Platfinity™
- May 25, 2016
- Ian Martin
Get on Steam"Platfinity™ is a platform game creation tool, allowing users to easily create and share games with multiple tile layers, customizable physics, and built-in painting tools. The game also includes demo games such as 'Proving Grounds of the Mad Game Designer' and 'Purgatory.' Games made with Platfinity include '7WORLDS: The Dreaming Dale,' 'AI Anomaly,' and 'Little Marisa's Disaster Journey.'"
Reviews
- Platfinity is an easy-to-use game creation tool that allows beginners to quickly make simple 2D platformers without needing programming knowledge.
- The software provides a fun and engaging way to introduce game design concepts, making it suitable for children and those new to game development.
- Despite its limitations, Platfinity offers a solid value for its price, allowing users to create and export playable games with customizable graphics and mechanics.
- The interface is clunky and convoluted, making it difficult to navigate and perform basic tasks like importing assets.
- The lack of advanced features, such as scripting, combat mechanics, and a level-sharing system, significantly limits the creativity and complexity of the games that can be made.
- Many users have expressed disappointment over the software being abandoned, with no updates or support for additional features since its initial release.
- graphics13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are described as basic and retro, with stock assets that may not appeal to everyone, but users appreciate the ease of importing custom graphics and sprites. While the built-in pixel editor allows for some creative freedom, the overall visual quality is considered less polished compared to classic titles like Jet Set Willy and Manic Miner. Users note that while the graphics are simple, the ability to customize and create unique visuals is a significant advantage for those willing to invest time and effort.
“For nice visuals, there are foreground and background tiles.”
“You can make a level like this in literally minutes or sink some time into your artwork and level design and make something pretty impressive if you have a bit of talent.”
“There is a built-in pixel/sprite editor, and it is very simple to import sprites and images (png) to use as platforms, rotating/moving hazards, normal/background/foreground tiles, and you can set tile properties as well as their graphics (sticky, slippery, bouncy, normal etc).”
“I'll stick with it; I'm sure once I know what size the sprites are meant to be, I can start designing the graphics for my game and I'll come back to change my review.”
“It's very easy to pick up and use, but I was slightly put off by the fact that Platfinity has no ability to load custom scripts at all. You cannot create your own obstacles aside from editing the graphics, and that's a bit of an issue for me.”
“Also, you can fully customize all the graphics and stuff; you don't have to use the admittedly kind of ugly presets.”
- gameplay5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The gameplay is straightforward and user-friendly, making it accessible for beginners to start game creation with basic mechanics. However, those seeking more advanced features and customization options may find it lacking, as it primarily offers a fundamental experience without significant depth.
“It is a great basic engine with built-in mechanics that allow a noob to begin game creating.”
“All the mechanics for a good 2D platformer (without guns) are in there at the click of a mouse button.”
“If you want something with more gameplay features and user customization, then I suggest you look elsewhere.”
“It is gameplay at its most basic.”
“If it's transparent, it effectively doesn't affect anything in the gameplay.”
- music2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music aspect of the game allows for customization, including the option to import personal audio tracks, enhancing the overall experience. Users particularly appreciate the inclusion of royalty-free music from Kevin MacLeod, which adds a unique touch to the gameplay.
“You can customize controls and other game settings such as gravity, climb speed, etc. You can also import your own audio, including music.”
“All hail Kevin MacLeod!”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game creation software is criticized for excessive advertising and branding, which detracts from the user experience and hinders the ability to create and sell games effectively. Users feel that the focus on monetization compromises the overall functionality and enjoyment of the platform.
“I would have almost used this software except I can't use the custom titles or anything. The game creation software's name is all over the place. There's too much advertising to even make a basic platformer you can sell, even though the author of this software encourages it. Maybe a little less branding would actually make it okay, but that alone ruined it for me.”
“The monetization model feels exploitative, making it hard to enjoy the game without constantly being bombarded by ads and in-game purchases.”
“It's frustrating that to access basic features, you have to pay extra. It feels like the game is designed to squeeze money out of players rather than provide a fun experience.”
