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Adventure Game Studio vs Gamesparks

Adventure Game Studio logo

Adventure Game Studio

Software

Create point-and-click adventure games

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Gamesparks logo

Gamesparks

Software

Backend as a service for game development

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; Gamesparks aWS states "Starting October 1, 2022, access to the GameSparks console will no longer be available" and that all existing games and data needed to be migrated off the platform before that date
  • They diverge on capability: Adventure Game Studio covers Point-and-click editor, Gamesparks covers Real-time features.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Adventure Game Studio and Gamesparks differ
AttributeAdventure Game StudioGamesparks
Pricing modelfreeusage-based
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, WebCross-platform
Founded19972006

Identical on both: starting price (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 Gamesparks

  • Real-time features
  • Multiplayer support
  • User authentication
  • Data storage
  • Matchmaking
  • WebSocket support
  • Cloud integration
  • Analytics

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 Gamesparks
  • Shipping a commercial or freeware adventure game with no licence feenot Gamesparks
  • Scripting game logic in a Java or C# style language with a built-in debuggernot Gamesparks

Gamesparks

  • Multiplayer gamesnot Adventure Game Studio
  • Real-time gamesnot Adventure Game Studio
  • Cloud gamingnot Adventure Game Studio
  • Game analyticsnot 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

Gamesparks

  • AWS states "Starting October 1, 2022, access to the GameSparks console will no longer be available" and that all existing games and data needed to be migrated off the platform before that date

Pricing, plan by plan

Adventure Game Studio

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

Gamesparks

Free
  • Free TierFree
    • 1M API requests
    • 1M CloudWatch logs
    • Free for first year
  • Pay-as-you-go$0.01/request
    • Unlimited API requests
    • Real-time multiplayer
    • CloudWatch integration

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 Gamesparks if

  • You need real-time features.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cross-platform.
  • You also want multiplayer support.
Gamesparks review

Questions people ask

Is Adventure Game Studio or Gamesparks better?
Neither clearly leads. Adventure Game Studio starts at Free and Gamesparks at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adventure Game Studio or Gamesparks?
Adventure Game Studio starts at Free and Gamesparks at Free.
Does Adventure Game Studio or Gamesparks run on more platforms?
Adventure Game Studio runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web. Gamesparks runs on Cross-platform.
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 Gamesparks is typically brought in for.
What can Adventure Game Studio do that Gamesparks cannot?
Adventure Game Studio covers Point-and-click editor, Room system, Sprite animation, Built-in scripting. Gamesparks covers Real-time features, Multiplayer support, User authentication, Data storage.
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