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Google's Area 120 team, the company's in-house incubator for some of its most experimental projects, today launched Game Builder, a free, easy-to-use tool for PC and MacOS users wishing create their own 3D games without having to know how to code. Currently, Game Builder is only available on the Valve Steam platform. You will need an account to try it.
After a quick download, Game Builder asks you what is the size of the screen you want to work on, then launches you directly into the experience after you have indicated if you want to start a new project, work on an existing project or try some examples of projects. . These project examples include a first-person shooter, a platform game, and a demonstration of the tool's map system for programming more complex interactions.
The menu system and construction experience take some time to get used to and are not immediately intuitive, but after a while, you'll understand. By default, the overall aesthetics of the design is clearly inspired by Minecraft, but the type of game you want to create is pretty loose. This does not seem to me to be a tool for encouraging younger children to participate in game programming because we are talking about a relatively heavy text experience.
To create more complex interactions, you use the visual programming system based on Game Builder cards. It's pretty simple too, but you also have to get used to it. Google says that building a 3D level is like playing a game. There is some truth in the fact that you build in the game environment, but it's not necessarily an easy game either.
An interesting feature here is that you can also create multiplayer games and even create real-time games with your friends.
Traditionally, drag-and-drop game developers feel rather limited. The Area 120 team tries to remedy this situation by also allowing you to use JavaScript to go beyond certain preprogrammed features. Google is also betting on Poly, its library of 3D objects, to give users many options for creating and designing their levels.
It's no secret that Google takes the games very seriously these days, now that it is preparing to launch its Stadia streaming game service later this year. There does not seem to be any connection between the two yet, but I would not be surprised if we saw Game Builder on Stadia as well.
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