Tools
Here are some tools that we use in development to get you started!
If you have anything to add to this page, just drop me (Joyce) a line.
Programming — Art — Music — Storytelling — Miscellaneous
Eclipse: http://www.eclipse.org
– FREE — while not specifically for game development, you’re probably using this programming environment if you’re taking CS131 or CS132
Phrogram: http://www.phrogram.com/
– FREE — originally designed as a programming language for kids (KPL, or Kids’ Programming Language), Phrogram has been developed into a game programming language of its very own. It has 2D and 3D capabilities, too.
Python: http://www.python.org/
– FREE — while also not specifically game-related, a member requested that I mention Python. From the website: “Python® is a dynamic object-oriented programming language that can be used for many kinds of software development. It offers strong support for integration with other languages and tools, comes with extensive standard libraries, and can be learned in a few days.”
Torque: http://www.garagegames.com/
– 3D game engine used in CSE450 and 451, the game programming class. Also used for professional games (like Tribes 2, for example).
GIMP (Gnu Image Manipulation program): http://www.gimp.org/
– FREE — kind of like a free version of Photoshop. It beats out Paint by a long run, and it’s actually got very nice features. Definitely worth a look, even if you have access to a paid image editing program. And hey, it’s got layers. That’s always a good thing.
Blender: http://www.blender.org/
– FREE — an open-source 3D modeling program that can work wonders. And it sure beats shelling out a few thousand dollars (or a few hundred for a student version) for Maya.
Terragen 2: http://www.planetside.co.uk/terragen/
– FREE — 3D terrain generation program. I’ve just started using this myself, but it produces some amazing results.
Ogre3D: http://www.ogre3d.org/
– FREE — an open source 3D graphics engine
Maya: http://www.autodesk.com
– Personal Learning Edition is Free — professional 3D modeling program. You can try out Maya in the art school, if you can get there during open hours or find someone that can swipe you in.
3D Studio Max: http://www.autodesk.com
– used to be Maya’s main competitor, before some giant merger happened that I didn’t know about; the current game industry’s 3D modeling standard.
NotePad: http://finalemusic.com/notepad/
– FREE — for you musicians. ^^ Musical score-making!
Sibelius: http://www.sibelius.com/
– more for you musicians…I don’t know anything about these programs. :O
Inform: http://www.inform-fiction.org/
– FREE — a tool for making “interactive fiction,” which to a lot of us should scream “text game.” It has its own “programming” syntax (which is close to plain English), so it’s worth checking out for game-making even if you aren’t into programming.
Tortoise SVN: http://tortoisesvn.tigris.org/
– FREE — this is what we use to connect to our Subversion server. Contact an officer for details.
Perforce: http://www.perforce.com/
– Another tool for version control.
PhysX: http://www.ageia.com/
– a neat physics engine that we’d spent some time looking at last year. Supposedly an AGEIA physics chip is making its way to WashU for the CSE department to play with, but for now we just have access to the demos. (See an officer about those if you’re interested.)