Softwr

Game Development · head to head

Adventure Game Studio vs Houdini

Adventure Game Studio logo

Adventure Game Studio

Game Development

Create point-and-click adventure games

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Houdini logo

Houdini

3D & CAD

Procedural 3D animation and VFX

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; Houdini houdini Indie at $299 per year requires annual gross revenue under $100K USD
  • They diverge on capability: Adventure Game Studio covers Point-and-click editor, Houdini covers Procedural modeling.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Adventure Game Studio and Houdini differ
AttributeAdventure Game StudioHoudini
Pricing modelfreesubscription
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, WebWindows, MacOS, Linux
CategoryGame Development3D & CAD
Founded19971987

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

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 Houdini

  • Procedural modeling
  • VFX
  • Simulations
  • Particle systems
  • Pyro FX
  • Ocean tools
  • Rigging
  • Rendering

Both cover

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

Houdini

  • Procedural 3D modelling and environment generationnot Adventure Game Studio
  • Visual effects simulation for pyro, fluids, cloth and rigid bodiesnot Adventure Game Studio
  • Building reusable procedural assets for a studio pipelinenot 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

Houdini

  • Houdini Indie at $299 per year requires annual gross revenue under $100K USD
  • Houdini Indie cannot be used in the same pipeline as commercial versions of Houdini
  • Houdini Indie and Apprentice save to their own .hipnc file format, which commercial Houdini pipelines do not share
  • The free Apprentice edition is non commercial, caps render resolution at 1920x1080 and watermarks output images
  • Houdini Indie ships with only 2 render tokens
  • Full DOP level simulation node access requires Houdini FX at $4,495 per workstation; Core at $1,995 exposes only SOP level pre built simulation assets
  • Extra render tokens cost $195

Pricing, plan by plan

Adventure Game Studio

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

Houdini

Free
  • ApprenticeFree
    • Learning version
    • Non-commercial
  • Indie$269/month
    • Revenue limit $100K
  • Core$1995/month
    • Full commercial
  • FX$4495/month
    • Full + simulations

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 Houdini if

  • You need procedural modeling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want vfx.
Houdini review

Questions people ask

Is Adventure Game Studio or Houdini better?
Neither clearly leads. Adventure Game Studio starts at Free and Houdini at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adventure Game Studio or Houdini?
Adventure Game Studio starts at Free and Houdini at Free.
Does Adventure Game Studio or Houdini run on more platforms?
Adventure Game Studio runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web. Houdini runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
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 Houdini is typically brought in for.
What can Adventure Game Studio do that Houdini cannot?
Adventure Game Studio covers Point-and-click editor, Room system, Sprite animation, Built-in scripting. Houdini covers Procedural modeling, VFX, Simulations, Particle systems. Both handle Windows support, Linux support.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Adventure Game Studio

More on Houdini

Keep looking

Other head to heads