Game Development Tool: C4 Engine
"Game Design Tools for Independant Game Developers"
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What Indie developers say about C4 Engine...
C4 Engine
The C4 Engine is a computer game engine created by Terathon Software that can be used to develop games for Windows (XP and Vista), Mac OS X (version 10.5), and the PlayStation 3 game console.
Tool Classification:
(Engines - Game)
Qualifiers=
(Engine, 3D) (Console engine/support) (Mac OS version available) (Engine, w/authoring tools)
6 comments found.
1) Jon Watte on 2009-09-26
C4 engine is one of those "hidden gems," or perhaps "diamonds in the rough" that you'll run across when looking for indie game tools.
If what you're targeting is a top-notch, AAA look to your game, with a scene graph that supports animation, effects, stencil and depth buffer shadows, cell/portal culling, reflection/refraction, a drag-and-drop shader editor, a drag-and-drop scripting language, and more, then C4 really should be on your short list!
The focus of C4 is to support modern, high-end graphics. If you want to target netbooks or 5-year-old hand-me-down computers, then C4 is not for you. However, if you have the skills and inclination to write a game for a modern PC, you could do a lot worse than C4.
Currently, it's $350 per seat for a typical indie developer, and comes with full source. Even more importantly, it also comes with very responsive support on the forums. The developer answers questions all the time, and the community is small but helpful -- and, more importantly, a lot more skilled than the community around other low-cost game engines.
The main draw-back of C4 is the C++ approach. If you want to do anything "real," then you will need to write C++ code. And, even worse, it's structured around a scene graph that "owns" the world. It's the C4 way, or the highway, unless you want to do significant surgery on how things are put together. For someone who likes to combine lots of smaller, task-specific libraries, C4 is more like a single, big monolith.
On the other hand, it comes with a very slick editor, GUI drag-and-drop configuration of almost everything, and is generally very low on bugs, so if you're mainly after getting your game done and shipping, I highly recommend you check it out.
If what you're targeting is a top-notch, AAA look to your game, with a scene graph that supports animation, effects, stencil and depth buffer shadows, cell/portal culling, reflection/refraction, a drag-and-drop shader editor, a drag-and-drop scripting language, and more, then C4 really should be on your short list!
The focus of C4 is to support modern, high-end graphics. If you want to target netbooks or 5-year-old hand-me-down computers, then C4 is not for you. However, if you have the skills and inclination to write a game for a modern PC, you could do a lot worse than C4.
Currently, it's $350 per seat for a typical indie developer, and comes with full source. Even more importantly, it also comes with very responsive support on the forums. The developer answers questions all the time, and the community is small but helpful -- and, more importantly, a lot more skilled than the community around other low-cost game engines.
The main draw-back of C4 is the C++ approach. If you want to do anything "real," then you will need to write C++ code. And, even worse, it's structured around a scene graph that "owns" the world. It's the C4 way, or the highway, unless you want to do significant surgery on how things are put together. For someone who likes to combine lots of smaller, task-specific libraries, C4 is more like a single, big monolith.
On the other hand, it comes with a very slick editor, GUI drag-and-drop configuration of almost everything, and is generally very low on bugs, so if you're mainly after getting your game done and shipping, I highly recommend you check it out.
2) irishlostboy on 2009-09-26
C4 is probably the most solid engine below the 1000 dollar mark. the key word here is SOLID. so far i have not found any other single engine that is more reliable. BUT this is no "push button, instant game" making engine. it has a slightly quirky workflow if you are used to other engines. not bad, just different.
artists do not typically need to buy a licence of this engine. the editor and import tools are all there for free in the demo. to program gameplay you need a licence, and if you are a good coder, this engine is supposedly very slick. i am an artist, so i can only paraphrase people i know who know better in this end of things.
for an artist, the rendering is about as good as you will get. 100% rock solid tools. you can work models in one at a time and build up structure in the editor, or you can build entire levels in your 3d app, import the whole thing as a collada file, and all the individual models are seperately selectable and movable etc. very handy.
the developer tends to work in quite solid features with a firm eye on the overall product rather than just trying to shoehorn in every new faddy feature. the result is stability.
the C4 community is the best you will find of any indy development around. have questions, comments or problems, there are always experienced and helpful people on the C4 forum who can provide answers and suggestions. Eric himself provides great support through the forum. also, there is minimal fanboyism, something that tends to spoil a forum pretty fast.
if you are looking to get an indy engine, do your own homework, read the specifications and ask the questions you want answered. avoid stat based charts which give anonamous propaganda of which is best. after all, if i wanted to i could click buttons for this and that engine all day. all i give is MY oppinion based on EXTENSIVE experience. whatever you choose, good luck with your projects.
irishlostboy.
artists do not typically need to buy a licence of this engine. the editor and import tools are all there for free in the demo. to program gameplay you need a licence, and if you are a good coder, this engine is supposedly very slick. i am an artist, so i can only paraphrase people i know who know better in this end of things.
for an artist, the rendering is about as good as you will get. 100% rock solid tools. you can work models in one at a time and build up structure in the editor, or you can build entire levels in your 3d app, import the whole thing as a collada file, and all the individual models are seperately selectable and movable etc. very handy.
the developer tends to work in quite solid features with a firm eye on the overall product rather than just trying to shoehorn in every new faddy feature. the result is stability.
the C4 community is the best you will find of any indy development around. have questions, comments or problems, there are always experienced and helpful people on the C4 forum who can provide answers and suggestions. Eric himself provides great support through the forum. also, there is minimal fanboyism, something that tends to spoil a forum pretty fast.
if you are looking to get an indy engine, do your own homework, read the specifications and ask the questions you want answered. avoid stat based charts which give anonamous propaganda of which is best. after all, if i wanted to i could click buttons for this and that engine all day. all i give is MY oppinion based on EXTENSIVE experience. whatever you choose, good luck with your projects.
irishlostboy.
The C4 engine can be compiled for the MAC OSX but I don't think the dev team actually supports development on the mac, none of the project files that come with the engine are formatted for a mac.
I'm making a list of game-ready model shops, if you know another ones please tell me ^^ here's what I've found so far:
(alphabetically sorted)
3dbud.com
[img]img118.imageshack.us/img118/8018/83767809.jpg[/img]
(fantasy characters - animals - monters) -
3dbud.com
3drt.com
[img]3drt.com/3dm/characters/real-zombies/characters-real-zombies-3d_01.jpg[/img]
(fantasy - scifi characters - animals - monters)
3drt.com
adenfall.com
[img]www.adenfall.com/modelalbum1/bedroom_render.jpg[/img]
(game objects)
adenfall.com
arteria-gaming.com
[img]www.arteria-gaming.com/fantheme/fanthemelogo.jpg[/img]
(game objects)
arteria-gaming.com
cubixstudio.com
[img]www.cubixstudio.com/products/FemaleNPC/FemaleNPC_CloseUp.jpg[/img]
(fantasy - scifi characters)
cubixstudio.com
dexsoft-games.com
[img]www.dexsoft-games.com/textures/images/fantasy/dungeon_tomb/tomb_banner3.jpg[/img]
(game objects - fantasy - scifi characters)
dexsoft-games.com
frogames.net
[img]www.frogames.net/frogames_images/bandeau_2.jpg[/img]
(game objects - fantasy - scifi characters)
frogames.net
gamebeep.com
[img]img142.imageshack.us/img142/962/26031368.jpg[/img]
(game objects - fantasy - scifi characters)
gamebeep.com
game-stuff.com
[img]www.game-stuff.com/architect/windmill_1/02.jpg[/img]
(game objects - game levels)
game-stuff.com
(alphabetically sorted)
3dbud.com
[img]img118.imageshack.us/img118/8018/83767809.jpg[/img]
(fantasy characters - animals - monters) -
3dbud.com
3drt.com
[img]3drt.com/3dm/characters/real-zombies/characters-real-zombies-3d_01.jpg[/img]
(fantasy - scifi characters - animals - monters)
3drt.com
adenfall.com
[img]www.adenfall.com/modelalbum1/bedroom_render.jpg[/img]
(game objects)
adenfall.com
arteria-gaming.com
[img]www.arteria-gaming.com/fantheme/fanthemelogo.jpg[/img]
(game objects)
arteria-gaming.com
cubixstudio.com
[img]www.cubixstudio.com/products/FemaleNPC/FemaleNPC_CloseUp.jpg[/img]
(fantasy - scifi characters)
cubixstudio.com
dexsoft-games.com
[img]www.dexsoft-games.com/textures/images/fantasy/dungeon_tomb/tomb_banner3.jpg[/img]
(game objects - fantasy - scifi characters)
dexsoft-games.com
frogames.net
[img]www.frogames.net/frogames_images/bandeau_2.jpg[/img]
(game objects - fantasy - scifi characters)
frogames.net
gamebeep.com
[img]img142.imageshack.us/img142/962/26031368.jpg[/img]
(game objects - fantasy - scifi characters)
gamebeep.com
game-stuff.com
[img]www.game-stuff.com/architect/windmill_1/02.jpg[/img]
(game objects - game levels)
game-stuff.com
Tinlau,
Some of these sites are already listed under our 'art asset packages' tool function, but some are new to me. I will go ahead and get the other websites listed under that tool function as well (probably later today). I am presuming that since you posted this here under the C4 engine that you have tested/used some of these models using the C4 engine and were happy with the result?
Since you asked for whether there are other model sources available I would again direct you to sort our database here using the 'art asset packages' tool function to see if any of those other sources look interesting to you. As always I appreciate if you would vote on the sources that you find most useful... doing so will greatly help those that follow in your footsteps.
Thanks again.
Robc.
Some of these sites are already listed under our 'art asset packages' tool function, but some are new to me. I will go ahead and get the other websites listed under that tool function as well (probably later today). I am presuming that since you posted this here under the C4 engine that you have tested/used some of these models using the C4 engine and were happy with the result?
Since you asked for whether there are other model sources available I would again direct you to sort our database here using the 'art asset packages' tool function to see if any of those other sources look interesting to you. As always I appreciate if you would vote on the sources that you find most useful... doing so will greatly help those that follow in your footsteps.
Thanks again.
Robc.
6) Eric Lengyel on 2010-05-14
@Nobody, Terathon Software does indeed fully support C4 Engine development on the Mac. We have shipped Xcode project files with C4 from the very beginning, and we have every intention of continuing Mac support for the foreseeable future.
6 comments found.
