) and a shader-first graphics API; modern OpenGL and Vulkan are the current options for GPU work. (sfml-dev.org)
  • Browser/HTML5 targets: 2D/Canvas and WebGL toolkits (Phaser, PlayCanvas/Three.js) make web deployment straightforward. (docs.phaser.io)

Concise, practical workflow (minimal overhead):

  1. Define a single, narrow vertical slice (core mechanic + one map/level).
  2. Prototype that slice in the highest‑level tool that supports it (engine first, custom tech later).
  3. Keep art/tools separate: use placeholders, set up simple exporters, and lock down an asset pipeline.
  4. Use source control from day one (Git + Git LFS or Perforce for large binaries), then profile and optimize measured hotspots only.
    Note: content creation is often the real bottleneck (as @DeanMSands3 mentioned); start with small art and narrative scope and reuse/mod existing assets where possible.

If an RTS/C&C lookalike is the aim, standing on an open RTS engine or modding existing projects (Stratagus, SpringRTS) speeds development compared with building the full stack from scratch. (stratagus.com)

Practical cautions: check each engine’s platform and licensing constraints before committing, favour iteration over early optimization, and match the tool to the smallest feasible scope so the team (or solo dev) can finish.

Recommended Answers

All 18 Replies

I haven't gotten any done or even close to started past a very loose framework, but when I finally do this is how I'll do it:
C++ (I. NEED. MORE. SPEED.)
SFML (On Windows, Mac, and Linux)
Home brewed. (Because the little men who live in my toes tell me to.)
RPG (Because the little men who live in my toes are the only friends I'll ever need.)

Whats your favorite programming language for making a game? I only know javascript


Whats your favorite game engine? I only used Unity

And at last, whats your favorite game-genre when it comes to creating a game? I like RPGs the most!!! yey!! but puzzle games are also fun
:D

Think I'll answer it myself to get some more traffic here :)

Favorite language: Java.. I really like Java when it comes to making games.
Favorite game engine: Hmm this takes some thinking. I really like making my own and using openGL for graphics.

Favorite genre: I have to say it's RTS.. Without hesitation :)

Think I'll answer it myself to get some more traffic here :)

Favorite language: Java.. I really like Java when it comes to making games.
Favorite game engine: Hmm this takes some thinking. I really like making my own and using openGL for graphics.

Favorite genre: I have to say it's RTS.. Without hesitation :)

Make me a new Command and Conquer game then hehe

I would LOVE to program games but I've got waaaaay too much on my plate for such an endeavor. However, I would love to work with a development team (even if it were just some friends or small indie developer group) to convert some of my short stories (and not-so-short ones) into story lines for games.

Read my mind ^^ Been thinking of a C&C Look-a-like for a while :-)

Hmm yeah, I'd like to take part of a development team as well :-)
Maybe an initiative to start an Daniweb Indie-game group? Maybe there is one? :-)

Check out Stratagus and SpringRTS (both easily Googled)
Get a content-creation team together and see what you can add to it. Once you've gotten "modding" down, then go for the big stuff. Programming is a bear, but the real slow down is content creation.

If anyone would be seriously interested I'd do what I could for development. I am a hell of a writer and I can do character design in either text description or crudely drawn sketches which themselves could never be used but can help someone with the design abilities to bring them to life. I could potentially get into coding aspects but that is dependent upon time. And if a team can't be conjured up...then I'll just keep daydreaming about it haha

haha , I'm a good programmer tho I'm a novice when it come to game development. Though I've a talent for learning :-)
Lemme know if you decide to start a team or find one that need more ppl :-)

OpenGL under C++ or C, depending on what I am doing. Just wrote a flightsim in this.

Been thinking of a C&C Look-a-like for a while :-)

Ive got an isometric, tile (from map file) based (with zoom and pan) RTS engine (with CnC esque-sidebar), in C# (Using XNA), if you want it. Not quite finished.

OpenGL under C++ or C, depending on what I am doing. Just wrote a flightsim in this.

Hmm, been a few yrs since I looked into OpenGL, mayb it's time to make a new visit :-)

About your engine, it surely sounds interesting, as long as u maintain it - Only because I don't feel like home with C# :-)

Hmm, been a few yrs since I looked into OpenGL, mayb it's time to make a new visit :-)

About your engine, it surely sounds interesting, as long as u maintain it - Only because I don't feel like home with C# :-)

Other than shaders, and the associated overhaul of the pipeline architechture, the core of OpenGL hasnt changed at all..... your ~2000 code will still work. Shaders are the way to go though.

C# is a gateway language. You can port it to Java or to C++/CLI. And from C++/CLI to straight C++.

C# is a gateway language. You can port it to Java or to C++/CLI. And from C++/CLI to straight C++.

You cant port XNA to either, though. Its a C# wrapper around Managed DirectX.

  • C++
  • SFML
  • Home-made (the little people that live in Dean's toes have tea with mine on the weekends)
  • RPG's, or shooters, especially when they're sidescrollers =D
  • C++
  • SFML
  • Home-made (the little people that live in Dean's toes have tea with mine on the weekends)
  • RPG's, or shooters, especially when they're sidescrollers =D

you are create the game on the android .

Favorite programming language for making a game: Python

Whats your favorite game engine? Panda3D

Favorite game-genre when it comes to creating a game: RPG/Puzzle (Atm developing a FPS/semiRPG/Puzzle - game)

I use Engine001 its for beginners.
I created a small game which updates every time I have holiday or free time.
It's easy for me to create a game with since its just my stuff to do when i feel boring & better than playing game.
Playing your own game is best thing in the world.

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