Hi folks,

as we see some former Gamesalad users switching over here or at least show serious interest in Corona, I would like to check out the market for a visual designer tool that you could use to create your Corona app/game. Basically something like Gamesalad (GS) or GameMaker (GM) but not totally bound to games and also taking the concepts of Corona into account.

I have already started to work on my own app for this for my own private use but if there is serious interest...

* I would put my own game development with Corona on hold and work fully on this tool
* Would make it available for you guys and support it in the future.
* It would be a paid app.

A little bit about myself: In the past I created several gamedev related language extensions for 3DGamestudio, IBasic Pro, thinBasic and also. Also I have developed and published an IDE called IndeED for a while that supported several BASIC dialects.

So please raise your voice. I want to know if you would be interested and buy a similar tool like GS/GM to create your Corona Apps/Games with it. To make my efforts interesting (money wise) I plan to charge something for it that would include free update as long the main version number doesn't change. Or would you rather see a subscription based model similar to Corona?

Thanks for listening
Michael Hartlef

http://www.whiteskygames.com
http://www.twitter.com/mhartlef

Sounds great
If subscription updates would need to be free always
Prefer paid

Great idea! That would probably kill GS for good, but right now it think they deserves it. I'm interested, if I'll buy Corona. Not decided yet, but it looks promising:)

If it means the Corona devs can focus on the development, then this definitely sounds like a big win :)

// red.

hey red what ide you using on windows/mac
didnt get far last night waiting for trial licenses to be extended
stuck again on pc i left my osx86 at home oops
guess ill have to wait to get back to my mini

I'm using Komodo Edit on Mac/PC. Really nice editor. Wish there was a PC iPhone simulator :(

My license got extended within an hour or so, did you email support?

// red.

yeah but emailed last night so guess i had to wait till today for support got it a few minutes ago now cant wait to get home to my mac or i may just take one of these other pc at work and set it up with some osx lol

Hi Mike,

I think your idea is awesome, and I would support it (i.e. buy it) or even just contribute ideas/feedback toward it.

In my opinion, however, I'm not sure Corona needs a full scale "visual studio" like GameSalad, Torque, etc. I used GameSalad and abandoned it in frustration (seemingly like alot of Corona users, ha ha). While a visual environment is nice, I don't think it's outright necessary... and certainly not one as clunky and slow as GameSalad, with all of those expanding/contracting menus and drag-n-drop stuff.

Now, if you want to program something as robust as that (full scale GUI app), more power to you! I just think a few "helper" tools for Corona would be nice. I'm just beginning with the SDK and Lua, but I have already considered writing some helper apps once I learn the language better. For example, a basic Tile Editor customized for Corona... something where you could do a tile layout in a visual sense, then it somehow translates that into a block of code that can be imported into another Lua project. I haven't really considered the details yet, but I imagine something fairly simple to begin... just square tiles, not isometric or hexagonal. I know a "tile editor" is on Ansca's list of things to add in the future, but having a basic app sooner than later would be pretty awesome. :)

Anyway, great idea, keep us posted...

Brent

Love the idea! Just still allow the option to code ;)

-Gamexcb

Don't forget that those guys who founded Ansca have a strong background in authoring software packages. Somewhere in their bios, they seem to boast, "Industry standard software" such as

Apple Final Cut Pro, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Flash, Adobe PageMIll, Adobe Creative Suite.... blah blah blah....

It wouldn't surprise me if those punks are up to something.

Carlos

Haha, I thought they might be, but the last thing we all want is for that to restrict development to the things that matter.

// red.

Thanks Carlos and all the offers for your oppinions.

So Carlos has given the hint, that Ansca Mobile is working on an authoring tool.

I think there would not be much of a commercial potential in a tool created by me then, as people like to use the "official" tools more than 3rd party stuff.

So i'll keep on working on my own stuff then. If I have something to show then I'll let you know.

Cheers
Michael