genericghost : we also all tend to be a bit carried away with features before our very projects are ready to exploit them. I have definitely been faulty of that in the past. However, if you need help with procedural text generation in one of your game, don't hesitate to ask!

Ize : the whole point about a package like Rant is the whole complexity it can handle elegantly. This said, I share the idea that you don't need to bother porting that as:

1- Such a plugin won't be useful to many users

2- If it's just for the sake of generating small quests for a role playing game, you don't need much. Rant is a kind of system that's useful for a procedural narration, as in the Sorcery! series.

Anyway, I still find Rant very interesting! I just doubt we will see many projects C2 exploiting an hypothetical plugin.

There is an inverse shader built-in C2 already. It should suit your need!

Alright, I just updated the tutorial about productivity.

Following on Aphrodite 's suggestion, it now features a Going Further section.

Hey Cody, do you save your file as a C2project (in a folder) or is it a capx? If it's a capx, you can decompress it with your regular compression software (7-zip, winrar...) and add an image named "SpriteFont.png" in the object-type folder. This should solve your issue.

Good luck!

I updated the post with my first Open Source assets pack: Cartoon Mobile Rounded Icon Buttons. I wanted to make something that would be useful for fellow game designers, regardless of the engine they're using.

Next up is the C2 productivity tips tutorial update!

Aphrodite : ah sure, thank you for the suggestion. I have to add something like that, that's true - a solid workflow is what matters the most. JSON (using external data) is meant to be along that line, but it might be interesting to write a more general article.

Anyway, I'll have an easier schedule from Monday onwards, and I must find an office to rent for 2015 (got some trails already). Hopefully, I'll be able to catch up with some healthy days of work next week.

Thanks again!

Nathan

I think productivity tips are related to [...] everything that makes you spend less time in edits and modifications

I don't really know actually: I used the word productivity literally here. I can change the title with something else anyway. Would "4 ways to improve your coding speed in C2" fit the article better to you?

EDIT: you have 1,2,3,5 instead of 1,2,3,4 on your tutorial

Thanks, I changed that.

I'm sorry for the delays with articles and all everyone, but I'm spread thin with family issues at the moment, and my schedule will be disturbed until early December.

Thanks much!

There are too many developers creating rubbish heap games with the sole intention of churning them out as little cash bots using interstitial advertising etc in the hopes of getting rich. The actual game is considered a by-product of a stealth advertising strategy for the app stores.

Unfortunately, apps stores are really opened and designed to empower those kinds of practices: as games and apps are drowned in the slumps of the stores, being part of a network of product is often required to bear some weight on the market. I'm not saying that it's good: it is very bad. But the market has evolved in that direction, and it's only getting worse with a major platform like steam taking the same route.

It's more of a personal challenge, to find out if I can complete a game of my very own.

And a successful one it seems

However, there is a mailing list you can subscribe to. You'll receive promotions right in your inbox.

You can click the checkbox in your profile to subscribe: https://www.scirra.com/me (just below the "your avatar" section).

Construct 2 itself doesn't matter. It's a solid tool. As a business, what matters is the quality of the services or products you offer.

You can make a consistent living as a freelance game developer or designer for other companies. I work as a part-time freelancer now, and I earn a tiny monthly salary on average. With strong skills, a good sense of communication, and a dedicated activity, you can earn a lot through freelancing. It's not easy, it's not for everyone, but it is a viable path. I have a few developer friends and make a comfortable living with construct 2. Their professional skills go beyond C2 though: they are serious businessmen as well.

If you want to make money as an independent game designer - without bounds from a publisher or a client -, it's a whole other thing. It is hard to build a sustainable indie game studio. I invite you to get in touch with established businesses in your country or region and ask them for some details on their struggles and earnings. Here in France, most just don't make a living from their work. Even experienced users like Aurel or KaMiZoTo are investing big time (thus money) in their projects. And I believe that they are both experienced professionals.

In practice, most professionals who take the indie route either live on their savings from previous years, or they do part-time freelance work. I believe that's what the guys from NotionGames do/did (Super Ubie Land).

I wish you the best of luck!

Nathan

Hey, I checked the game out. The 8-direction behavior should cover your needs for such a game. If you can give us a bit more details about your issue, and maybe a capx highlighting the point you're struggling with, I could check it out!