You just said you can do a lot in the free version, so what limits would you expect to allow for comfortable teaching? If I was doing a game design workshop in Construct I wouldn't allow them to start using a free 3D engine, that sounds like they're not following my course.

More than 50 events, more than 2 layers, no JavaScript limitations. This tree things are the most painful things.

We do not allow them to use another engine. The course is designed for Construct only. So, at least for the younger ones it doesn't make sense to use a different engine in the process.

But many are not happy with Construct and the reason is not the engine itself, but that after the course they no longer have a license to continue to build in the same form.

The same goes for teachers, which is why I'm asked if I can't do it in another engine. But I like Construct 🙄

Hi,

I wanted to ask if there is a more or less clean way to create an ui in HTML that is overlaying the canvas to control the game?

I've tested it with an iframe and put my HTML ui inside. Then I've used the API with Javasctipt to communicate with the game.

Is there a better, more sophisticated way to do this?

Funnily enough, I recently have been considering the idea of doing some game design courses to raise money for a local charity, but I wonder if it would common for people to not be able to afford a subscription once they go home and want to continue playing around with C3.

In fact, this works quite well with the courses at schools, in my case, I offer the students the licenses for the duration of the course. However, Construct's business model interferes with my concept, as students and teachers are not willing to pay for the sporadic use of Construct. Thus it is clear for the students from the beginning that they cannot/will not deepen the knowledge they have learned.

In this respect, I am currently questioning my concept and thinking about using a different engine.Unfortunately Contruct is pretty cool for beginners.

Just wanted to point out that the algorithmic and logical lessons learned from working with Construct, as well as basic computer science principles such as variables, expressions, functions, and mathematics concepts, will carry over to any programming language regardless of engine.

So if I were an educator, I would consider that the value proposition here has nothing to do with if my students continue using construct or not in the future (I wouldn't really care), but rather how easy it is for me to teach in Construct versus another engine?

Personally I would hate to waste time in a programming class worrying about syntax and compiling issues ect if I could be focusing on building a strong foundation for algorithmic logic instead. But of course that depends on what the goal of your class is...

That's a very good point and I totally agree. But as you said it depends on what the goal of the class is. In my case it's game design and art, not development. And especially in school, and younger classes, the entry into other engines is much more difficult, because programming knowledge and the understanding of the Logic are required. In my opinion, Construct thus plays to one of its strengths with a target group that will very rarely pay anything for it.

Since 2015, I have now been using Construct (Construct 2 and Construct 3) professionally for game development and in education.

I am a lecturer at a university and give game design workshops for children from about 14 years. I use Construct especially because of the low entry barrier. And it works great!

There's just one thing:

Actually, at the latest after it is clear that it is a paid engine, nobody wants to work with it anymore.

That means the students do a project under my guidance and within the course with Construct and then switch directly to another engine like Unity, Unreal, Godot, Phaser or PlayCanvas. Unity and Unreal are of course the top dogs and who wouldn't want to make fantastic looking AAA games with one of the most powerful engines, which favors the popularity of these engines. But all these engines have something in common. They are largely free for non-commercial (non-professional use).

And there is the problem with Construct. It's not free, not really.

The restrictions of the free version are so limiting that even for beginner courses I reach the limits.

That's why no teacher I've taken a course with was willing to make Construct a permanent course at the school. The effort to buy education accounts for 2 months and to cancel them afterwards (and maybe to buy them again for a project in between) is too big and to buy them for the whole year for several classes is far too expensive.

I use my licenses for different students, so I have a good utilization of my licenses. That's why I'm in a much better position and don't have to worry much about it.

Nevertheless, I think that the current price model of Construct is not conducive to the distribution and use especially in teaching. Although Construct has strengths right there that other engines don't have (#Bahaviors).

I realize that you need to make money with your engine. But even if Construct is technically great, in my experience, hardly anyone wants to continue working or experimenting with it later. The limitations of the free license are too great and everyone inevitably asks themselves why they should pay for Construct when there are such great free engines. You have to measure yourself against them and compete with them.

The real clincher for me would be the aforementioned low barrier to entry. But this hardly plays a role in an advanced project. So why Construct and no other engine.

This is not only a question I have to put up with, but also a question I have to ask myself. Maybe it would be more interesting for me to use another engine in my courses.

I would like to share this experience report here publicly as food for thought for discussion with you.

Thanks for all the information. I'll try to play through your game and hope that you have the time to finish it. I know it's very difficult to do a project like that in your free time.

Just out of interest, how many character icons and animations would you need?

I'm very impressed. Acutally a great game that I would buy.

It's beautiully designed and a very good versatile gameplay. Also the UI Design is very well done.

What I didn't like at first was the intro video. It doesn't have enough action for me and is very lengthy. In addition, I would have liked a different representation of the graphic style. However, I have to say that the real video also makes the real problem of the game's plot much more real. And I think that's exactly what you wanted too. Maybe the beginning, with the somewhat monotonous announcements of the moderators can be spiced up a bit or accompanied by music?

The only thing I don't like so much are the pictures of the characters. But that is a matter of taste. I just don't like the style and would have imagined it differently.

Still, just a great game! What about the release?