What is it again?Spielwerke is a collection of code libraries that can be used to create a flexible and extensible editor for your game. It is not a shrink-wrapped editor because game production is not shrink-wrapped.
Who is it aimed at?Spielwerke is specifically aimed at anybody responsible for creating develpment tools within a games team. More broadly, it should be of interest to any member of the game team.
Why do I need it?So that you can focus on making better games rather than worrying about components of tools that don't really need to be reinvented. You need it because it will make your life easier.
Can I try it out?Yes you can try an evaluation version. We prefer at this stage for you to contact us to discuss how you might best evaluate Spielwerke as we're currently still in a beta stage.
When will it be finished?Spielwerke is currently ready for use on a production, with a bit of hand-holding. We're working on the polish now, and expect to have a release version by Q1 2009.
Can I use it out of the box?In most cases no: your game has its own engine and way of doing things, so you will need to spend a little time gluing everything together. Having said that, Spielwerke does come with a sample editor application that connects to Half-Life 2 and can be tested out-of-the-box.
Can I use the sample editor in my production?The sample editor can be used as a basic starting point. If you do this we recommend that you build the sample code as your own application as we will be updating the sample material with new releases.
How long will it take to get running?You should be able to get the basic connection working within a few days; how far you go beyond that is up to you. There is a sample editor included so you will have plenty of source code to refer to, and of course we will help you each step of the way.
Why shouldn't I just write an editor myself?Naturally you could, but the realities of game production will mean that your editor will be tied to your game. This is not a bad thing but a simple fact: it's very hard to write a general editor while being part of a game team. Spielwerke gives you those general parts, yet still allows you to build those unique controls that the game needs.
Who wrote it? Where does the experience come from?The designer and lead coder of Spielwerke is Achim Stremplat. He has several years experience as tools architect for multi-team, multi-platform games studios; as such he has faced the challenge of making a game editor many times over. Spielwerke is the distillation of that experience.
How do I buy it?Talk to us about purchasing or evaluating Spielwerke. In time we will have an online purchase option.
