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AppGameKit Classic Chat / Why do you use AGK?

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Rob from Scotland
20
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Joined: 23rd Aug 2003
Location: Scotland
Posted: 11th Dec 2014 21:15
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I am retired (on medical grounds) and approaching 65. I have programmed, as a hobby, in Sinclair BASIC on a ZX81, Pascal on a Sinclair Spectrum (compiled code ran at an amazing speed), BBC BASIC (Makers now known as ARM), C (on Macs and Windows XP), DarkBASIC Classic (DBC) which I stumbled across in 2003 while exploring Windows. I had about 20 freeware educational programs in C and DBC circulating in schools around the world!

Then Microsoft cancelled d3drm.dll and my multiple sclerosis (MS) struck. My programs stopped running unless d3drm.dll was installed and I stopped running (MS). After a few years not programming I had a look at DarkBASIC Pro and had decided to have a go when a hospital psychologist who was examining me suggested I write an app, and here I am.

I chose to use AppGameKit because of my previous experience with DBC and I do find it very useful for small, simple programs.

I do make extensive use of the forums and have been given a lot of help. MS does affect my memory and other cognitive skills but the help I get here easily matches this.

I had only intended to write for Windows but then broadcast my first apps to a cheap Android tablet and was impressed. I sent my apps to my son and daughter, a primary school teacher, and they are delighted.

I will try uploading to Google play and possibly the Amazon app store. This would be an enormous task with any other language but not with AGK.
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xGEKKOx
AGK Master
15
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Joined: 7th Dec 2008
Location: Italy
Posted: 12th Dec 2014 00:45
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Great Rob!! Go on!!!

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Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 12th Dec 2014 05:49
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Quote: "It's cheap. Maybe too cheap ; it might be better with less up front and an annual sub maybe."


Uh, what? How would that make a great product like AppGameKit "better"? That would only make it worse!

And "less up front"? You mean have less features and THEN have a recurring monthly charge?

I hate when software companies do that, it killed Adobe for me. I loved using their products, but the whole Cloud program became too much of a hassle. The only recurring monthly charge I'll accept for software is the Unreal Engine, since it's only $19/month and you can cancel at any time, no catch.

Too bad I don't particularly care for using Unreal, though, I'd rather TGC add more 3D functionality to AGK.

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World Class Multimedia
15
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Joined: 15th Aug 2008
Location: Florida, USA
Posted: 3rd Jan 2015 03:35 Edited at: 3rd Jan 2015 03:38
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- Cross platform
- Basic language
- 2D games and apps
- 3D FPS and 3rd person games (terrain, animated models, collision, physics)
- Easy to implement sound and music (one shots and loops)
- Easy to test
- (Hopefully) easy to deploy
- Load 2D and 3D formats I utilize (.obj, .x, .png, .jpg, etc)
- Database connectivity
- Helpful community
- Code snippets to help me when I get stuck

Those are my main reasons for wanting to use AGK2

Mike

YOU DREAM IT - WE CREATE IT!
www.world-class-multimedia.com
For world-class virtual instruments - www.supersynths.com
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AppStar
12
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Joined: 15th Aug 2011
Location:
Posted: 5th Apr 2015 23:16
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I just can say i don't have seen so an easy and powerful language as AGK2.

I tried before a lot of languages.
Corona SDK, Gideros, Unity, Unreal Engine but nothing was so easy to understand than AGK.

It's so amazing what TGC do with simple Basic commands. The other reason why AppGameKit instead of Unity or Unreal is AppGameKit has all integrated like IAP or Social Media on Unity i have paid for one of them.

So a huge compliment for the Community and the Guys behind AGK.

You all do a so nice work. I have read a lot here before i buy agk2. And i can say if there is an problem the guys behind the scene or the community solve this. But on other forums like Unity a guy ask a question and then it takes sometimes years until there is a solution. And here that's so fast.

This is absolute the best bought i have ever made AGK2.

Thank you guys.
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Clonkex
Forum Vice President
13
Years of Service
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Joined: 20th May 2010
Location: Northern Tablelands, NSW, Australia
Posted: 6th Apr 2015 02:08
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Well said, AppStar!


Placement Editor Professional -- Code Line Counter -- Tiled TMX Map Loader 2.0
Open Bezier Curve Library -- Image Tools -- MarbleX GUI Library -- NeoParticle -- Simple Serial
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3d point in space
14
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Joined: 30th Jun 2009
Location: Idaho
Posted: 6th Apr 2015 14:04 Edited at: 6th Apr 2015 14:20
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I use agk less and less even though i know how to use it. I see the number of apps downloaded that are made with agk go less and less each month. Unity and other app development tools suffer as well. So i do not see the point in swithing.
I am like a lot of developers here and do it as a hobby.
I gave myself a job by flipping houses. That being said its an ok job and i feel like i never compleate my latest app.

Developer of Space Chips, pianobasic, zipzapzoom, and vet pinball apps. Developed the tiled map engine seen on the showcase. Veteran for the military.
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Walkman1014
9
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Joined: 12th Mar 2015
Location: United States
Posted: 23rd Jun 2015 18:47
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I have worked with many other game engines in attempts to create 2d mobile games. I eventually settled on AGK2 because it seems to be the right tool for the job. App Game Kit 2 just "feels" like it was made FOR 2d mobile games. I don't have to spend hours sifting through countless documentation entries searching for what is intended for mobile devices and what is not. Both Unity and Unreal seem like they were created for 3d console/desktop games and then implemented 2d/mobile as an afterthought (yes... even Unity 5... not much improvement that I can see from 4.x). Furthermore, Unity has an export size of at least 2 times (often 3 times) the size of AGK2 exports.

Also, I must admit that I enjoy working with Dark Basic. I am an experienced OOP programmer... but there is something rather simplistic and elegant about Dark Basic. I just "like" it... I wish I could be more scientific... but oh well. LOL

Just my thoughts.
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Clonkex
Forum Vice President
13
Years of Service
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Joined: 20th May 2010
Location: Northern Tablelands, NSW, Australia
Posted: 24th Jun 2015 12:34 Edited at: 24th Jun 2015 12:35
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Quote: "I am an experienced OOP programmer... but there is something rather simplistic and elegant about Dark Basic. I just "like" it... I wish I could be more scientific..."


I know what you mean. I think TGC's BASIC languages are so nice to use because there's not all "snobbiness" that tends to surround languages like C++ - you just program your own way and if the code works, it's good. Also there's the fact that the languages are very simple compared to mature OOP languages, so there's no big decisions to make about which programming methodologies to use.

I know for certain I never would have become a programmer without DBPro.


Placement Editor Professional -- Code Line Counter -- Tiled TMX Map Loader 2.0
Open Bezier Curve Library -- Image Tools -- MarbleX GUI Library -- NeoParticle -- Simple Serial
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Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 24th Jun 2015 17:09
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Quote: "I know for certain I never would have become a programmer without DBPro."


+1. If it hadn't been for DarkBASIC I probably never would have gotten started on programming, let alone game development.

I'm actually starting to dislike engines like Unity and Unreal, because they feel... weird, like I'm missing out on a lot. I still like the results they produce, but I miss the journey of setting things up manually, how i want them to be set up.

This is why I bought AppGameKit all those months ago and have been learning it as best as I can. I now feel confident that I could write an entire series of games in it since it's so similar to DBP, and much more fluid to use than any other language.


Official Forum President from June 20th, 2015 - June 20th, 2016 (when my successor is elected, whomever that may be!).
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michael l
8
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Joined: 27th Jun 2015
Location: Germany
Posted: 27th Jun 2015 21:54
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i use it because i have the same on win or android
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mllebienvenu
8
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Joined: 1st Aug 2015
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Posted: 4th Aug 2015 13:49
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I'll admit I haven't used it much yet, and I wouldn't dare call myself a programmer by any means, but using AGK2 makes me feel like a kid again. I remember first messing around in AmigaBASIC when I was 10 or so. I've tried and failed to get the hang of other languages since then, but going back to BASIC just feels very comfortable and nostalgic for me.

I also really appreciate the cross-compatibility.
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Mobiius
Valued Member
21
Years of Service
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Joined: 27th Feb 2003
Location: The Cold North
Posted: 14th Aug 2015 12:05
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I use it because it's easy. I've used TGC products since 2000 with DBC, so this was a natural progression for me.

Plus I spent more time on my mobile than my laptop, so mobile development is now more important to me than windows development. (It's a bonus that AGK2 does both, and more.)


Now Visit My Website
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Uncle Martin
17
Years of Service
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Joined: 9th Jul 2006
Location: Tampa, Florida, USA
Posted: 15th Aug 2015 07:00
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I am a veteran hardware/software engineer, but I have always enjoyed tinkering with games & demos in Basic/C at home as a hobby. I have been an early adopter of DB, GDK & AppGameKit & find them to be a pretty good value in development tools. I also enjoy collaborating with the community here on how to solve technical challenges. Thanks for reading. Your loving uncle.

Code every line like it might be your last...
Someday it will be.
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Conjured Entertainment
AGK Developer
18
Years of Service
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Joined: 12th Sep 2005
Location: Nirvana
Posted: 5th Oct 2015 02:25
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Not much I can ad to all of the great reasons mentioned already, but here is why I use AGK...

A friend turned me onto TGC back in 2005 when I was looking for an engine for making 3d First Person Shooters.
I managed to get in on FPSC about a week before its release, and I was immediately hooked.
Learning about FPSC turned me onto DarkBASIC Professional, since that is what FPSC was written in.
I was surprised to see a BASIC programming language being developed and used for so many great projects.
I started out on a Commodore Vic-20, so BASIC was an old friend, and will always hold fond memories of my youth.
AGK V2 makes exporting my games for Android a snap, and programming in BASIC is the icing on the cake.

Simply put, AppGameKit is the best choice for me because everything is so easy to do, without a big learning curve.
Over the years I have learned over a dozen programming languages, but programming in BASIC will always be my favorite.
AGK allows me to do things my way, and that makes programming more fun and less like a chore.

Thanks to TGC, and to Lee Bamber for creating DarkBASIC and DarkBASIC Pro, which were the foundation for AppGameKit tier 1.
Also, a special thanks to Paul for all his hard work and making AppGameKit the wonderful mobile development environment that it is... the best.

GOTO FanForLife

Coding things my way since 1981 -- Currently using AppGameKit V2 Tier 1
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