 | |
 Stencyl's Scene Designer | |
| Original author(s) | Stencyl, LLC |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Jonathan Chung |
| Initial release | May 31, 2011; 13 years ago (2011-05-31) |
| Stable release | 4.1.4 / July 1, 2024; 8 months ago (2024-07-01) |
| Repository | github |
| Written in | Haxe[1] |
| Operating system |
|
| Platform | Java SE 8.0 and later |
| Type | Video game development |
| License | Proprietarycommercial software (tool) /MIT License (engine) |
| Website | stencyl |
Stencyl is avideo game development tool that allows users to create2D video games for computers, mobile devices, and the web. The software is available for free, with select publishing options available for purchase.[2] The software was originally called "StencylWorks" while in development and for the initial release but was later shortened to just "Stencyl".
Games created in Stencyl can be exported to the web viaAdobe Flash Player orHTML5, and to personal computers asexecutable games, as well as onto various mobile devices asiOS andAndroid applications.[3] Physics and collisions are managed byBox2D,[4] which can be selectively or completely disabled to decrease any potential performance impact for games that don't require full physics simulation. Starting in version 3.0, projects in Stencyl use theHaxe programming language andOpenFL game framework to allow a flexible,write once, run anywhere style of game creation.
Stencyl is anauthoring tool and anIDE. The application includes several modules used to accomplish the necessary tasks to create games with the software.
Additional tools permit the user to import images for use as foregrounds and backgrounds in scenes, import and edit fonts, import sounds and music files (MP3 andOGG are supported, depending on the export target), and alter game settings such as player controls and game resolution. A library of common behaviors is included with Stencyl to reduce the need to recreate common game behaviors, and several game "kits" provide functional starting points for common 2D game genres.
When creating a new behavior, the option is presented to create it either in Code Mode or Design Mode. Using Code Mode for a behavior permits the user toprogram logic in traditional textual form and optionally open the code in an external editor. Alternatively, Design Mode is aGUI that allows users to create modular game logic for actors and scenes using avisual programming language. The concept of Design Mode as a form ofend-user development originated withMIT'sScratch computer language learning environment and was used with permission for Stencyl.
As it is a visual programming language, Design Mode users are not required to learn or type out a particular programming language, nor must they concern themselves withsyntax. Rather, available actions aredragged and dropped from a palette of "code blocks". These blocks will snap in place together and nest within each other, permitting the creation of advanced logic from basic components. To avoid syntax errors during compilation, not all blocks will snap together. For example, a space that requires aBoolean value will not accept a block that represents a numeric value. The shapes of the block types are different to help represent this to the user as a behavior-shaping constraint. The number block could be used in conjunction with a comparison block - such as "(Number) equals (Number)" - to evaluate as a True/False statement for the needed Boolean.
StencylForge is an integrated online storage and sharing service for Stencyl games and game assets. It can be used to back up projects and access projects from other computers when logged into Stencyl. User-uploaded content is private by default, but it can also be made public to share with other users. In addition to user-uploaded content, officially sanctioned content such as example games, game kits, behaviors, and art or sound assets are also available and prominently featured on StencylForge.
Integrated with Stencyl is theimage editorPixelitor. Its use in Stencyl is usually secondary, as images are typically imported directly from the computer after being created separately. Stencyl can alternatively be set up to use external image editors, such asPhotoshop andGIMP, to modify images already loaded into a project.
Stencyl also supports user-created extensions to add functions to the software. For example, an extension could add new blocks for Design Mode use, such as a third-partyAPI. Another example is an extensive dialogue scripting tool to easily add dialogue and tweak its settings for a game.
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