Since the initial release of Construct Classic in 2007 and Construct 2 in 2011, Scirra has made much progress on its newest version of Construct 3. Whether you’re a student, an indie gamer, or a seasoned dev, Construct 3 offers a user-friendly platform to bring your craziest dreams to life.
Forget about coding and dive into an experience that makes creating interactive content and games feel like Disney magic. Here are the top reasons your next game project should be on Construct 3.
1. The 2D Game Development is First Class
Are you in love with 2D games? Then, you probably need to be on this engine since it was designed for creating 2D experiences.
Intuitive Visual Interface
Adding visual elements is a snap since you don’t need coding experience. You will feel at ease with the drag-and-drop editor interface. It allows game developers of all skill levels to get up to speed quickly.
The included objects in the free edition, like text blocks, SVG images, and sprites, allow for enough customization to make many popular 2D games in the app stores today.
Cross-Platform Game Engine
With Construct 3, developers can effortlessly export their creations to various platforms, including Android, iOS, Web, PC, Mac, and Linux. This allows your game to reach a larger market, giving it a better chance to make an impact.
The game engine runs on HTML5 with Webview behind the scenes saving you time and effort during the porting process.
Rich Asset Library
There is no shortage of user-generated assets available in the store. This includes premade levels, inventory systems, backgrounds, and sound effects. You name it. These invaluable resources speed up the game development journey. Spend more time designing and less time creating assets.
Moreover, the engine allows you to import custom assets and infuse your game with an identity that sets it apart. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination.
2. No Code Games for the Win
One of the most significant advantages is that it requires no programming knowledge. No wonder it is so appealing to both students and professional game designers. Here’s why this is so significant…
Accessibility
Less technical hurdles mean greater adoption. Aspiring game creators, talented artists, imaginative designers, and passionate enthusiasts can now come together to create their games without the complexities of coding languages, debugging, and compilers.
Faster Prototyping
Time is money. And the longer it takes you to prove a concept, the less runway you have to try different mechanics and game design. Teachers cram a lot of information in short class periods, and students have deadlines.
Luckily, this platform allows developers to prototype game concepts quickly. The visual nature of event-based programming enables quick iteration and experimentation, resulting in a final product.
Furthermore, swapping assets and other elements can be done in seconds. Similar Projects created on other engines like Unity and Unreal generally take much longer for non-programmers.
Reduced Learning Curve
The primary skills that new developers can concentrate on include game design, art assets, and game mechanics. You know, the fun stuff about making games. Nobody wants to spend days understanding how an engine works and where tools are located.
In addition, the beginner’s guide, tutorials, and documentation are pretty good. Can’t figure out how to make your character transition between scenes, there is a tutorial for that.
Bridge From No-Programming To Programming
Wanted: Future Game Developers! There is no doubt that the programming involved in modern engines is daunting. But this is a great way to get started if you are interested in the industry.
This is where Construct 3 comes in. It will familiarize you with many concepts that professional software teams deal with. This includes logic, graphics, browser plugins, editors, and more. The leap to a traditional coding language like javascript or HTML is much easier by starting with visual programming.
But Construct takes it several steps further. With its wide variety of events and actions, experienced developers can recreate the same logic that most software scripts would allow you to make. All of that makes this platform a leader in no-code games.
3: Mobile Games
Export Options
You can export your games to iOS and Android with the paid version. The iOS exporting is pretty straightforward. You will export your project directly from the editor as a Cordova project. Then, you can import that project to XCode for device simulation and testing. Once you’re happy, you can upload that Cordova file to Apple for review.
Android allows you a couple of different options as well. First, you can directly export an APK file for Cordova. That can be used with Android Studio for simulation and debugging. On top of that, it isn’t too much extra work to integrate with Google Play. Check out how you can include in-app purchases with Android and Google Play.
Note: You’ll need an Apple Developer account for iOS and a Google Dev account for Google Play
Controls
All standard mobile interaction controls are available through objects and events. That makes supporting gestures like one and two-finger swipes, scroll, and screen taps easy.
In addition, device-specific actions are supported as well. This includes Geolocation, QR codes, speech recognition, and user media.
4: Construct Is Affordable, Especially For Educators
Do you feel comfortable spending hundreds of dollars a year on game tools? Most of us are on a budget, and we consider cost a top priority. The Construct game engine has pretty reasonable plans if this describes you.
You can start with a free version that offers limited features. It is enough to test the platform and build your first game immediately. It also allows you to publish your game on the web.
Subscriptions
If you can afford to kick it up to the paid plan at $130/year, you get unlimited events, access to all the paid plugins, and publishing to all other supported platforms. Educator versions are pretty affordable at $33/year.
In comparison, Unity also has a fantastic free plan. However, the paid Plus version for individuals will set you back $400.
If you know you will be developing for around a year or more; the yearly plan is highly advisable. Discounts for yearly plans vs. monthly are around 58% for individual plans and 72% for educators.
Educational Discounts
Construct 3 offers pricing options and discounts explicitly designed for institutions and educators. The Education License for Construct is available for $33/year for each seat. Discounts are available with an increased seat count.
As a comparison, Unity also has education plans aimed at students (not teaching organizations). This is a full version for students 16 and under and is totally free.
5: Stability
You don’t want to put tons of hours into a system with many ongoing issues and bugs. It can become frustrating and slow you down.
Solid Foundation
Construct 3 is built on the legacies of Construct Classic and Construct 2. These earlier versions have undergone years of development, bug fixing, and refinement. Scirra continues to place a lot of importance on maintaining the stability of its newest version. They have ensured that the engine remains resilient through testing and stringent QA.
A list of ongoing issues and updates can be found on their GitHub page – https://github.com/Scirra/Construct-bugs/issues.
Regular Updates and Enhancements
Scirra has a proven history of providing regular updates and bug fixes for their software. They even have a Wishlist (Suggestion) forum to get feedback for requested features.
Community Engagement
I’ve personally experienced pretty good customer support so far. They actively engage with the Construct 3 community on their forums. They have a very active forum with an extensive history. If your question hasn’t been asked, you can usually get a response quickly. I’ve found them to be pretty responsive by email, but you will likely get a faster response on the forums for most technical issues.
Conclusion
If you want to create a 2D game with an easy yet robust development environment, Construct 3 is worth considering. This game engine is stable, regularly updated, and consistently improving. With the no-code features and strong community, it should be a top choice for any student, indie developer, or studio looking to develop a game quickly.
And if you are looking to monetize your game, take a look at our in-game purchases and subscription service for Construct 3.
FAQs
Is Construct 3 Free?
Yes, Construct 3 is free to start under their Free Edition plan. It has basic features, like 50 maximum events and two layers, to get you going. It is suitable for testing the waters, but you’ll have to upgrade to a paid version to release a game with any modest complexity. Most advanced features like multiplayer, monetization, and special effects require a paid version.
How Much Do the Construct 3 Plans Cost?
The good news is that there is an education version for only $10/month ($33/year) if you are a student or teacher. Otherwise, you want to shell out $26/month ($130/year) for a personal license or $469/year for a business seat. Annual plans are highly discounted from monthly plans.
What are the benefits of Construct 3?
There are several benefits to Construct. Its visual programming design allows you to create games with no experience. It has fantastic support for mobile games on iOS and Android.
A user-friendly and intuitive game development toolset empowers designers to bring their visions to life. You’ll find a drag-and-drop web editor, an extensive library of assets, and cross-platform compatibility to publish to various devices. Since everything is online, you can go from knowing nothing to having a working game level in minutes, thanks to their starter templates.
Why is Construct 3 good for beginners?
One primary advantage of Construct 3 is its no-code development environment. This lets students gain game development skills quickly without being required to learn programming. But it also goes beyond simplicity. Construct’s features are advanced enough for even large studios to be satisfied so the engine can grow with you.