What are the pros and cons of using Babylon.js for a single player game?

Questions
1

I’ve been looking back into Babylon.js recently after having used Unity for now since Unity 4…

I’m not in need of an engine that can make photo-realistic graphics or anything like that, but I want an engine that can make single player 3D games that visually would probably have a few ‘basic’ features, that being: a main light, maybe 30-50 point lights, dynamic shadows, 1080p resolution, anti-aliasing, color grading and bloom. I want to use all dynamic shadows and don’t need to use any baked shadows, the style I’m looking to make is sort of like single player Paper Mario like RPG narrative games…

There are a few things I’m reluctant about, and mainly this would be latency in input when you compare it to a native application. I understand that there would be a performance trade-off when compared to native application development in a few areas, but if the input latency can be extremely tight, and the fact that I don’t require any sort of photo-realistic features…I’m wondering if it would be viable to use babylon.js for single player 3D games in this way.

P.S…a small edit here, the one other thing I’m reluctant about as well is, when I started using Unity there wasn’t this requirement to be logged in to use it, authenticated, always have an internet connection etc… As far as the TOS is concerned, I’m wondering what plans the Babylon.js team has as well in this area, whether or not they plan to keep a permanent free license. Ideally, I’d like to take Babylon.js if I used it, and re-create the framework I built on top of Unity.

2

I would see no problem to use Babylon (js or lite) for a game To be transparent, I’m actually working on one using lite :slight_smile:

3

Like @Deltakosh , I see no issue with using Babylon.js for a single player game, or even multiplayer games. IBL, PBR, and dynamic shadows are all solidly in the wheelhouse for BJS and in your control.

While the input abstractions can be somewhat annoying to work with at times due to browsers being what they are, in my experience with Babylon.js input delay has never been any sort of issue.

Like Deltakosh though, I’m also a bit biased… :sweat_smile:

4

You can use the Babylon.js Editor to build your world if needed or simply inspect/configure 3d models: https://editor.babylonjs.com/. It doesn’t require any authentication and you can use it offline :slight_smile:

5

A @Deltakosh game - woohoo!

Devlog? :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

FWIW I’m building a game too in my spare time around commercial, non-game projects. I have been using Babylon.js but the recent Babylon Lite announcement was so cool, I plan to switch the game over to Lite while leaving the commercial, non-game projects on Babylon.js for the time being.