Is it worth to invest in MonkeyX at this time?
Monkey Archive Forums/Monkey Discussion/Is it worth to invest in MonkeyX at this time?
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| I asked the same question over at the Blitzmax forums. But i think i might get better answers here. As the topic title says, I am wondering if its worth to buy the Monkey X license (maybe also Pyro or Ignition X) and start a new project with it. The question is because I have seen that Mark is currently working in Monkey 2 but I am not sure how long will it take for it to be finished in a "production ready" way. So what do you recommend? stick to Blitzmax until Monkey2 gets released or migrate to Monkey X while waiting for Monkey2. Thanks |
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| It's impossibly to predict when Monkey2 will be "production ready" but I would guess somewhere between 6 to 12 months. Without existing Monkey skills I suspect Monkey2 will have a considerably steeper learning curve so you are investing in the future by adopting Monkey now. |
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| Thanks for the reply. I am not really concerned about the skills and learning curve. I have already worked with Blitzmax, and plenty other languages + frameworks so getting to know another one is not going to be really that difficult for me. My main concern is actually spending money and time in a product that will be replaced real soon. I wouldn't want to invest in it, maybe also in Pyro, and Jungle IDE to find out that the new monkey2 product will be out in 3 months from now on, unless I can migrate from monkey x to monkey 2 without too much trouble |
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| I have read on these forums that Pyro and JungleIDE will be Monkey2-ready at some point after it becomes a workable project. So it wouldn't be a waste of time to learn Pyro if you really like to use a framework. Maybe the authors of these can speak up here, or you can contact them individually on your own. You can compare the sources but it is looking like migrating from Monkey to Monkey2 won't be a big leap. You can also consider purchasing Monkey license now as supporting Mark's efforts and helping Monkey2 to become a reality. Or you can go the patreon route. These are all personal decisions, follow your wallet and your heart. :) |
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| @juankprada: Monkey 2 is going to be open source out of the gate. So, unless you want to donate to support future MX2 endeavors, you aren't forced to pay for it. Now, that doesn't mean Mark won't potentially make 1st-party products like 2D or 3D 'engines', for example. The point is, Monkey 2's going to be free to at least try, if not realistically use, so that shouldn't be a big concern. Not only that, but it's still a good bit out from being stable or at least comparable. Now, Monkey 1 is a different issue. Monkey 1 is open source. When you buy Monkey 1, you're receiving other implementations of Mojo, and recently, Mojo 2. If you want to play with shaders, and/or target more platforms (Mobile, for example), then you'll need to buy Monkey. Of course, you'd also be supporting Mark and Monkey 2 if you decide to buy Monkey 1. The way I see it, you don't need to buy Monkey yet. If you just want to try it out, or you don't need the more advanced features of Mojo 2, then Monkey 1 is already available to use. To my knowledge, there's no restriction on game sales and the like, so you're just limited target-wise. The other tools and frameworks are different, though. For example, Jungle IDE is free, but technically states that you shouldn't make commercial products in it (Without buying it). That's a weird detail that amounts to very little, though. If you do buy Jungle, you're getting a lot of extra features. I personally don't own Jungle, so I can't say too much about it. As for Pyro/Ignition, I've never tried them, but I imagine they work well. It's all about what you're after. In general, I'd say you should try out Monkey itself, before investing money in it. If you want to try Monkey out, you can get the free version on the site. Or, if you feel like not having a good text editor, try it online. As a side note, if you find yourself liking Monkey, and want to migrate to Mojo 2, this module basically shows you the equivalents. |
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| Monkey2 doesn't replace Monkey or I don't think most of us see it that way. The Monkey community are paying Mark to make an improved Monkey which will then be free to all. For the next few years I think Monkey and Monkey2 will be more like siblings with BlitzMax and Blitz3D being the proud parents.... I may be being optimistic but Monkey is now responsible for such a huge volume of releases across Desktop, Mobile and Web that I assume like Blitz3D and BlitzMax it will receive critical updates for next 5 to 10 years. That and the depth of talent in the monkey-x community is pretty awesome across all the platforms. |
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| I am wondering if its worth to buy the Monkey X license (maybe also Pyro or Ignition X) and start a new project with it. I guess buying Monkey 1 is good for Monkey 2 because you are supporting Mark and by buying one of our product you are supporting us. This way it helps to put more time in improving stuff. This is how it works for me anyway. A usable version of Monkey 2 looks months a way and some people need to start now so then it depends all on what you want to make and for what targets. So try the free version of Monkey and maybe the 30 days version of Ignition X and / or Pyro to make up your mind. Note that Ignition X will probably not be ported to Monkey 2 because there is no Mojo 1 for Monkey 2. Pyro in some ways is a port of Ignition X anyway but written for the Mojo 2 targets. I have read on these forums that Pyro and JungleIDE will be Monkey2-ready at some point after it becomes a workable project. So it wouldn't be a waste of time to learn Pyro if you really like to use a framework. Maybe the authors of these can speak up here, or you can contact them individually on your own. Yes, Pyro will be ported to Monkey 2. I am using Monkey 1 and Mojo 2 to develop and improve it so people can get used to using Mojo 2 and the scenegraph. Judging from what i have seen so far from Monkey 2 it will not be to much trouble to port it. |
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| Thank you all. I am already a patreon supporter of Monkey 2, still I think i will end up buying Monkey x as it seems it will take time to release Monkey 2 @Playniax, quick question, does Pyro work with the free version of Monkey? My guess is not as it does not have mojo2. |
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| I'm kind of wondering if I should switch over to Monkey too.. I only have an interest in creating desktop games, not really sure if I'd get any advantages switching over from Blitzmax.. |
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| @Dwapook: I recommend trying Monkey now, but not switching to it. Then, when Monkey 2 gets a proper (Stable) release, try that out, then make a decision. |
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| quick question, does Pyro work with the free version of Monkey? My guess is not as it does not have mojo2. Not the free version on this site but after purchasing Pyro you will have access to our member area and there you can find a free Monkey version bundled with Mojo2. In other words, a Pyro license includes a free version of Monkey and Mojo2 |
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