Cocos Creator vs Cocos2d-x

cocos2d-x
#7

What are the pros and cons in your eyes of using the creator?

#8

From my point of view
pros:

  1. If you are coming from Cocos2dx then basic engine architecture is same, so you dont have to learn from scratch
  2. UI becomes very easy
  3. Asset Bundle is plus point
  4. Widget & SafeArea component makes easy to handle multi-resolution with notch
  5. Simulator gives many inbuilt options
  6. HTML5 output
  7. Add pure JS lib for native as well
  8. You can make small 3D games as well
  9. Still you can modify C++ engine easily
  10. You can modify TS engine as well
  11. Still you can easily add Android/iOS code and communicate directly from TS
  12. If you have old Android/iOS native code then you can reuse the same
  13. You can create multiple build-task for ease.
  14. Prefab is good if you know how to use it to minimal efforts.
  15. Inbuilt Animation component
  16. And much more

cons:

  1. You can modify C++ engine but if you want to add pure C++ lib then its tough (but possible)
  2. You can make extension but its very hard
  3. Cannot use custom macros same as C++
  4. Size of APK increase compare to 2dx if that matters
  5. You wont feel that you have full control of the engine
2 Likes
#9

Is there a way to use the cocos-engine/native only as C++ library? Or did anyone tried?

#10

I work with cocos2d-x and need to include my game in an existing ios project.

I manage to export the cocos engine,and my game with it, for versions 3.17 and 4.0 as library, and use it without problems. I want to do now the same for android, and also check if I can export as library the cocos/creator code, and use it like I was doing with cocos2d-x.

That will allow me to keep working my way, and use the updates for cocos creator.

#11

It’s good to know that someone still trying to use the native engine code.

#12

I think this Cocos2d-x fork is promising for who still looking at native C++ engine, this project was called engine-x before.

Related thread in this forum:
https://discuss.cocos2d-x.org/t/engine-x-a-game-engine-which-is-based-on-cocos2d-x-4-0/

4 Likes
#13

Still using x 3.17 with JSB
Same with the rest, no interested in the creator as I coded my own editor already.
Also gone too deep modifying a couple of classes, Creator is not open source.
Programming background, so that be part of the reason as well.
Considering to convert the whole JS code base to c++, but that is a huge job.

1 Like
#14

Check wizard fu songbringer game. All in cocos2dx. It is amazing.

#15

Cocos creator still open source, but editor of it is not open source

#16

The core engine of the Cocos Creator Editor is open source. You can modify the engine and still use the same editor.

1 Like
#17

Just had a look at it.
It looks really promissing indeed. could that be the future for cocos2dx? I even saw in the highlight that it supports windows video player which is someting I asked a while back and the answer was no for cocos2dx 4.0. It also seems it has a fair amount of people contributing, and the last release was days ago, so it seems to be quite active.
Is that the most popular cocos2dx fork?

1 Like
#18

Defo dude, awesome title

#19

I use cocos2d-x simply because I like to write code in c++.
I would consider using cocos creator if c++ was available there.

2 Likes
#20

Same, me too.

#21

Agreed

#23

As a long-time community member here I have to argue that the c++ version was effectively abandoned after 3.17.2, and only barely updated to support Metal with 4.0.

For new or young projects with months or years ahead, please consider using the AXYS fork (was ADXE) going forward for any C++ related Cocos2d developments and projects. I started lightly recommending this, but as of today (Sept. 2022) and into the future I can only recommend forks or using alternatives like Godot, Unity, Unreal, or other game/rendering frameworks (SDL, et al).

Or build your own custom fork or custom engine one using graphics/rendering/low-level frameworks or libraries (SDL, BGFX, Sokol, raylib, SFML, GLFW, ImGUI, openal-soft, etc) in the same way that the AXYS fork did.

If you have game projects you don’t want to maintain on life-support, but want to release future updates then I also would still consider porting over to this AXYS fork, even though cocos2d-x v3.17.2 and v4.0 are perfectly fine to use if you want to fix all the bugs and improve it yourself (that falls under “custom engine”).

(I’ve started porting all the games I have control over, but will probably leave one game on cocos2d-x since no updates are planned and it’ll be lightly maintained to work with latest SDKs until it cannot and will then be pulled off the app stores.)

Relatedly, I also recommend against using the “lite” version that Cocos Creator is based upon because it’s never going to be updated with things the native c++ cross-platform game developers will want/need going forward.

I will admit I’m not sure the best replacement for this discussion form yet, and why I haven’t deleted my account here yet. Cocos2d over the years from Python to iOS to X-platform has been an incredible community and open-source success, but all things must eventually come to an end.

References:

My 2c
(godspeed)

6 Likes
#24

Thank you for the amazing post, i will look more into these.

#25

Thanks for the post. I will considere it for sure. Couple of questions(maybe it is all explained in the links already):1-is it any different on how you build a project on with oficial cocos? I am very confortable with visual studio and how easy it is to create a project currently. 2- is there a community there where we can ask and post stuff? It seems that there is almost no activity here anymore on cocos2dx.

R

Edit: I saw that my answer 1 is explained in git hub link. I guess my question is how stable is it? I am always a bit sceptic on “non official” softwares. If everything is solid, I’d love to continue my post and contribute to keep cocos2dx alive there.

#26

I don’t believe there’s too many people using AXYS, so I’m not sure I’d call it an active community, per se, but you could use the Github Issues if you have problems, and either this forum or maybe StackOverflow.

It really depends on you or your team’s experience as to whether you actually need a forum like this one, or if GitHub Issues and StackOverflow can fulfill that need.

Unity3D and Godot have active communities. I’m sure Unreal does as well, but that engine always feels daunting to get into, from my perspective.

Anyway, I don’t have any great advice here beyond the resources for what to use as the foundation that your game(s) is built upon.

godspeed

#27

FYI. It changed name once again :slight_smile:
axis, adxe, axmol

2 Likes