Fenreliania, Many GamedevsSep 13, 2023
If you have been using #Unity and you wanna jump ship to the nearest competitor, #GodotEngine is gonna be your best bet. The structure of a project isn't exactly the same, but it's similar enough that it won't take long to adjust.
Below, I'll give a few tips and talk about pain points you might run into, to help you try it out properly, and make an evaluation. #GameDev
Show threadKevin Karhan Sep 13, 2023

@Fenreliania the only.disadvantage I see is that #W4Games has yet to be able to provide a similarly-easy pipeline to offer #Console #Support.

#Defold supposedly does however...

But @GameFromScratch and others are way more versed in that and whilst easy console support is nice, most #IndieDevs that want to put something on #Steam, #ItchIO or the #AppStore and #GooglePlay may never need it...

Show threadFenreliania, Many GamedevsSep 13, 2023
@kkarhan Console support is definitely lacking right now, mostly because it's an open source engine so including proprietary work ain't simple. But I reckon with more people using Godot, it won't be long before console manufacturers develop exporters for Godot, for use by developers in the same way as devkits.
Show threadKevin Karhan Sep 13, 2023

@Fenreliania yeah.

It's mostly a #license #compatibility issue to some extend, but since it's MIT-licensed that is somewhat mitigateable and #W4Games was founded specifically to provide this as a commercial option whilst funding the core engine development and backporting stuff that isn't covered by #NDA's like #DirectX12...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qt-ZYAoapvU

So I do hope that they'll be able to fill that gap like #Unity did where the platform holders just provide a "license key" to unlock their #SDK.

Godot Gets Direct3D 12 Support

YouTube
Show threadKevin Karhan Sep 13, 2023

@Fenreliania So I'd rather expect #W4Games to make that #SDK integration happening with a sort-of toolchain similar to #Unity: Thus they as a #Company can comply with all the #NDAs and #Gatekeeping the Platform Owners demand - just like Unity today.

Console manufacturers usually just provide #commercial #Engine #developers and #middleware providers with #devkits to make their stuff work, they rarely invest into that themselves outside 1st party / inhouse exclusives.
https://mastodon.gamedev.place/@Fenreliania/111055557143905673

Fenreliania, Many Gamedevs (@[email protected])

@[email protected] Console support is definitely lacking right now, mostly because it's an open source engine so including proprietary work ain't simple. But I reckon with more people using Godot, it won't be long before console manufacturers develop exporters for Godot, for use by developers in the same way as devkits.

Gamedev Mastodon
Show threadKevin Karhan Sep 13, 2023

@Fenreliania How good or bad this works depends on how much a Platform Owner wants #IndieDevelopers on their #Platform:

None of the 3 big Platform holders are obligated to support #W4Games.

And #Valve never even attempted to turn the #SteamDeck into a #WalledGarden to begin with...

But with the #SoftwareDrought on #XboxSeries, #PS5 and a bit on #NintendoSwitch the chances are good however for them to get something worked out.

Show threadKevin Karhan Sep 13, 2023
@Fenreliania
After all, the platform holders don't want a de-facto #duopoly of #GameEngines (#Unreal and #Unity) to basically create the pre-#XBLA situation where #GameDevelopment was extremely #paywalled and a clear lack of smaller games at a much lower price than AAA mainstream releases kept their platform's revenue below their potential.
Show threadKevin Karhan Sep 13, 2023

@Fenreliania
After all, #Microsoft, #Sony amd #Nintendo want to make money and whether they get $20 in #licensing from a copy of #CoD or $5 for #CSGO of $1 for #Luftrausers is irrelevent to them, but they may find that people are more willing to pay 10 games at $12 each than 2 Games at $60 each.

And also #Gaming has become not only more "#casual" but also #mainstream...

So why not fluff up the catalog with #IndieGames people may just buy on a whim or by curiosity and ads...

Show threadKevin Karhan 

@Fenreliania After all, #SmallDevelopers and #IndieDevs that ain't expected to do CoD numbers usually can't hardball in negotiations like the big publishers which traditionally pay far lower percentages as their titles - even if not #PlatformExclusives - sell systems and multiplayer #subscriptions.

After all, people buy a "#HaloStation / #NewForzaCast" a "#JapanoBox / #WipeoutConsole" or a "#MarioSystem / #SplatoonMachine", not an Xbox, PlayStation or Switch...

Sep 13, 2023 at 3:27amWeb
Show threadKevin Karhan Sep 13, 2023

@Fenreliania Anyway, #W4 seems to also have now covered the two other platforms or plan to do so...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZAFrx8ZWkM

W4 Games - Porting Godot games to NintendoSwitch and Playstation

YouTube