Stencyl is a failure. (locked)

I think it is about time that we all realize that Stencyl is a failure. It had a OK launch, but the tools are simply not powerful enough to make a really good flash game these days.

If this came out 5 years ago, it would have rocked. Today, not so much.

You’re way wrong,and if you’re basing your opinion on the tutorial games that get uploaded from it, you’re missing most of its power.

Stencyl itself is a great tool for beginners and advanced programmers too.
It can be used to learn and to make a prototype game.

It’s the people that upload unchanged ‘crash course’ games that are the failures.

The simple fact is those who take the time to truly learn Adobe Flash from the ground up will end up making the best games – games that cannot and never will be made from these types of ‘make it easier for the masses!’ type of programs – like Stencyl.

If you want the masses to make tons of games using Stencyl, expect tons and tons of true crap simply because the masses are making the games.

Stencyl is for the masses. It’s not targeting those 5 customers who are waiting for that magic tasty burger from a french restaurant. It’s a mcdonalds where anyone can come in and afford it. It’s provides a low entry point so that graphic designers who cannot code or coders who cannot draw to come together. It’s also a great teaching tool for beginners. It will be in high school, some game centric design house and even perhaps some early college computer science classes. Much like scratch, it can be translated into different languages so that more people from different part of the world can use it.

I think a lot of people just have the notion of using stencyl is to create the greatest game in the world. There are much more than that.

If you don’t want to or have no desire learn to code or draw, use Stencyl. Stencyl is only a failure for those who upload the, as saybox put it, tutorial games.

Originally posted by jobsta360:

Stencyl itself is a great tool for beginners and advanced programmers too.

Advanced programmers? If they can program why would they use Stencyl?

Originally posted by GameBuilder15:

Originally posted by jobsta360:

Stencyl itself is a great tool for beginners and advanced programmers too.

Advanced programmers? If they can program why would they use Stencyl?

Many web developers use Dreamweaver. If they know how to script, why would they do so?

Many chefs use microwaves. If they know how to cook, why would they do so?

Many photographers use DSLRs. If they know how to develop film, why would they do so?

I’m not following your logic, here. Many people use Flex Builder for visiual MXML based development when they don’t need to, why aren’t you lampooning them?

I think Stencyl has a chance to do something, but they will always be pandering to the lowest common denominator.

The simple fact is those who take the time to truly learn Adobe Flash from the ground up will end up making the best games – games that cannot and never will be made from these types of ‘make it easier for the masses!’ type of programs – like Stencyl.

I disagree; the vast majority of the top rated games here on Kongregate could easily be made in Stencyl. In fact, several of the top rated games here were originally created in a Stencyl-like “make it easier for the masses type program” called GameMaker; Mr Karoshi, Depict1, and Tower of Heaven are just a few off the top of my head, I could give you pages more if you wanted. The best games will be created by the most creative and hard working people, regardless of what tools they use.

The only sense in which you could call Stencyl a failure is that it’s so far failed to attract a substantial user base, but seeing as it’s only been released a month and has had minimal advertising that’s only to be expected. Hopefully it’ll gradually get more well known and we’ll see more talented people using it in the future.

warp game was a great success. Game Maker game. My favorite game of all time is game maker game, super crate box.

Hmm, it appears as though OldTimeGamer has been permanently banned.

Originally posted by GameBuilder15:

Originally posted by jobsta360:

Stencyl itself is a great tool for beginners and advanced programmers too.

Advanced programmers? If they can program why would they use Stencyl?

Like I said in that same post, “to make a prototype game.”

Stencyl’s target audience isn’t the advanced programmers who can already make high quality games in Flash. It’s designed as an easier starting point for new programmers, and I’ll happily bet that we do start to see some amazing games produced with it – just not yet, as its only been out for a month.

Stencyl is for everyone. Whether it’s beginners or programming gurus, everyone has something to bring to the table. The quality of the games is fully dependent upon the user and his/her usage of the program. Many games will be created. Some will be substantial. Others won’t. The most successful games will rise to the top. I’m sure Stencyl will be and is a success because it is just so easy to use. How you use it is your business.

Originally posted by OldGirlGamer1977:

I think Stencyl has a chance to do something, but they will always be pandering to the lowest common denominator.

I agree. Stencyl will probably appeal to people who cannot afford Adobe Flash or refuse to pirate it, and are not serious developers of flash games.

stencyl is good but the crash course doesnt teach you how to use it. thats why some stencyl games are good and some bad

Originally posted by WildKnyfe:

Originally posted by OldGirlGamer1977:

I think Stencyl has a chance to do something, but they will always be pandering to the lowest common denominator.

I agree. Stencyl will probably appeal to people who cannot afford Adobe Flash or refuse to pirate it, and are not serious developers of flash games.

You don’t need Adobe Flash to make flash games.

To each his own.

In most cases (and not ignoring that some software is way better than other), the failure is the guy in front of the screen and not the program he’s using for whatever purpose.

The simple fact is those who take the time to truly learn Adobe Flash from the ground up will end up making the best games – games that cannot and never will be made from these types of ‘make it easier for the masses!’ type of programs – like Stencyl.

1: Adobe Flash (aka CS) is one of those “make it easier for the masses!” type of programs (as it looks more like Paint than like a coding IDE), which is good, because it’s animation software.
2:This.

Advanced programmers? If they can program why would they use Stencyl?

Same can be applied to CS.

Some feel better with icons and colors everywhere.
Some prefer drag-n’-drop software. Some like text-only.

Originally posted by ChainsThatBind:

Hmm, it appears as though OldTimeGamer has been permanently banned.

HAHAHAHAHA.png

I do not think Stencyl is a failure. I think it’s great for beginners.

I can’t wait for someone to make a really good game in Stencyl, so people can see its potential.

Stencyl will probably not be able to properly compete with traditional developers for a while, it could be years or simply months. What is extraordinary about Stencyl is that it has an online community that people can upload to or download from, effectively allowing those skilled in code to work together with those skilled in computer graphics without requiring that they both work on the same game. Hopefully soon the age of crap will cease, but we should all do a part to convince developers putting up the crap to take it down in respect of the medium and programs being used to build this crap.

Originally posted by GameBuilder15:

Originally posted by jobsta360:

Stencyl itself is a great tool for beginners and advanced programmers too.

Advanced programmers? If they can program why would they use Stencyl?

Because maybe when the programmers attempt to draw a smily in paint it looks more like a sickly potato. Stencyl helps those who lack some of the necessary skills for producing flash games alone.

Originally posted by Mousketeer23:

Originally posted by GameBuilder15:

Originally posted by jobsta360:

Stencyl itself is a great tool for beginners and advanced programmers too.

Advanced programmers? If they can program why would they use Stencyl?

Because maybe when the programmers attempt to draw a smily in paint it looks more like a sickly potato. Stencyl helps those who lack some of the necessary skills for producing flash games alone.

I don’t see how stencyl would make someone better at art. If you’re saying they should take their sprites from stencyl, they could just as easily find sprites with google images. If you’re saying they should collaborate, they could just as easily find an artist on kong.

stencyl is for beginners

Its a tool. It has advantages and disadvantages, just like other engines.
Making a great flash game is not about how “powerful” your tools are, its about your own creativity.