Buildbox is a phenomenal tool for game developers at every level. It has changed the lives of app developers by allowing those with little to no experience in scripting or coding to create masterpieces on a professional level. Since the release of version 1.0, it has built a cult following of developers and designers striving to make the next big game. It’s been the source of more chart-topping games in the App Store than any other drag-and-drop video game maker.
Buildbox’s drag-and-drop interface lets game developers draft storylines, build entire worlds, and create exciting levels and characters in the space of a week. You can expect to conceive your idea, deploy it, monetize it, and move on to the next project at lightning speed.
The best video game makers in the industry swear by Buildbox because it’s so easy to use, and with the release of Buildbox 3.0, amazing new features have been added to take your game to the next level. For new video game developers, check out some of the things that have made Buildbox an industry favorite.
Creator Screen
When you start Buildbox, you’ll be greeted with the creator screen. Everything is laid out to make your journey quick and easy.
• Step 1: Type the title of your game.
• Step 2: Select your screen orientation. Are you building a classic side-scroller or adding your twist on Tetris or Brickbreaker? There is support for portrait and landscape.
• Step 3: How many worlds will your players navigate? Enter your number in the appropriate box.
• Step 4: Click the drop-down menu and select your gameplay type. There is something for everyone; your only limitation is your imagination.
• Step 5: Choose the menu options for your game. That is the title menu for your player to start the game, create profiles, adjust the difficulty, etc.
• Step 6: Click “Create.”
And that’s it! You’ve built your first game! Buildbox will load some sample material for you to play around with, including basic characters, background, objects, and scenes. Get a feel for the gameplay and adjust everything to your liking.
Editing the UI
Creating a beautiful UI is a breeze with the drag-n-drop wheel. Get your best graphics, drop in some text, select each button’s functionality, and you’re ready. Buildbox’s node visualizer lets you see how each element in your UI will connect and behave. To add a new section to your game menu, just add a new node, set the functionality and design, and connect the node with a click of the mouse. It’s that easy.
Let’s Make Our Game!
Now that you have a basic template for your game, it’s time to get down to the nitty gritty! You can start by editing your scenes. Using the simple click and drag interface, you can add objects, duplicate scenes and objects, modify your background, and tons more. The panel to your right will offer a variety of options that let you create interactive objects, moveable settings, duplicate settings, and moveable objects.
The power in Buildbox lies in its convenience and usability. By pressing “D,” you can quickly duplicate an entire scene; to add a scene, click the “+Add” button at the bottom of the screen. Once you’ve added your scenes, you’ll see a timeline with each one listed; this is where you add chronology to your game. Layer the scenes in the timeline, in the order you want them to show up in the world; alternatively, you could leave them all stacked on top of one another for randomized scenery and more engaging gameplay.
You can add objects to a scene by dragging them on the screen; these are your obstacles, like boxes and monsters. Once you’ve got your objects in place, you can alter their design, collision settings, movement, physics, and a host of other things.
Wake-up settings and logic controls allow your player to interact with the environment. Wake-up settings bring an object to life while logic controls regulate the motion and transformation of the object. Physics controls dictate the rules of your objects once they are in action. Settings like gravity, friction, and bounce add new layers of life to your game. You can even add shadows to your characters and objects by tweaking the physics of light.
Take control of your world with ultimate creativity! You have the power to send your players to the moon or submerge them in an underwater paradise. Want obstacles that break and bounce? How about a power-up that lets your player fly to a secret sky-zone? Let your imagination run free, craft new worlds with incredible laws of physics and challenging themes for unlimited fun!
Keep your Players Playing
All the best games offer a reward of some sort: points, coins, power-ups, secrets. Let’s face it: we play games for the satisfaction of being rewarded; it just feels good!
Points, coins, tokens: these are called Actions in Buildbox. When a player touches the coin, they trigger the action of receiving a reward. One coin equals X amount of points. Fill your world with actions to keep your players engaged.
Buildbox 2.0 and 3.0
The community surrounding Buildbox is full of knowledgeable, energetic developers. The Buildbox developers offer top-notch support, personal emails, and a plethora of online tutorials. Any questions you have, you can bet you’ll find an answer. With the introduction of Buildbox 2.0, and now 3.0, new features have stirred some fantastic feedback.
The introduction of Buildbox 2.0 gave us new Particle effects. Game makers could create astounding particle emitters to add vibrant sparkles to in-game objects.
Buildbox 3.0 promises to offer game developers even more features to look forward to. The most recent leaks have revealed what appears to be 3-D support and full-scale audio customization. That is all speculative, but it promises to be amazing! Buildbox hasn’t disappointed game developers yet, and they’re a significant force in the App Store. For fledgling developers looking to get into video game development, Buildbox is the way to go.
