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AppGameKit Classic Chat / Can someone explain a tier?

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kordman916
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Posted: 1st Dec 2012 10:22
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So I've seen people talking about tier 1 and tier 2 but what are they exactly?

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Hodgey
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Posted: 1st Dec 2012 10:48
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Tier 1 is using the BASIC language to develop apps. Tier 2 involves using the AppGameKit libraries with C++ in native SDKs to develop apps.

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MrValentine
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Posted: 1st Dec 2012 10:54
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Just to add to the above, Tier 1 uses a ready to go interface [IDE] and Tier 2 uses your own choice C++ interface [IDE]

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JimHawkins
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Posted: 1st Dec 2012 10:58
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Tier 1 is AppGameKit Basic. You don't need anything else to work with this for PC.

Tier 2 is a C/C++ interface to the AppGameKit libraries - for this you need the free or paid version Visual Studio. You have access to vast amounts of powerful code, and compile to a native code executable, not an interpreted file like the Basic produces.

Tier 3 (unofficial name!) uses Pascal instead of C/C++ but works just like Tier 2. For this you need either Delphi or Free Pascal compilers.

In all cases you may need extra things to produce Android and Mac code: Eclipse and the Android SDK (+ Cygwin for Tier 2 but not 3) for Android and a Mac and Xcode to produce iOS and Os X apps.

The main advantage of T2 and T3 is that you can work directly with the host operating system if you know how to do it.

Some people on the forum prototype in Tier 1 because it's faster, and then go to Tier 2/3 for final production.

-- Jim DO IT FASTER, EASIER AND BETTER WITH AppGameKit FOR PASCAL
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kordman916
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Posted: 1st Dec 2012 11:32
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So if I wanted to create an app for Android/iOS I would use Tier 2?

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Hodgey
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Posted: 1st Dec 2012 12:34
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You can use either. It's just a matter of personal preference.

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Ancient Lady
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Posted: 1st Dec 2012 19:14
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kordman916, as Hodgey says, you can use either.

Regardless of which Tier you use, you need to do a serious setup for Android publishing and for iOS, you need to have some sort of Mac with Xcode and an Apple iOS Developer's License.

Cheers,
Ancient Lady
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bjadams
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Posted: 1st Dec 2012 21:49
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If you use T1, you still need to get your hands a bit dirty with the platform of choice compiler and the T2 interpreter setup to upload on to the appstore of your platform of choice. So if you know c++ you might as well get into t2 straight away.
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Mungkeh_Man
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Posted: 2nd Dec 2012 13:25
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I have concerns around the Tier differences too.

The product website gives the impression that Tier 1 code cannot be compiled for different platforms (just 'deployed').

So, I have a finished game in Tier 1. Can my game be compiled for Android et al and sold via appstores?
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Marl
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Posted: 2nd Dec 2012 13:47
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Quote: "So, I have a finished game in Tier 1. Can my game be compiled for Android et al and sold via appstores?"

Yes it can, check out examples in the showcase;

http://forum.thegamecreators.com/?m=forum_read&i=48
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Ancient Lady
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Posted: 2nd Dec 2012 17:35
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Mungkeh_Man, in the non-Windows platforms, the Tier 1 .agc files are not actually compiled. iOS and Android use the compiled <proj>.byc file that was compiled by the AppGameKit IDE. In Tier 2, the C++ files are actually compiled in all platforms. So, Tier 1 is 'deployed' as opposed to 'compiled' in non-windows platforms.

But, as long as you set up the correct environments, you can publish in all the supported platforms for Tier 1.

Cheers,
Ancient Lady
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erebusman
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Posted: 2nd Dec 2012 17:46
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The examples everyone has given are good but I didn't see anyone mention what I have found to be one of the biggest and most important items myself.


Tier 1 has a provided IDE that you have to use and there is no debugger.

Tier 2 you may use several different IDE's and I believe they all have debuggers.


I just started programming this year; the first 5 months was using Tier 1 client and I some times spend a week and a half re-writing functions until I finally realized that it was a small error returning the wrong thing, rather than the function did not work.

Now in Tier 2 if I make such an error I use the debugger and find out what each variable is doing and step through my program. I usually know within 5 minutes of writing a function that doesn't work exactly why and have become MUCH more productive.

In fact I have 2 apps on the App store written in Tier 2 now.


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