Should i start with HTML5 or Unity

[Ted]

Hi, i'm new in this community and i want to make android and iOS games, but i do not know if i should use HTML5 or Unity, i'm practically new to programming in general (i just know a bit of javascript)?

 

I have searched for an answer but nothing, what do you recommend me..

keep with javascript and html5 or start learning c# for unity? what is more fun html5 or unity?

 

p.s. sorry for my english

[yamiko]

Depends on what you want to do. Unity is better for 3d but would require more game prgramming knowledge if you want to do anything custom with it.

 

I personally would reccomend javascript and starting out with simple arcade based games.

 

here are some great screencast courses that are on sale: https://deals.cultofmac.com/sales/become-a-game-developer-in-no-time

 

Once your familiar with the basics of javascript I reccomend you read:

javascript the good parts http://shop.oreilly.com/product/9780596517748.do

javascript design patterns http://addyosmani.com/resources/essentialjsdesignpatterns/book/

[plicatibu]

Asking this in an HTML5 gaming site will lead you to the answer... surprise, suprise... HTML 5.

 

Seriously, What's fun for me may not be fun for you and vice-versa.

 

I think you should try to learn the basic of JavaScript, HTML5 and CSS3 as well as C# / Unity to discover what you like more.

 

Regards.

[Martiny]

I think for beginners, Phaser + HTML5 is the way to go. I'm a beginner myself and I find Phaser very welcoming. I can actually make stuff I wouldn't be able to do in other places, such as Unity or other frameworks.

 

But of course, it depends. Unity may be easy for you and it's definitely an awesome tool. I tried making something with it but didn't have much success. I'm still pretty bad at coding in general.

[CinkoNaap]

You should know something about code architecture, design patterns and of course entity-component structure ( why favor composition over inheritance ) before jumping into Unity.

Unity project gets messy pretty quickly when not managed well, and without this knowledge you won't be able to do anything bigger than simple side-scroller.

[Rex Rhino]

I have to agree with plicatabu ... Asking this question in an HTML5 forums, you know what the answer is going to be already.

 

Maybe a better question would be "Why have you chosen HTML5 over Unity?".

 

For myself, there are several reasons:

 

1. HTML5 is a marketable skill outside game making. My day job is senior UI developer - Which means I make a pretty good living doing non-game HTML5 development. My game development hobby helps make be better in my day job, and my day job makes me better at my game development hobby.

 

2. HTML5 is an open technology, not owned by any one company. It makes me nervous to invest too much time and effort into a technology entirely owned by a company which may go out of business, make decisions about the technology that I don't like, etc.

 

3. Unity is highly integrated with their 3D editing environment. I come from a programming background, so the the whole interface is a bit alien to me... it is probably a fantastic interface for someone who is coming from Flash, or a 3D modelling background... but I like to build everything from code. I just can wrap my head around the work environment.

 

That being said, Unity has been used to make some fantastic games, the company behind Unity seems like good people. Unity isn't necessarily a bad option, it is really a matter of preference.

[ozdy]

If you're new to gamedev then start small, this can't be stressed enough. Don't think you can make the next call of duty or starcraft 2 just because Unity supports 3D

3D programming is harder/more time consuming than 2D programming, and 3D art is way much more expensive than 2D art.

 

HTML5 all the way, or even better something like HaXe that support HTML5 and Flash (there is still some money to be made in Flash for small developers like most of us).

[Ted]

Thanks for the answers, i already tried unity and html5 a bit and i think html5 is the right friend for me. The UI of unity it's kind of confusing for me... Also because you seem to be an awesome community, (I thought HTML5 gamedevs were almost extinct)..

 

Well, hope i can share my very first HTML5 game soon with you guys!

[CrStar]

Unity has actionscript which is similar to javascript so you'll understand javascript in the process, unless you decide to program a unity game with only C#. And this also depends, do you want to further your career opportunities? C# knowledge is useful outside of making games, but if your only looking to make games and are new to programming then I recommend either learning javascript with HTML5 and CSS3, or unity with actionscript.

[Antriel]

Unity uses c# and javascript. No actionscript there.

[CrStar]

Unity uses c# and javascript. No actionscript there.

yep, your right my bad.

 

I was rushing when I wrote that message. Mainly unity can build a swf file in which all scripts can be converted to actionscript. Its not a real programming language available within unity.

[tmifx]

I use haxe and very happy. Perfectly exports in js script and easy to write code like in as3. But it is necessary to write the kernel and this is the biggest challenge.

[brainlab]

I think you should start with HTML5, since you have experience of javascript.

Unity uses a version of javascript too, but you have to know a bit more about working in a 3d-program-environment too.

 

If you want to get a bit more advanced then HTML5, download the free version of Unity and try it out.

[hilty]

Hi Guys,

 

One question about Unity:

 

Unity is a good tool for a "one man dev team"? I see Unity like a good choice for a game

made in 6/12 months, but and for casual ("fast money") games (like some flash/html5 games)? The license

value for Unity games is good enough? How much?

 

(Oh... I recommend HTML5. :-D)

 

Thanks for all, 

Cheers

[fatalfluff]

 

 

Unity is a good tool for a "one man dev team"?

 

Unity is being used by a lot of one-man indie setups, but there is no "quick casual" market like with HTML5 where you throw non-exclusive licenses at a large bunch of publishers.

They either go the app store route on mobile or the classic PC/Mac desktop way via itch.io, humble store or even steam.

 

That means, there's no market for 1-week-games like we have, no quick cash grabs. The HTML5 sponsorship market lives from being a fancy form of interactive ad banner for the portals, a comparable market for "full" unity games does not exist. A few people are very successfull with larger games, but it's the rock star/musician kind of  business model. One of 10.000 people who try it actually make a living, the rest just starves and dies in more or less horrible ways.

[CrStar]

 A few people are very successfull with larger games, but it's the rock star/musician kind of  business model. One of 10.000 people who try it actually make a living, the rest just starves and dies in more or less horrible ways.

[rclogs]

I think starting with HTML5 game dev.  is a better option.  Its support for webGL is giving it new directions. There are a lot of game engines available too. 

 

To start with unity you will have to learn a few things about modeling in 2d and 3d. but that gives you knowledge about  perspectives and other stuff that might help with game development. 

[ricky_]

How about Game Maker: Studio? You can make HTML5 games and native (windows/android/ios) as well. It is also a very accessible tool for newbies

[AVENGER NO WAR]

One thing about Unity5 (still is beta) which i like, is it can Export the game to "HTML5 WebGL".

so it can play in browsers without require to install unityplayer plugin by user.

[dbawel]

In my opinion, the overhead in using Unity for development is 'heavy', and I've found most people are limited in this environment.  Javascript is exploding, and you don't require a massive API such as Unity to develop extrememly powerful content.  I would avoid Unity if you have javascript skills or are willing to learn.

[Son of Bryce]

One thing to keep in mind, is that if you plan on doing WebGL Unity might be a great option. I'm not up to date with the progress of the Unity 5 WebGL exporter, but it seems like it'll be the best option for doing something in WebGL.

 

The problem of WebGL is that it's complex to setup stuff and there's no IDE which would be helpful for this process. You're doing everything in pure code without being able to get a view into the world you're creating. It's doable but I found it too time consuming and I'd rather spend more time focusing on the game, rather than getting basic things like loading models and textures working.

 

Unity does have more overhead, but it's become more reasonable for smaller projects now that it has 2D tools and some functional GUI tools.

[jasonb]

I'd choose Unity. Ya you got the free version of Unity 5 upcoming to have the WEBGL export, and code it in .js , well "unityscript" which is their version of .js

You code it:

 

#IF UNITY_WEBPLAYER

{

}

 

#IF UNITY_WEBGL

{

}

 

Then export to webplayer for those html5 sites that use it (for years still since that's why Unity's keeping it), and export to WEBGL for those sites that use the awesome WEBGL platform close to native performance.

[Mrst2L]

If you want to do 3d game development then unity is better by far.

[Ousaf]

I strongly recommend that use html5 to build games because

 

-Html5 is free and open and has been supported by google, microsoft, mozilla and more but unity is under one company and you should follow the polices and all that things and also It has pro unity version, At last unity vendor wants money from you

 

-HTML5 games can be played through mobile browsers while unity games not (It require plugin to work on desktop browser but no for mobile), As HTML5 does not depend on any plugin that's why it is leading the flash games

 

-HTML5 games can be exported to more gaming cosoles than unity the reason is that for playing a html5 game we only need a browser engine, where ever that browser engine is that game can be played

 

-Also you can package the HTML5 games and export to IOS, ANDROID etc... with native speed experience and submit to app stores, Ludei, and phoneGap serve for this

 

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*******************************HTML5 ROCKS***************************

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[meanderingleaf]

Unity is pretty grand, really. But there is a crazy learning curve to overcome, and if you want to put anything out without a splash screen its going to cost  you at least a bit. That said, there's just something about having an visual editor when it comes to code, and Unity will force you into some 'best practices' without you being able to shoot yourself in the foot.. too much.

 

If its strictly HTML5 games though, stay away from Unity for a little while and go with Construct or Phaser. You're going to get better performance for a while as they iron out their few last issues with the compilation to asm.js. Plus, MUCH smaller download sizes, which is king when it comes to games distributed via the net.