GameCreator

First ever review, here we go. Shame its not a good one.
This software is in early access, so it can certainly improve, but right now I cannot recommend it, and here's a few reasons why.
There is a lack of English support. The program is bare bones at the start of a new project, so naturally, someone new to it may want to look at some guides or watch a tutorial. You won't get that, not yet. Their Youtube channel doesn't have any English videos.
This leaves you unable to really figure out how to use it- Unless you know how to code, then you should have a good time, as there's a script editor. I certainly don't know how to code though, so I'm out of luck.
The 'templates' available say that you either need to code, or insert 'modules'. From what I saw, there isn't anything I could use to make a stat system, attack system, etc.
But you know where I could get those? With a PAID. DLC. Are you kidding me? The Early Access gamemaking software has a *paid* dlc with the systems I would need to make an rpg. Might as well just use Rpg Maker or some other software at that point.
Honestly, when i downloaded this, I was thinking I could open it up and figure it out from clicking about, since I've used many different game making software. Rpg Maker, Srpg Studio, IFaction Maker- Those ones were easier to figure out just from using it.
This program, in its current form, is a nightmare. I truly think this isn't even ready for Early Access- Not in English, anyways.

This software is in early access so it's always a risk.

I have a few thousand hours on different "game creating" softwares from Visual Novel Maker, RPG Maker, Unity and Unreal Engine 4.
So far, I think the software works pretty well, I can see a lot of great usage as is.
However there are a few things that I would like to see in the future.

- The ability to mix and match for example, having the Visual Novel mixed with the RPG. Right now they are two completely different entities inside the same software. I really would want to see the ability to mix and match these things because it would make this software the best there is. It would give you the strengths of both Visual Novel Maker and RPG Maker combined.

- Guides on how to create achievements for Steam, this probably will be something coming from the userbase but it would be nice if they integrated these options.

- The Ability to protect your artwork. Right now, you CAN encrypt your scripts, however, you CAN NOT encrypt your video and image files. The Negative about this is that people who play your game can easily rip your sprite sheets, videos etc.

- Community assets for outside China. Right now there is a community marketplace of some sort, but its region locked to China only. This is unfortunate.

- The ability to change player characters on the go in the RPG part of the software. Right now you can have a party of 4, however you can NOT give players the ability to switch to which character they want to use as their "main character". They are in fact hardlocked. This shouldn't be the case, limiting options is damaging the potential of this engine

All in all, I can see great use for this software and I hope that the creator of this will continue developing, maintaining and expanding the options. This has extreme potential.
I thumb it up for now

I can understand the early negative reviews but I think this app deserves a go. It is rather expensive for an Early Access app lacking features but hopefully the features will catch up soon.

It lacks clear instruction... I can see powerful features but... HOW DO I USE THEM?!

As with most game engines that show great potential, GameCreator will thrive on good-quality, in-depth, step-by-step YouTube tutorials. Great video tutorials were made for Pixel Game Maker MV, without which I would never have developed:

Freedom! Do or Die
Someone Cloned The President
Pension Day
Dickie A Cumming.

Without video tutorials, I would never have developed:

Red Mist: Rivers of Blood
AI Anomaly.

Nor:

Dickie A Cumming: The Prequel (Part I).

I do hope the devs heed this. These days, users don't want to read a big manual except for reference and refreshing. If you truly want this app to succeed (as do I), please make a quality series of video tutorials. I beg of you. God bless.

Don't let the negative reviews scare you from this engine (notice their hours using it).

While the point is fair about them needing some English tutorials or the current templates not being complete yet, the dev's have said those are coming and this is still EA. On top of that, after spending several hours in the engine I'm already realizing the potential of it and in the end I think people will like it.

If you want a sneak peek at what the engine offers I have made a YouTube tutorial series that can give you a better idea of the workflow and will help you decide better if this is the engine for you. https://youtu.be/8F2aw6Y875U

First, being a beginner, I don't find it very intuitive, not always easy to navigate, it would have required icons for each operation, example: placing events and configuring them directly on the scene with the graphics, like rpg maker. Then the templates are absolutely empty, do not show much, yet on the store page there are plenty of photos with decorations in place and other visibly misleading so be careful since the templates are not at all the same, everything is to be done without demonstrations or examples, but it would have been a good little piece of demo showing the possibilities or mechanics or as a starting point, like templates games etc., for me this is a template, because this is clearly not the case and not for beginners . Rather disappointed, seemed promising and interesting, the next dlc will surely be the same unless paid perhaps, expensive product for that, no android or ios currently, certainly early access but still.

I am giving this game engine…

A VERY TENTATIVE THIMBS UP…

However, I would like to give a very polite warning to these developers, that if the three problems mentioned below are not quickly fixed, then GameCreator will eventually fall by the wayside and be ignored by western developers.

PROBLEM ONE…

You need to quickly fix the bad use of Fonts in the interface. The Font is tiny and it cannot be changed. This is not good for developers who are spending many hours per day working on their games. You don’t want to strain the eyes of developers - or they will lose interest in using GameCreator on a daily basis.

Make sure that developers are able to EASILY change the Interface Font and adjust the Font Size to their liking, so that we don’t strain our eyes.

PROBLEM TWO…

Do not ever have your Help Files locked up inside of GameCreator. Help Files must ALWAYS be Online. This is important because it allows developers to easily read the content and adjust their Web Browser’s Font Size and Background to their liking.

Developers should NEVER have problems reading your Help Files. Online Documentation must always be easily available to the audience that you are targeting - especially when it’s a new audience in the western world.

PROBLEM THREE…

There are no readily available video tutorials. I have no idea why you would go after a western audience without any English video tutorials ready to launch. Providing video tutorials is by far the EASIEST way to get developers accustomed to using GameCreator - yet there are none.

If you want western developers to take GameCreator seriously, then you NEED to have an English YouTube channel, pushing out English tutorials as soon as possible. It’s the quickest way to gain momentum for GameCreator.

CONCLUSION…

So does this game engine have potential? Yes, it does indeed have potential - which is why I’m giving it a very tentative thumbs up.

However, keep in mind that you are entering the western market - where there are MANY other game engines that have already fixed the problems mentioned above.

The western market is fickle, so if these problems are not quickly dealt with, then western developers will eventually ignore GameCreator.

With that said, let’s see what you’ll do in the next few weeks.

Very early access still.
A LOT of bad Engrish/English used here and a lot of engine functionality is lacking atm .. I suggest wait for the 6 months or whatever it takes to get a version without the need to stay and say HMMM to yerself while trying to figure this out.
Feels like a lot of false advertising what you see in the videos and pictures for now ..
ANYWAY you have been warned. The misleading things are that not all the templates are in this yet.. Theres literally only 2 and while the VN making part looks nice you cannot drag and drop in it be aware of that detail .. Since you can literally according to the videos drag and drop everywhere why would the VN part be restricted to not be able to put something where you want it? I do realize to make an easy gamemaker you have to restrict freedom but it would be nice to be allowed to put pictures literally anywhere you wanted .. False advertising is a bit bad when it comes to things that cost money .. Would be nice to start getting updates for this instead of rolling thumbs in hope of updates.

28.10 no updates yet. (Yes I will keep an update check list here since why not?)

This is a tough one because I do see a lot of potential in this maker, so I am going to annoyingly put emphasis in capital letters to try and articulate my feelings here...

As it stands right now 27/10, for what you PAY FOR and what YOU GET, I DO NOT RECOMMEND this...

They are billing this as an easy game maker that a beginner can pick up and start work on their game without having to fight to grasp the intricacies and workings of the app they are developing their game in. RIGHT NOW I find this NOT to be the case...

What you get is rather barebones, it is early access sure, but right now I do not recommend it unless you are an advanced user of these types of apps.

Their future DLC is designed to be game 'templates' that will easily allow you to start creating JRPG, SRPG, ARPG, everything they advertise on their store page. There is only VN mode available right now out of the box.

This means that although theoretically it is entirely possible to make all the above, you have to do it all almost from scratch in the style of Unreal Engine or Unity - those are free to start using but have more emphasis on making complex games rather than accessibility for beginners.

When these future templates are implemented into the app, I likely see this to be the best and easiest game creator on the market. Therefore, I decided to support the devs and give them my money despite my initial disappointment and refrain from refunding it. This sounds like I am being hypocritical and I probably am, but I want to keep this and see where it goes as I do see POTENTIAL in this IN THE FUTURE.

I will update this review as I see fit and give it merit as the engine develops. If you are interested in taking a plunge right now please note that the app is very stable and I have not experienced any technical bugs in here which I am very happy about.

One day I am sure I will thumb this up. Please developers keep working on this and make it the best maker on the market.