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RickV
TGC Development Director
23
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Joined: 27th Apr 2000
Location: United Kingdom
Posted: 26th May 2011 10:46 Edited at: 26th May 2011 10:47
Hi,

I felt it was time we gave you an update on the development of AGK.

By the end of this week all the commands will have been completed for Tier2 on all release platforms: Windows, Mac, iOS and Bada. This is a significant milestone and means we just need to echo that work in Tier1 (which is pretty quick and easy).

Work still needs to be done to complete the IDE, Compiler and device specific interpreters.

We have been writing lots of help texts to show how to use the command set and we're making games with AppGameKit to test it out.

I have actually got back into doing some coding (using Tier1)! Amazing really because I stopped coding 22 years ago. I have recreated a game I wrote on an 8-bit Atari. I was able to do this game in just two evenings with the AppGameKit (and that's me being really rusty with my coding). Now I have a fishing game that runs on 4 platforms!

I'm not going to specify a release date in this post but I think we're getting much closer to release.

Rick

Financial Director
TGC Team
Hodgey
14
Years of Service
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Joined: 10th Oct 2009
Location: Australia
Posted: 26th May 2011 11:18
Quote: "By the end of this week all the commands will have been completed for Tier2 on all release platforms: Windows, Mac, iOS and Bada."

That's really good news, good work guys

Quote: "I have actually got back into doing some coding (using Tier1)! Amazing really because I stopped coding 22 years ago. I have recreated a game I wrote on an 8-bit Atari. I was able to do this game in just two evenings with the AppGameKit (and that's me being really rusty with my coding). Now I have a fishing game that runs on 4 platforms! "

The more I hear about how easy it is to use AppGameKit the more I want to get my hands on it

Quote: "I'm not going to specify a release date in this post but I think we're getting much closer to release."

The good news just keeps on coming

Glad to hear everything is going to plan and progressing nicely. Thanks for the update Rick.

A clever person solves a problem, a wise person avoids it - Albert Einstein
DrT
15
Years of Service
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Joined: 10th May 2008
Location: 26.78 degrees North, -70.49 degrees West
Posted: 26th May 2011 13:43
Thanks for the update.

When will we begin to hear some details about TGC's anticipated publishing route (e.g. submission requirements, timeline, TGC's plans for marketing accepted apps, etc.)?

Will this route also include consideration of non-game apps?
RickV
TGC Development Director
23
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Joined: 27th Apr 2000
Location: United Kingdom
Posted: 26th May 2011 15:17
@DrT - we are soley focused on producing the tool for now. It'll be some time before users who get hold of it have some cool apps to make. There will need to be a learning phase and then game production!

Rick

Financial Director
TGC Team
DrT
15
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Joined: 10th May 2008
Location: 26.78 degrees North, -70.49 degrees West
Posted: 26th May 2011 15:47
Rick,

Just thought that some of the non-coding people at TGC might be pursuing this in parallel to AppGameKit development. For some, the decision to purchase your product may be tied to the publishing route you offer. Code once & deploy everywhere AND publish through TGC will be even more attractive to Tier 1 folks. They won't have to worry about the overhead like additional hardware, developer fees, SDKs, etc.
baxslash
Valued Member
Bronze Codemaster
17
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Joined: 26th Dec 2006
Location: Duffield
Posted: 27th May 2011 01:51
Great news guys. Can't wait to try it out!

Mistrel
Retired Moderator
18
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Joined: 9th Nov 2005
Location:
Posted: 27th May 2011 03:38 Edited at: 27th May 2011 03:38
Looking forward to seeing full Android support. Keep up the good work.

Ched80
13
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Joined: 18th Sep 2010
Location: Peterborough, UK
Posted: 27th May 2011 07:43
Any word on the price? A RoM would be good if you can't specify.

[url="http://raptr.com/No_Turn_Right?src=em_forum"][/url]
kamac
13
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Joined: 30th Nov 2010
Location: Poland
Posted: 27th May 2011 12:11
Quote: "Looking forward to seeing full Android support. Keep up the good work."


Me too

Conjured Entertainment
AGK Developer
18
Years of Service
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Joined: 12th Sep 2005
Location: Nirvana
Posted: 28th May 2011 17:03
Great News Rick!
Thanks for the update.

I am rusty too, but it's all good.

Quote: "Any word on the price?"

Good question, because I want to make sure I have enough in Paypal to cover the purchase.
If not, I'll have to wait an extra 3 to 4 days for the funds transfer.

Cliff Mellangard 3DEGS
Developer
18
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Joined: 20th Feb 2006
Location: Sweden
Posted: 28th May 2011 22:42
Quote: "Looking forward to seeing full Android support. Keep up the good work. "

Me too!
Will probably pickup the app kit as soon as there is android support!
Or maybe sooner
Will do my stuff in java until then
The Slayer
Forum Vice President
14
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Joined: 9th Nov 2009
Playing: (Hide and) Seek and Destroy on my guitar!
Posted: 28th May 2011 23:21
Excellent news, Rick! I hope there will be an option to buy the AppGameKit by wire transfer?
Keep it up.

Cheers

SLAYER RULES! YEAH, MAN!!
DVader
20
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Joined: 28th Jan 2004
Location:
Posted: 29th May 2011 16:54
Sounds good RickV, how about posting a video of your fishing game? I'm sure all of us would be interested to see it!

http://s6.bitefight.org/c.php?uid=103081
RickV
TGC Development Director
23
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Joined: 27th Apr 2000
Location: United Kingdom
Posted: 3rd Jun 2011 15:16
We have posted a video demo of the AppGameKit Facebook group page today. It shows a space shooter test game running on the iPad.

Join the group here to view the video.

Rick

Financial Director
TGC Team
2Beastmode4u
13
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Joined: 14th Feb 2011
Location: Loading...
Posted: 3rd Jun 2011 15:56
This is great news.


Cheers.

God help me, Please.

Come on down to my site at Unleashed FPSCreators
DrT
15
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Joined: 10th May 2008
Location: 26.78 degrees North, -70.49 degrees West
Posted: 3rd Jun 2011 17:06
I like the joystick functionality.


I can't wait to get my hands on AGK.
KISTech
16
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Location: Aloha, Oregon
Posted: 3rd Jun 2011 18:36
Very cool.

I noticed in the poll that Android seems to be taking the lead.

I was curious if anyone has given thought to publishing for the Smart TV markets too. From what I've been able to figure out, GoogleTV is Android based, and Samsung Internet@TV is actually HTML, CSS, and JavaScript based.

Developing an app or game for a 5" phone screen, as well as a 55" HDTV would certainly present some interesting challenges.

Love the virtual joystick by the way, that's going to be fun.

blueFire
13
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Joined: 23rd Jan 2011
Location: North Carolina
Posted: 4th Jun 2011 02:35
I am also interested in the Smart TV markets too.

Jason
chris11
User Banned
Posted: 9th Jun 2011 12:18
Same here. I'm interested too. I'll tell my friend about this too.

XanthorXIII
AGK Gold Backer
12
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Joined: 13th May 2011
Location:
Posted: 22nd Jun 2011 16:38
Rick,
I'd very much like to see the video. However I do not have a facebook account nor do I want to join it. I really don't care to join the fadwagon that is facebook.
KISTech
16
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Joined: 8th Feb 2008
Location: Aloha, Oregon
Posted: 22nd Jun 2011 18:56
I felt the same way a year ago, but I think it's safe to say it's become more than a fad.

However, you can still visit the AppGameKit Facebook page and view the video without actually having an account.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_219670334729754&ap=1

XanthorXIII
AGK Gold Backer
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Joined: 13th May 2011
Location:
Posted: 23rd Jun 2011 20:22
Still requires that I sign up for one.
I think it's safe to say that Facebook is going to become more of a pita for a lot of people.
Besides that, I honestly do not want to get harassed by the number of relatives that I have.
KISTech
16
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Joined: 8th Feb 2008
Location: Aloha, Oregon
Posted: 23rd Jun 2011 22:10
Quote: "I honestly do not want to get harassed by the number of relatives that I have. "


I hear ya there.

Digital Awakening
AGK Developer
21
Years of Service
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Joined: 27th Aug 2002
Location: Sweden
Posted: 23rd Jun 2011 22:51
The Facebook page is really a mess. It is very hard to keep up with what I have and have not read. It is also annoying to get constant notifications from customers posting on the page. I basically just ignore it now. I wish all was handled through the forum instead.

KISTech
16
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Joined: 8th Feb 2008
Location: Aloha, Oregon
Posted: 24th Jun 2011 17:35
On the AppGameKit Facebook page at the top just right of center there is an Edit Settings button. You can tell it to not send you emails.

FWIW I hate the format Facebook uses too, but if you ignore social sites in today's business environment you lose out on a lot of potential customers that would have otherwise never heard of you.

Digital Awakening
AGK Developer
21
Years of Service
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Joined: 27th Aug 2002
Location: Sweden
Posted: 25th Jun 2011 02:07
I've turned off the email notifications, but still receive FB notifications. I'm not saying ignore FB, but they are all but ignoring this forum.

Mobiius
Valued Member
21
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Joined: 27th Feb 2003
Location: The Cold North
Posted: 25th Jun 2011 02:09
I just want a release date.

My signature is NOT a moderator plaything! Stop changing it!
HowDo
21
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Joined: 28th Nov 2002
Location: United Kingdom
Posted: 4th Jul 2011 12:05
Will there be a pre-order page some time soon.

Dark Physics makes any hot drink go cold.
Nomad Soul
Moderator
17
Years of Service
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Joined: 9th Jan 2007
Location: United Kingdom
Posted: 6th Jul 2011 23:29
I don't fully understand the tiers

If I purchase the tier 1 I can't sell my games to the app stores so can I only sell games by purchasing tier 2.

Can I still make games using the DBPro scripting language?

Also can you port 2D DBPro games to AppGameKit or do they need a lot of code changes?

Thanks

KISTech
16
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Joined: 8th Feb 2008
Location: Aloha, Oregon
Posted: 7th Jul 2011 05:19
From what I understand reading the newsletter, the forum posts here and the Facebook page, and making some minor assumptions.

Tier 1: You submit your game to TGC, they check it out, approve it and send it to the App Store(s). The App Store takes their percentage of your game's sale price and gives the rest to TGC. TGC takes their percentage and gives you the rest.

Tier 2: You make your game and submit it to the app stores yourself. You pay the developer fees and digital signing fees. The app store takes their percentage, and gives you the rest.

At least that's the impression I get. We'll have to wait and see what the final word is from TGC to find out for sure.

There will be a fair amount of rewriting to do to convert a 2D DBPro game to an AppGameKit game. The Sprite commands are different.

See the Asteroid Blast thread for an example of the AppGameKit source. I posted it in Code blocks about 2/3 down the page.

kamac
13
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Joined: 30th Nov 2010
Location: Poland
Posted: 7th Jul 2011 08:29 Edited at: 7th Jul 2011 08:30
Quote: "Q: With Tier 1, I can publish through TGC. Is there a cut of what I sell that goes to TGC? So, if I make something 99 cents what is my profit going to be between Apple and TGC?
A: If you publish via TGC then we will take a 30% cut of any revenues received via any app stores the app is published into. So let’s say you earn $100 from Apple App Store. Apple will take a 30% cut of the $100 which leaves $70, then TGC will take 30% of the $70 ($21), you will receive $49."


But look what would it look like when our game is pretty popular and this comes out;

We have 2000$ out of our mega game. Apple takes their profit,
we're left with 1400$, now TGC takes their magic 30%, we're left with 980$ Less than a half, but that's how it is with Tier 1.

Yet, i guess developers fees of tier 2 will be outstanding high. Which will give us almost the same... Until we make great games.

Steve Ancell
18
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Joined: 16th Feb 2006
Location: Brighton, East Sussex, UK
Posted: 7th Jul 2011 15:42
Here's what you could expect, if your app/game is good enough, based on 100,000 copies of a game sold.

Game cost (0.99 x 100000) = $99,000

After iPhone App Store's cut, you're left with 70% of $99,000 (99000 x 0.70) = 69,300

After TGC take their cut you're left with 70% of $69,300 (69300 x 0.70) = $48,510

If you live in the UK, you are taxed at 40% for anything over £35,000 and 50% for £150,000 and over, as far as I

know.

With the current USD-GBP conversion rate at rougly (£0.63), (48510 x 0.63) = £30,561.30p.

After the UK Inland Revenue take their 40%, you are left with 60% (30561.30 x 0.60) = £18,336.78p

Considering TGC takes care of the deployment through tier-1, what is everyone complaining about?. If you game takes

you about a month then 18 grand for a month's work is great. Most people have to work an 8 hour/day for a year, hard

graft, to take home that amount after tax.
KISTech
16
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Joined: 8th Feb 2008
Location: Aloha, Oregon
Posted: 7th Jul 2011 19:10
If the app stores are going to take their cut either way, giving up another 21% of the gross for the service TGC would provide seems reasonable.

Nomad Soul
Moderator
17
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Joined: 9th Jan 2007
Location: United Kingdom
Posted: 7th Jul 2011 19:53
Thanks for the info guys.

So if I'm not mistaken the only difference between the tiers is that you can only code native C++ in tier 2 for the additional performance and you have to publish via TGC with tier 1.

I would like to know if the cost of publishing with tier 1 is more or less than publishing direct to the app stores.

Think tier 1 will be sufficient for my needs. I can only code in DBPro anyway and having TGC help get your games into the app stores seems like a good thing.

Can you develop and deploy games to iphone providing you have the AppGameKit runtime on the device or is there any device restrictions for tier 1?

I wrote my own version of Jetpac some years ago so am looking forward to doing an AppGameKit rewrite of that. Having built in collision and physics is going to be even more awesome compared with the dodgy routines I used to hack in.

Does anyone know how the automatic player collision works for world collisions. I noticed it wasn't working on the newsletter r-type clone but everything else looked good. Like the particle effects also.

kamac
13
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Joined: 30th Nov 2010
Location: Poland
Posted: 7th Jul 2011 20:46 Edited at: 7th Jul 2011 20:47
Quote: "Think tier 1 will be sufficient for my needs. I can only code in DBPro anyway and having TGC help get your games into the app stores seems like a good thing."


Yup. But you gotta be ready to take less than 50% of your sales. (If your app would reach 2000$ for sales, you will have around 980$ remaining.)

Quote: "Can you develop and deploy games to iphone providing you have the AppGameKit runtime on the device or is there any device restrictions for tier 1?"


You can deploy your apps on any supported device, both with Tier 1 and 2. (Eg. You can deploy your game for Android, iOS, BlackBerry and MeeGoo at the same time)

KISTech
16
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Joined: 8th Feb 2008
Location: Aloha, Oregon
Posted: 8th Jul 2011 00:09
With Tier 2 you are likely to get to keep more of your money, depending on how many app stores you choose to deploy to, and which ones. Some of them have annual developer fees, some don't. (for now) Some of them require your app to be digitally signed, which is another annual expense.

The additional cost in developing for iOS is Apple's requirement that you develop on a Mac. So if you don't have one that's going to set you back a fair amount.

If you don't know C++, and don't have (or don't want) a Mac, then Tier 1 puts you on the playing field with some really good tools.

Quote: "(Eg. You can deploy your game for Android, iOS, BlackBerry and MeeGoo at the same time)"


Initially the AppGameKit is going to support 5 platforms.
- Windows
- Mac
- iOS
- Meego
- Bada

Support for Android and other platforms will come later.

Nomad Soul
Moderator
17
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Joined: 9th Jan 2007
Location: United Kingdom
Posted: 8th Jul 2011 01:11
I'm really looking forward to this.

TGC seem to be really ahead of the game on this one.

2Beastmode4u
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Location: Loading...
Posted: 8th Jul 2011 20:47
Tier 1 is my choice, since I don't want to use C++ and have to pay for signatures...


Cheers.

God help me, Please.

Come on down to my site at Unleashed FPSCreators
8bitBoss
12
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Joined: 13th Jul 2011
Location:
Posted: 13th Jul 2011 16:31
I'm so going to buy AppGameKit
DMXtra
21
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Joined: 28th Aug 2002
Location: United States
Posted: 14th Jul 2011 05:01
Updated: Now Tier 1 and Tier 2 have been united so you just buy AppGameKit and you get the best of both worlds. yeah!

App Game Kit (A.G.K.) - Want to be creative on many platforms at once? This is the tool you need.
Hodgey
14
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Joined: 10th Oct 2009
Location: Australia
Posted: 14th Jul 2011 05:09
Quote: "Updated: Now Tier 1 and Tier 2 have been united so you just buy AppGameKit and you get the best of both worlds."

It made my day when TGC announced this.

DMXtra
21
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Joined: 28th Aug 2002
Location: United States
Posted: 14th Jul 2011 05:32
Quote: "It made my day when TGC announced this. "


Yeah, that was the right move in my opinion. Now, they just need to offer the second wave of platforms that are coming as a free upgrade and they will be full of win.

Build momentum....

App Game Kit (A.G.K.) - Want to be creative on many platforms at once? This is the tool you need.
Conjured Entertainment
AGK Developer
18
Years of Service
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Joined: 12th Sep 2005
Location: Nirvana
Posted: 28th Jul 2011 04:46 Edited at: 28th Jul 2011 05:10
Quote: "We have 2000$ out of our mega game. Apple takes their profit,
we're left with 1400$, now TGC takes their magic 30%, we're left with 980$ Less than a half, but that's how it is with Tier 1."

So 2000 to 1400 means Apple took 30%
TGC takes 30% too, but of the remainder, so that means their 30% is less than Apple.
I am not comfortable with that scenerio.

If Apple gets 600 of my 2000, then I would want TGC to get 700 (more than Apple got) even if that means 50/50 with me after Apple's cut.
I know, that means I only end up with 35% of the total sales (700 of the 2000), but that is fine by me because it is still more than a third and more than Apple got from my App.

Yes, Apple may have nice hardware already holding a large market share but without the AppGameKit I would have no App to sell.
So, TGC is more important to me than Apple.
Especially when I think about the other platforms that AppGameKit allows me to market my app to.
TGC's AppGameKit is a neccessity for my mobile development, whereas Apple's platform is not.

In fact, I have no plans to develop for Apple's iPhones until they lift the proprietary hardware requirement for developers of their store!
That means I have to wait for TGC to offer publishing for tier 1, which won't happen until AppGameKit is solid as a british brick but that is fine by me.

P.S.
I will buy a MAC, but out of the profits from my App because I want to, not as an expense before I have made a dime because they are greedy enough to demand it.
Sorry, but that requirement really chaps my ... lips.

Jimmy 9Toes
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Posted: 28th Jul 2011 17:21
I think this is an important reason *why* TGC needs to target Android and soon.

Yes THEE Jimmy9Toes
KISTech
16
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Joined: 8th Feb 2008
Location: Aloha, Oregon
Posted: 28th Jul 2011 19:39
They aren't really any more greedy than anyone else.

After all you can't really make a Windows program without using Windows to develop it.

DMXtra
21
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Joined: 28th Aug 2002
Location: United States
Posted: 29th Jul 2011 00:36
ios isn't MacOS, so you can ONLY develop for ios on Apple devices. So I disagree they are greedy. That is the entire point.

That is why I would rather use a VM to code.

App Game Kit (A.G.K.) - Want to be creative on many platforms at once? This is the tool you need.
Charles
19
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Joined: 11th Jul 2004
Location: Phoenix, AZ USA
Posted: 29th Jul 2011 07:48
True. But a Virual Machine is not the exact same thing as a real machine. I plan on developing on the VM, myself. Eventualy, I'll need to but the actual device(s) just to make sure my apps work on them.
Blobby 101
17
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Joined: 17th Jun 2006
Location: England, UK
Posted: 29th Jul 2011 14:46
Charles, he means a VM with mac OSX on, not a device VM

Conjured Entertainment
AGK Developer
18
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Joined: 12th Sep 2005
Location: Nirvana
Posted: 29th Jul 2011 18:11 Edited at: 29th Jul 2011 22:16
I'm not worried about it anymore.
I'm just glad TGC is here to make these great products for everyone to enjoy, and I plan on having fun with the AppGameKit regardless of profits.

My order is now in.

Charles
19
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Joined: 11th Jul 2004
Location: Phoenix, AZ USA
Posted: 30th Jul 2011 00:22
Quote: "Charles, he means a VM with mac OSX on, not a device VM"


Oops. Sorry. My bad.

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