SHMUP Creator Reviews

I've had quite a lot of fun in this engine. I only spent a few hours reading documentation and I've only had to watch a few videos. I've been able to figure out almost everything just by poking around in the program. There are some impossible things I'd like to be able to do, like make a ship selection and iconize the UI so it takes up less space, but these are pretty minor. I understand an update is coming which will allow for variables and much more customizability. The gameplay and feel are VERY solid and I haven't had anything like a crash, corruption, etc. Built-in postprocessing allows me to integrate various 2D and 3D art styles quite well. You should know that Blender 2.79 is the version to learn and use if you want to export FBX models for use in this engine. SHMUP Creator can edit materials, textures, and reflection maps internally, so you can in many cases just export a plain untextured model from Blender and then reskin it in SHMUP Creator. I don't know how well this works out for big complex designs but it works very fast and well for small objects like turrets, boxes, environmental hazards, etc. I'm able to brainstorm and implement ideas very quickly with this engine and the process is fun enough to be self-sustaining. The only time-consuming part has been drawing, but thanks to the onboard postprocessing, I've been able to create a lineless art style that's quick & satisfying to draw while also looking good ingame. The post FX are per-level settings so you can mix and match styles all you like - one level in retro pixels, one in modern HD, etc. I bought this at full price and have no buyer's remorse at all. Watch some vids about it, learn about the scope of what's possible, and think about what you could do with it. There's loads of potential here!