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Adventure Game Studio vs Flax Engine

Adventure Game Studio logo

Adventure Game Studio

Software

Create point-and-click adventure games

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Flax Engine logo

Flax Engine

Software

Modern 3D game engine with visual editor

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; Flax Engine flax charges a 4% royalty on game earnings above $250,000, assessed per calendar quarter
  • They diverge on capability: Adventure Game Studio covers Point-and-click editor, Flax Engine covers 3D graphics rendering.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Adventure Game Studio and Flax Engine differ
AttributeAdventure Game StudioFlax Engine
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, WebWindows, Linux, Playstation, Xbox
Founded19972017

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 Flax Engine

  • 3D graphics rendering
  • Visual editor
  • C# scripting
  • Physics engine
  • Audio system
  • Particle effects
  • Skeletal animation
  • Material system

Both cover

  • Open-source
  • Local deployment
  • Windows support
  • Linux 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 Flax Engine
  • Shipping a commercial or freeware adventure game with no licence feenot Flax Engine
  • Scripting game logic in a Java or C# style language with a built-in debuggernot Flax Engine

Flax Engine

  • Building 3D games in C# and C++ with full engine source accessnot Adventure Game Studio
  • Multi-platform deployment from one editornot Adventure Game Studio
  • Prototyping with the bundled Flax Samples projectsnot 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

Flax Engine

  • Flax charges a 4% royalty on game earnings above $250,000, assessed per calendar quarter
  • Free use is granted for non-commercial or educational usage; commercial releases fall under the royalty
  • Users must accept the Flax Engine End-User License Agreement before using the engine or its tools, so it is not an OSI open source licence despite the source being on GitHub
  • Non-game uses such as in-house tools or SaaS products need a custom licence negotiated with the vendor, and no rate card is published for per-seat or flat-fee options

Pricing, plan by plan

Adventure Game Studio

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

Flax Engine

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full engine
    • Visual editor
    • C# scripting

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 Flax Engine if

  • You need 3d graphics rendering.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, Playstation, Xbox.
  • You also want visual editor.
Flax Engine review

Questions people ask

Is Adventure Game Studio or Flax Engine better?
Neither clearly leads. Adventure Game Studio starts at Free and Flax Engine at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adventure Game Studio or Flax Engine?
Adventure Game Studio starts at Free and Flax Engine at Free.
Does Adventure Game Studio or Flax Engine run on more platforms?
Adventure Game Studio runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web. Flax Engine runs on Windows, Linux, Playstation, Xbox.
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 Flax Engine is typically brought in for.
What can Adventure Game Studio do that Flax Engine cannot?
Adventure Game Studio covers Point-and-click editor, Room system, Sprite animation, Built-in scripting. Flax Engine covers 3D graphics rendering, Visual editor, C# scripting, Physics engine. Both handle Open-source, Local deployment, Windows support, Linux support.
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