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It still feels to me that these game frameworks are aiming at 'arcade' or 'point and shoot'-type games.

Yep. That's what game frameworks are. They're to do the 2D/3D stuff that you need to build a game. As the stuff besides the 2D/3D stuff is already available with the core libraries.

Apart from dragging and dropping things, writing an answer to a question is the most common behavior. The time pressure component is important, but so is the collaboration (or competition) in real time

So, you don't need a game framework. You are just building a standard application, a.k.a. a business application. Nothing in that description is specific to games and thus would not require a game framework.

So I would contend that you are looking for one of two things. Either a purpose-built application that creates the type of "multimedia" application you want or a visual programming tool like 40Hz linked to avoid building it in a text editor.

That said, I would suggest taking the things you have already built (with the tools you had) and finding the common elements of those designs and then solicit the various universities and such to find students that are willing to create such an application as an open source project. If such a tool would be of aid to people learning a topic, I am sure the universities will be interested.

But, if you are now thinking, "Well, yeah... That is what I am asking for. i.e. an application to build these 'games' quickly. So you are just saying, in order to build it you must build it." Then I would say that in the most basic form you are asking the general question "How do I make custom programs quickly with the least effort and not having to learn some new programming stuff?"  And the answer I would reply with is do exactly what you are doing. Namely just use the stuff you already know how to use to McGyver up some prototypes that are good enough to determine if the project is worth "spending more resources" on. If it is, then hire/find a programmer that can build stuff for you quickly.

Of course doing things in html 5 would be great, as they are web-ready directly.

GameMaker:HTML5 will allow you to build them directly in HTML.

I have used GameMaker 7 & 8, but not the HTML5 version. It is what I would actually recommend as my first choice for what you want. It is the easiest to work with if you don't want to program but need to "program" behavior into the game. It has the building blocks that you need to do drag and drop development.

One thing that would probably otherwise be off the radar for most people answering this question is...

Zillions of Games

It is a very simple way to make parlor-type games. Games where you basically just need to build a virtual game board and pieces.

Lots of the other suggestions listed here are great for making games, but they will require you do to programming, which I believe you are trying to avoid.

Howdy y'all.

Thought I would get a head start on one of my new year resolutions to write more stuff that contributes to spreading my knowledge and experience to others who are getting started programming. I also hope to reestablish some dormant friendships. And I figured there was no better place to get started than here.

I continue to be busy, overwhelmed actually, with work I want to do, however, one of my projects that I plan on writing about is how I plan to get myself organized once and for all through prioritization, automation, and just plain giving up on some things. I hope to both offer advice and learn from others here at DC.

I'm looking forward to getting reacquainted with you folks over the course of the new year.

And maybe restart the python programming school lessons. 

 

Off Topic or On Tangent. Not sure which this is, but...

RE: Linus' attitude. At the risk of pissing you off, let me say that I believe it's a matter of perspective and that, in my case, the attitude is a plus for git. First of all, remember the venue: Very smart people with opinions and focused domain knowledge at Google invite other very smart people with opinions and focused domain knowledge to enlighten them quickly. Every one at Google can read "unbiased" reviews like everyone else, but they have the *privilege* of being able to have the combination pep-rally and firehose-fed education session quickly and unburdened with "social graces" and "distorted marketing fluff". Taken as the example, a bunch of very smart people at Google use Perforce and probably know it very well - to the point that they know its limitations. If they have work to get done they go straight to the source (pun intended) and get somebody like Linus to explain why they should switch now, quickly, and without looking back. Kind of.

And here is the part that will piss some of you off (based on your comments about Linus' presentation)...

I'm intelligent, more so than your average person. (Why should I deny it or hide it?) And I have been doing what I do for a living for many years. And I do it well. And I am very busy. If you want me to present on a topic I know, I will expect you to know the basics and some of the intermediate topics as a minimum. I will expect you to have focused experience in a related topic. I expect you to have opinions on that related topic and using it to infer things about the topic I am presenting on. I also assume, since I am busy, and you have convinced me to present, that you want an "intense" session because you will do your homework first. You are not there to be complimented, but to be educated. And if I know you have a preference/tendency/opinion in direct or partial conflict with mine, you have asked me to present because you want me to give it my best shot at convincing you are wrong, and stop you from wasting your time on your current path, or further convincing you that you are correct and save you from taking the time to explore my position/path/etc.

Unless, of course, you are British. Then I expect you to be civil and courteous even as you are scolding me and calling me an idiot.

So, in short, when you get intelligent people together that share a common domain, the best conversations/lectures/presentations are controversial and opinionated.

I'm still using Tuffmail and still happy.

Congratulations Skwire. Thanks Veign.

I use version control programs like Subversion and Mercurial for source code, but when it comes to large binary files, like graphics, I use File Hamster and I recommend it to anybody who works with binary files (CAD, 3D, Video, etc.). It will save your bacon.

[Settings]

You might see if going to Settings then Appearance tab and checking the Automatic preview options and if that don't work...

Doh! I didn't realize I needed to hit F5.  It's been a while since I have used this program. That did the trick.

I have used this program before and just now installed it on my 64-bit Windows 7 computer. It appears not to work as there is nothing on the right side.

[attachthumb=#]

On Sale Today at Bits Du Jour

http://www.bitsdujour.com...software/treedbnotes-pro/

Built by the Russians, it is off a bit in places in its English translations (i.e. a tank in flames is marked as "Inflammation"  ) but it is a fun Modern Warfare RTS. It has some nice touches like vehicles being able to button up. (And for an M113, for example, that means no commander's MG to fire.) The missions are tough and you will probably have to save and restart several times, but it is not aggravating, just tough. Well worth the $4.

[attachthumb=#]

IIRC that person has posted to the Google Maps group several times and has said that the code he has posted there is free for your use. Maybe search the old v2 and the current v3 API groups for links to that stuff.

Doh! How'd I miss that. I have that in my bookmarks.

My list of things bookmarked "for future study" on this topic are...

gheat - Project Hosting on Google Code
HeatMapAPI.com - Home
Density Mapping in Google Maps with HeatMapAPI « GeoChalkboard
Create a Heat Map with Your Own Data (& Embed on Your Site!)

Yes, I got that today. I am thoroughly unimpressed.


update: Because Conceptworld has been proactive and asked for feedback, I am download the trial version for my 64-bit Windows 7 box and will give it a try. Also, because of this, I will also mention that I am a happy owner of Notezilla and RecentX.

That's neat mouser.

Thanks. That's what I was looking for. 

I bought Sins at this sale price and I am waiting for the expansions to go on sale later. They would just be sitting unused while I played through the main game anyways.

Cross-platform general purpose (GUI - to me, that is what is implied by) IDE? Eclipse and NetBeans is about all there is.

Otherwise there is emacs and vi(m) of course. These are editors only to those who don't know how to use them. IDEs to those who do.

My Google Fu is dull today and I can't seem to focus it down to finding what I want.

I'm using a DOS batch file to do some stuff and I want to call a command line tool that will take all my ASCII files and convert the EOLs from windows format to unix format (and vise versa).

Those look nice!

I wish I would have seen this yesterday.  I have Insofta Cover Commander, but for the BDJ price I would have picked this up to get these new models.

There are two suggestions I have. One is the free, simple, yet powerful enough XML Notepad 2007 from Microsoft. The other is one for professional developers, Oxygen XML Editor. It is expensive, but worth it if you need a professional grade tool for working with all things XML.

Carol,

My family will try to send some good cat karma your way today. Pudems, Chico, and Alaska felt the disturbance in the feline force the other day. Our condolences.

tinjaw h' u reached anywhere with Python, did u find it easy, just checking...

Yes, I love Python and use it every day in my day job and every night for fun.