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Adventure Game Studio vs ARCore

Adventure Game Studio logo

Adventure Game Studio

Software

Create point-and-click adventure games

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ARCore logo

ARCore

Software

Google's platform for building AR experiences

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Adventure Game Studio the AGS editor and IDE run only on Windows (Vista, 7, 8, 10 or 11), even though built games run on Linux, macOS, Android and iOS; ARCore aRCore limited to Android 7.0+, excluding older Android devices
  • They diverge on capability: Adventure Game Studio covers Point-and-click editor, ARCore covers Motion tracking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Adventure Game Studio and ARCore actually diverge.

Attributes where Adventure Game Studio and ARCore differ
AttributeAdventure Game StudioARCore
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, WebAndroid, iOS, Web
Founded19971998

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Adventure Game Studio

  • Point-and-click editor
  • Room system
  • Sprite animation
  • Built-in scripting
  • Inventory system
  • Dialog system
  • Audio support
  • Resolution scaling

Only in ARCore

  • Motion tracking
  • Environmental understanding
  • Light estimation
  • Depth API
  • Unity
  • Unreal
  • Android Studio
  • Ar support

Both cover

  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Adventure Game Studio

  • Building point-and-click adventure games in a classic Sierra or LucasArts stylenot ARCore
  • Shipping a commercial or freeware adventure game with no licence feenot ARCore
  • Scripting game logic in a Java or C# style language with a built-in debuggernot ARCore

ARCore

  • VR Gamingnot Adventure Game Studio
  • AR Marketingnot Adventure Game Studio
  • Virtual Trainingnot Adventure Game Studio
  • 3D Visualizationnot Adventure Game Studio
  • Immersive Experiencesnot Adventure Game Studio

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Adventure Game Studio

  • The AGS editor and IDE run only on Windows (Vista, 7, 8, 10 or 11), even though built games run on Linux, macOS, Android and iOS
  • The editor requires the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable, and .NET Framework 4.5 on Windows 7 and Vista
  • Video playback supports only FLC and OGV (Ogg Theora) and is full-screen only; AVI and WMV support was dropped after version 3.6.0 and existed only on Windows builds
  • MSSCCI source control integration was discontinued in version 3.6.0
  • Graphics drivers are limited to Direct3D 9 and OpenGL
  • Audio format support is limited to OGG, MP3, WAV, MOD, XM and MIDI
  • Support is community-only through forums and Discord, with no vendor support channel

ARCore

  • ARCore limited to Android 7.0+, excluding older Android devices
  • Requires integration with game engines or frameworks for most applications
  • Cloud anchors rely on internet connectivity for shared AR experiences
  • Performance varies significantly across different Android device capabilities

Pricing, plan by plan

Adventure Game Studio

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full editor
    • Built-in script editor
    • Room editor

ARCore

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full SDK
    • Cloud Anchors
    • Geospatial API

Which should you pick?

Choose Adventure Game Studio if

  • You need point-and-click editor.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want room system.
Adventure Game Studio review

Choose ARCore if

  • You need motion tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Android, iOS, Web.
  • You also want environmental understanding.
ARCore review

Questions people ask

Is Adventure Game Studio or ARCore better?
Neither clearly leads. Adventure Game Studio starts at Free and ARCore at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adventure Game Studio or ARCore?
Adventure Game Studio starts at Free and ARCore at Free.
Does Adventure Game Studio or ARCore run on more platforms?
Adventure Game Studio runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web. ARCore runs on Android, iOS, Web.
Can I use Adventure Game Studio for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Adventure Game Studio best used for?
Adventure Game Studio is most often used for building point-and-click adventure games in a classic sierra or lucasarts style, shipping a commercial or freeware adventure game with no licence fee, scripting game logic in a java or c# style language with a built-in debugger. Of those, building point-and-click adventure games in a classic sierra or lucasarts style and shipping a commercial or freeware adventure game with no licence fee are not what ARCore is typically brought in for.
What can Adventure Game Studio do that ARCore cannot?
Adventure Game Studio covers Point-and-click editor, Room system, Sprite animation, Built-in scripting. ARCore covers Motion tracking, Environmental understanding, Light estimation, Depth API. Both handle Ios support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ARCore: What platforms does ARCore support?

ARCore supports Android 7.0 (Nougat) and later on qualified Android phones. SDKs are also available for iOS, Unity, Unreal Engine, and Web (WebXR).

Source
ARCore: What are the three core capabilities of ARCore?

ARCore provides motion tracking to monitor device position, environmental understanding to detect surfaces like floors and walls, and light estimation to analyze surrounding lighting conditions.

Source
ARCore: Can developers build shared AR experiences with ARCore?

Yes, ARCore supports cloud anchors enabling multiple users to see the same virtual objects in the real world, enabling shared AR experiences.

Source
ARCore: What programming languages does ARCore support?

ARCore supports Kotlin and Java for Android, C through Android NDK, and provides APIs for Unity, Unreal Engine, iOS, and Web platforms.

Source
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