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Can I use JavaScript and Electron to create a game?

A topic by walrus-gumboot created May 21, 2019 Views: 938 Replies: 5
Viewing posts 1 to 5
Submitted

Hi everyone, first time posting here!

So this is my first game jam and I am not sure whether or not I can use JavaScript, a lanuage I am already fluent in, to submit a project.
If I use Electron, I can make it a native cross-platform desktop app.

Would this be accepted?

Thanks in advance!

If you can play it, it's a game!

Submitted(+2)

If you're using JavaScript, why not just make a game playable in browsers?  itch.io has that option, you can just play the game directly from the webpage; it's what I've done with all the games I've made for various game jams.

(That said, I'm not that familiar with Electron, so I don't know if it has some significant advantage over web browsers.)

Yeah, I have the same question can I use C++ or Java to make games? I don't have much knowledge of making games with Unity or Unreal!

Again, as long as the result will be a playable game, it doesn't matter what engine or language you use to make it.

(1 edit)

Here's the thing:

With Electron and Node.JS, you need to package everything into a nice little executable so that any user can play your game without installing dependencies or knowing how to use the terminal.

With C++, you need to build for Win10, MacOS, maybe Linux.

With Java, the user needs a JRE similar to yours, or you need to pack one with your game, plus package everything in an exec.

Developing for browsers as targets is your best option if you're not experienced with those things.

Last year I used Java. It was a real pain to deploy. Use JS, use browsers, use npm for dev dependencies, and this will allow you to spend more time on the actual game you're making rather than deployment issues.