Game organizer?

[Bloodmorphed]

I've been looking into articy: Draft SE (and 2) This program is amazing for organization, however I can't afford this right now, does anyone know about a free program that can do this? (Even if its just partly)

 

[Shaz]

I've moved this thread to Program and Utility Discussion. Please be sure to post your threads in the correct forum next time. Thank you.


It's 30% off on Steam right now, by the looks of it.


This (found on the first page after googling Articy) might be of interest to you. yEd looks good.

 

[Bloodmorphed]

I've moved this thread to Program and Utility Discussion. Please be sure to post your threads in the correct forum next time. Thank you.

It's 30% off on Steam right now, by the looks of it.

This (found on the first page after googling Articy) might be of interest to you. yEd looks good.

Thank you! yEd looks exactly like what I need for now.

 

[Shaz]

Google Drive also has flowcharting.


Actually, what's the deal with Articy: Draft? If you buy from their own site, you're up for several hundred to over a thousand euros, depending on the version. But if you buy from Steam, it's only $99 for the one-user licence (without the discount). Do you have to use it online, and is your "database" hosted on their server or something?


It DOES look like a good tool for organizing everything (it almost looks like it'd generate the game for you, with all its complexity ) so I might be interested in this myself (first Steam purchase ever) as long as I know what I'm getting and what I'm not getting.

 

[Bloodmorphed]

I'm not too sure. But it's not as boring as the others. By boring I mean looking at virtually no color. yEd is bland. Articy: Drafty is more colorful and your incline to look at the screen for longer periods of time and its a bit easier to organize your material. Plus it does a lot of more then just what yEd does.

Also I don't think their database is hosted on their server, I think that would be pointless. Or perhaps not. I will def. do more research before I buy it on Wednesday.

 

[Chaos17]

The "DLC" cost as much as the original program...

http://store.steampowered.com/app/230791/

It seems you can't buy directly Artificy draft SE 2, you need the first version since it's a DLC.

 

[Andar]

Actually, what's the deal with Articy: Draft? If you buy from their own site, you're up for several hundred to over a thousand euros, depending on the version. But if you buy from Steam, it's only $99 for the one-user licence (without the discount). Do you have to use it online, and is your "database" hosted on their server or something?

I've looked into Articy before, and if I remember correcty someone from staff actually uses it.
The steam version is linked on the original shop as "Articy: Draft SE", and it's not allowed to be used with commercial games - but the upgrade to the full single user version is only the price difference, and they specifically state somewhere that they have no problem with small companies using SE for the development IF said indie company upgrades to the full version BEFORE selling the game.


Everything is stored locally (unless you purchase the much more expensive server version)


There is a 30-day-trial available on their original homepage, so you can test what it can do and what not.


I can't help you with that at the moment because I tested Version 1 and they were already discussing interesting features for version 2 back then (which is already available now).

 

[Shaz]

I'll get the demo of this over the next few days and have a play with it. It looks really interesting.

 

[Andar]

I have to correct myself:


The trial is 14 days only, not 30 as I remembered.


http://www.nevigo.com/en/articydraft/try/

 

[Bloodmorphed]

I have used it, and it is well worth it's price if you can make the best of its features, Which I plan to do in the future. It is extremely helpful getting your characters mapped out and how they tie into each other. Me personally I have to visualize stuff in order for my brain to tick.

 

[Andar]

One more thing to add for everyone who considers purchasing this:


There is a reason why the upgrade-DLC to version 2 is as expensive as the original V1 program, and why both version 1 and version 2 can still be purchased on the original developer's website:


Version 1 is mostly static flow visualisation, but version 2 adds dynamic playthrough to the flow, allowing logic switches to be checked and parameters to be calculated based on variables and so on.


If you don't need those additional functions (and a few more that had been added with V2), you can still use the cheaper V1


Most small games can probably go by with V1, the dynamic flow checking is good if your game has complex relationships and story-branching instead of mostly linear or static flow with only secondary quests branching.

 

[Shaz]

Just looking at the dev's page and prices, it looks like Articy: Draft has the same price on steam and the dev's site - $99 for the single user, non-commercial license, and the same for the upgrade to v2.


I can't afford to buy it now while Steam has a sale. So if I've got to pay full price, I may as well get it direct from the developer, as I'll be after the commercial one anyway. (edit: until I looked at what the exchange rate was, then changed my mind)


I'm going to grab the demo now and have a play with it for as long as the trial lasts, to make sure it does everything I want it to do

 

[Andar]

I may as well get it direct from the developer, as I'll be after the commercial one anyway.

One of the Steam DLC's is an upgrade to commercial use, for the difference between non-com and com prices

 

[Shaz]

I'll have to take another look at Steam then. I only saw the upgrade to v2. Maybe they'll have a multiuser/server/client one there too.


I've been using this all afternoon - so far just to add in all my locations and PCs and add links between them. Absolutely loving it! Will be soon moving on to game flow and dialogue, which is where this product is really meant to shine.


Yeah, I don't think any of the tools listed in that "alternatives" link I posted higher up even remotely compare with this!


[edit: No, multiuser version not on steam ]

 

[Andar]

It's on the main shop page of artixy draft, and doesn't have a separate link because it's only a licence, no real download attached.


No, Steam doesn't have a multiuser version (as far as I know of) - and that would be difficult anyway because for the multiuser you'll need a server to run, not only work stations

 

[Archeia]

I use Articyraft and love it. The "DLC" is not really a DLC. It's technically like a sequel but you can upgrade your Articyraft 1.5 to 2.0

Articyraft is really a very flexible planning tool. It even has a blueprint/map editor in it. You can make templates for later use. You can set storyline branching easily etc. I don't want to fangirl about it too much but I love it to bits haha.

an alternative one can have is Storybook program. It's mostly focused on writing and characters though, but not for the technical things of game development. By the end, Excel/spreadsheet programs are a better game organizer in the longest run!

 

[Bloodmorphed]

I'm a bit confused on how to use it really. It is so much stuff to take in. Lol.

 

[Archeia]

I kinda understood it because I was used to flowcharting programs and storybook. But their new updated version has tutorials now and sample projects so it would help a lot more

 

[Bloodmorphed]

I can't buy the second one at this moment. I went broke just buying the first one. And that was on steam so if I had planned to use it with more people its useless. Lol.

 

[Shaz]

I've been using Articy: Draft all day yesterday and absolutely love it! Getting a bit confusing on the dialogue, but I'll work through that. I'm probably going to fork out for the indie deal version for the team - mulituser is just nice. When I get some money, that is.