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Game Development · head to head

Gamesparks vs Adventure Game Studio

Gamesparks logo

Gamesparks

Game Development

Backend as a service for game development

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Adventure Game Studio logo

Adventure Game Studio

Game Development

Create point-and-click adventure games

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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; 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
  • They diverge on capability: Gamesparks covers Real-time features, Adventure Game Studio covers Point-and-click editor.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Gamesparks and Adventure Game Studio differ
AttributeGamesparksAdventure Game Studio
Pricing modelusage-basedfree
PlatformsCross-platformWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web
Founded20061997

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

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 Gamesparks

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

Only in Adventure Game Studio

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

What people use each for

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

Gamesparks

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

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

Where each one falls short

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

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

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

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Adventure Game Studio

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

Which should you pick?

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

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

Questions people ask

Is Gamesparks or Adventure Game Studio better?
Neither clearly leads. Gamesparks starts at Free and Adventure Game Studio at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Gamesparks or Adventure Game Studio?
Gamesparks starts at Free and Adventure Game Studio at Free.
Does Gamesparks or Adventure Game Studio run on more platforms?
Gamesparks runs on Cross-platform. Adventure Game Studio runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web.
Can I use Gamesparks for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Gamesparks best used for?
Gamesparks is most often used for multiplayer games, real-time games, cloud gaming, game analytics. Of those, multiplayer games and real-time games are not what Adventure Game Studio is typically brought in for.
What can Gamesparks do that Adventure Game Studio cannot?
Gamesparks covers Real-time features, Multiplayer support, User authentication, Data storage. Adventure Game Studio covers Point-and-click editor, Room system, Sprite animation, Built-in scripting.
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