Buying leadwerks

[Celest]

Hello, I‘m interested in buying leadwerks and use it for our future project. 

Im just having some questions regarding version and updates.

 

What are the differences between the pro and enterprise versions? From what I could see is, that the only difference there that Enterprise can be used without steam.

Are the future updates for pro and enterprise for free? If not free, how much do they cost and where could I buy them?

Is the enterprise version for single user or can the whole team use it?

What is the current enterprise version in the shop?

Can I import my project which was made using the demo version to the bought version?

What is turbo game engine? Is this gonna replace leadwerks? What is the difference between turbo game engine and leadwerks?

Kind regards

[Admin]

The Pro version adds C++ support. The Enterprise version can be installed without Steam.

There are probably two more versions of Leadwerks coming out, and they are free updates.

Turbo will be the next game engine and will replace Leadwerks, but it's at least a year away.

[cassius]

I have had leadwerks for some years. I did not know of an enterprise edition.

 

I have pro edition which can use lua script or c++ or a mixture of the two. The standard version uses only lua script.

The current stable version is 4.5 but beta versions are available on steam.

[TheConceptBoy]

Is Turbo going to be a next rendition with an ability to upgrade? For example if I start a project in Leadwerks, can I continue it in Turbo?

Otherwise starting a project in leadwerks now, for me would be pretty redundant. 

[Josh]

The API in the new engine will be substantially different, but follows the same general design.

All file formats will carry over.

 

[TheConceptBoy]

Hmm... and here I just bought leadwerks...

[Josh]

The new engine won't be ready for another year.

[TheConceptBoy]

So With Game Maker Studio, I had a project made in Studio 1.4 that was pretty far into development. When Studio 2 came out, it offered a plethora of new features that would make my level design in game maker much more streamlines. Converting the Studio 1 project to Studio 2 was as simple as importing the project and the engine would go through the code and apply compatibility scripts in places where I used functions which became obsolete in studio 2.

With App Game Kit, it was a bit different. App Game Kit on it's own works in Basic, but it also works in C++ as an API. Converting a game I was working on in basic was just a matter of going through the code and converting things like if statements and for loops from a basic syntax to c++ syntax. And all the engine specific functions just had the agk:: namespace in front of it. 

 

How difficult would it be to do the same with the next rendition of your engine if I were to start a project now?

[TheConceptBoy]

3 minutes ago, Josh said:

The new engine won't be ready for another year.

Well I know so are we talking 2019? or 2020? ish because 3D game development of the size I usually conceive don't get produced in under a year either way.

[TheConceptBoy]

Also any plans for multi-platform delivery?

[Josh]

9 minutes ago, TheConceptBoy said:

Well I know so are we talking 2019? or 2020? ish because 3D game development of the size I usually conceive don't get produced in under a year either way.

2020

7 minutes ago, TheConceptBoy said:

Also any plans for multi-platform delivery?

Windows, Linux, Mac. Maybe consoles later on.

10 minutes ago, TheConceptBoy said:

So With Game Maker Studio, I had a project made in Studio 1.4 that was pretty far into development. When Studio 2 came out, it offered a plethora of new features that would make my level design in game maker much more streamlines. Converting the Studio 1 project to Studio 2 was as simple as importing the project and the engine would go through the code and apply compatibility scripts in places where I used functions which became obsolete in studio 2.

With App Game Kit, it was a bit different. App Game Kit on it's own works in Basic, but it also works in C++ as an API. Converting a game I was working on in basic was just a matter of going through the code and converting things like if statements and for loops from a basic syntax to c++ syntax. And all the engine specific functions just had the agk:: namespace in front of it.

How difficult would it be to do the same with the next rendition of your engine if I were to start a project now?

The biggest changes are that we are switching everything to smart pointers. In Lua this doesn't matter much. In C++ you can save work by using the auto keyword whenever possible.

Leadwerks:

Model* box = Model::Box();

Turbo:

shared_ptr<Model> box = CreateBox();

In fact I recommend using auto anyway because shared pointer variables are a little tedious to type:

auto box = CreateBox();

There's no Release() function because reference counting will be automatic.

I think most projects will be convertable from Leadwerks to Turbo in a couple of days, but I am hesitant to say that for sure.

The new engine will continue to support both C++ and Lua.

Here's a simple Lua program in Turbo:

local window = CreateWindow()
local context = CreateContext(window)
local world = CreateWorld()

local camera = CreateCamera(world)
camera:SetPosition(0,0,-5)

local model = CreateBox()

while true do
	if window:KeyHit(KEY_SPACE) then
		model = nil
	end
	world:Render()
end

And you can find a lot more details in my blog here:

 

[TheConceptBoy]

Alright then. 

 

We'll see how it goes. 

 

To be honest, if I do get to the point where I produce something nice that you can use to showcase the engine capabilities, it would be a shame if the showcasing would be of leadwerks instead of the next rendition. Is the rendering core and level editor the same as leadwerks, how compatible would the level files be?

[Josh]

Just now, TheConceptBoy said:

Alright then. 

 

We'll see how it goes. 

 

To be honest, if I do get to the point where I produce something nice that you can use to showcase the engine capabilities, it would be a shame if the showcasing would be of leadwerks instead of the next rendition. Is the rendering core and level editor the same as leadwerks, how compatible would the level files be?

The game level will load with no problems I think. The rendering is extremely different, but it won't affect the art assets.

 

[TheConceptBoy]

So is this the engine we're talking about?

 

[Josh]

Yes, but please read the description thoroughly. It is not ready for production yet.

[TheConceptBoy]

I'm just looking in for research. I understand it's just a beta in the works. 

 

Is the subscription model going to carry over to the full release or are you planning on a single time fee?

Game Maker has a nice one that offers a basic export to Win, Mac and Lunux. And all the console / Web and Mobile exporters are extra.  

[Josh]

I'll probably offer both types of licenses. I prefer subscriptions but I'll give both options.

[TheConceptBoy]

Subscriptions make sense. It's a more sustainable model and to be honest, you get continued financial support to keep the project going. You'd have to charge much more for a single time license to keep the doors open on a studio that is developing a product to complete with Unreal and Unity. 

[Josh]

Yes, there is a plan for that.

 

 

[TheConceptBoy]

It seems like current Leadwerks in receiving some pretty big updates still, Multilayer and what not. So should I be comfortable thinking that the next engine you're working on will use the same command set? (Aside from the graphical overhaul, which you've mentioned).

 

You see, here's the deal. While I'm working on the game, I'm also making a record of everything I do. I record the programming, concept art, animation and modeling process. The reason being is that after the game is done, I edit the footage and publish it as a game development course on my platform. Believe it or not, the course is the key component here. Of course the better the game plays, the more appealing the course will be, so it's in my best interest to do a good job. The only problem is that by the time the course will be done, the engine will be pretty much at the end of it's life cycle with Turbo coming out soon after. So how grade-able would you say a Leadwerks project be towards the Turbo Engine?

[Josh]

I think there will be a lot more interest in a game creation course for the new engine.

• It's new
  • People are unfamiliar with it.
  • There is an initial surge of interest in a new game engine.
• It's more beginner-friendly.
  • Smart pointers
  • Improved API

It seems like focusing on art and starting to use the API in the new engine would be the best approach. But do what you think is best.

[TheConceptBoy]

I see. It makes sense from both of our perspectives. No sense in making a game in an engine to become obsolete, especially when the course would come out by the time the engine is nearing the end if it's life cycle. 

Is there a roadmap available yet for Turbo? Pre-production of a game takes mostly outside the engine, so I don't have to commit to Leadwerks at this stage. When, in the ball park of dates, would you say Turbo would be ready to be stable enough for commercial use? I'd imagine after a certain point the changes to the engine stop being so drastic the that any project made in it would require sever re-writing of it's code?

[Josh]

The big problems you will face right now is that there is no Lua debugger and no editor. The internals of the engine are pretty solid and we are going to start using it in a project soon.

[TheConceptBoy]

Oh I'm solely concentrating on C++ actually. It is why leadwerks caught my attention in the first place. Getting started with a C++ 3D priject in Leadwerks is infinitely less complex than in Unreal. That's what appealed to me.  I wasn't thrilled on the lua side, however when I found out that the Pro edition had C++ api, that's what sold me on it. How's the documentation for Turbo?

[Josh]

14 minutes ago, TheConceptBoy said:

Oh I'm solely concentrating on C++ actually. It is why leadwerks caught my attention in the first place. Getting started with a C++ 3D priject in Leadwerks is infinitely less complex than in Unreal. That's what appealed to me.  I wasn't thrilled on the lua side, however when I found out that the Pro edition had C++ api, that's what sold me on it. How's the documentation for Turbo?

Nonexistent.