HTML5 Game Development is no longer the new kid on the block and it has now passed its potentially many good years in application development arena. It is increasingly becoming the web technology of choice. As discussed in our first blog of the series, its upward trend will surely continue as it is gaining popularity fast among game developers.
From my own and as much from others’ experiences, there is so much to research on HTML5. This gives me a better understanding to find valid reasons as to what exactly made HTML5 the apple of everyone’s eye and a favorite in Gaming Industry.
An observation went unnoticed:
“During the GDC 2014 Unity Technology Conference, the company which develops popular engines for 3D and 2D games presented their new version. In Unity 5, a Unity Player plugin which allows running in-browser games developed in that engine has been replaced with an HTML5 exporter using WebGL”
Why HTML5:
If you want to build a game that works on various platforms, HTML5 is the way to go.
1- Cross-platform and cross browsers compatibility: HTML5 offers an attractive feature which is nothing but its compatibility across a range of devices is impressive. In terms of ability to implement and the ease with which it syncs in perfectly. It has proven its compatibility with browsers such as Firefox, Safari iOS, Android Browser, Google Chrome, Amazon Silk, Blackberry Browser, Nokia Browser, Internet Explorer, Opera Mini and Opera Mobile. As HTML5 app works on different mobile operating games, whether it is on iOS, Android, Windows Phone or Blackberry, HTML5 Game Development incurs less costing than that of creating native apps for each OS. In order to have the app on multiple platforms, there is a requirement for developing multiple apps just once using HTML5 as against to its native counterpart.
2 – Remote updates: A great benefit of HTML5 web apps is the fact that updates happen automatically for users so there is no need for them to update manually. Everyone using or visiting the application will only see the updated version. This gives benefits to all parties, be it the app providers or developers. This means that they don’t have to go through the (sometimes cumbersome) process of a manual update.
3- More suited to emerging markets: It was predicted some three years ago that Africa was the world’s second most connected region by Mobile Subscriptions and in 2015 it will reach to one billion. Therefore Africa is one of the emerging markets. To sustain such a market you would require a diverse range of devices so developing applications for each one of them could be a nightmare.
4- Gaming Engines as Boon: HTML5 for its application developers have brought ultimate gaming engines which opens an exciting door to the gaming world. Various HTML5 Game Frameworks like Construct 2, ImpactJS, Phaser, Turbulenz and Booty5 which have shouldered the burden associated with HTML5 Game Development process.
5- Developers Loving HTML5: Based on the surveys held during 2014 with more than 3500 responses, more than half of the developers in the mobility domain believed that HTML5 is an Enterprise Ready Technology. And if not, then in the coming next six months (which is of course now in 2015) it will be mature enough to handle independently the whole of gaming domain. This also implies that it (HTML5) has now matured to be a fit for the consumer space as well. HTML5 and JavaScript are cited as the best choice for building cross-platform apps and games. As HTML5 is designed to run across all types of devices from smartphones to tablets. Dramatically and drastically it has reduced the developers’ workload by removing the requirement to build specific versions of their game for each specific platform.
Choosing HTML5 Game Engines and Frameworks:
Game engines are another level of abstraction which take care of few of the more tedious tasks of game development process. HTML5 Game Engines reduce the time it takes for you to create a fully-functional game in almost every circumstances. These frameworks and engines takes care of many technical intricacies like audio, physics, maps and animation to develop puzzle, shooting, strategy, sports, emulators, poker, simulation or board games.
If you are set to create your next HTML5 Game, it definitely makes a lot of sense to know about Engines and Frameworks. And here comes a good news for you- there are many free HTML5 game engines or frameworks- right from minimal to pretty complex there is a lot in store.
So, let’s get right into the list of the best HTML5 Game Frameworks and Engines:
- Impact: A JavaScript Game Engine that allows you to develop stunning HTML5 Games for desktop and mobile browsers. Impact comes with the versatile Weltmeister Level Editor which eases your game creation process.
- Construct 2: It is a powerful and ground breaking HTML5 game engine which is specifically designed for 2D games and without any requirement of coding it allows developers to build games.
- Phaser: It is a light-weight 2D game framework for making HTML5 games for desktop and mobile browsers.
- Crafty: JavaScript HTML5 Game Engine holds great features like collision detection, sprite map support, and much more.
The list extends to other HTML5 Game Frameworks such as EnchantJS, Pulse, MelonJS, LimeJS, Isogenic Game Engine and many more. These stunning HTML5 Game Frameworks are available for 2D and 3D Games.
Ranging from light weighted to fully featured gaming engines, there are all sorts of options for you to choose from. Awesome JavaScript Animation Framework Greensock is another boon for Game Developers.
The epic tale has just started and this is just the beginning. In my next blog, I will be discussing these HTML5 Game Engines and Frameworks in detail. So happy reading and keep exploring, until we meet next!
Rachit Agarwal
