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MonoGame

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51
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Unreal Engine

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+ 1
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MonoGame vs Unreal Engine: What are the differences?

<Write Introduction here>
  1. Programming Language: One key difference between MonoGame and Unreal Engine is the programming language they utilize. MonoGame primarily uses C# for coding, making it an ideal choice for developers familiar with the language. On the other hand, Unreal Engine uses a combination of C++ and Blueprints, providing a visual scripting interface along with traditional coding.

  2. Platform Support: MonoGame is designed to be cross-platform and supports various operating systems such as Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and more. In contrast, Unreal Engine offers robust support for multiple platforms, including consoles like PlayStation and Xbox, as well as virtual reality devices, giving developers a broader reach.

  3. Learning Curve: While both MonoGame and Unreal Engine have their learning curves, MonoGame is generally considered more lightweight and beginner-friendly. Developers new to game development may find it easier to grasp MonoGame's simpler architecture and workflow compared to the more complex and feature-rich Unreal Engine.

  4. Rendering Pipeline: Another key difference lies in the rendering pipelines of MonoGame and Unreal Engine. MonoGame provides a more hands-on approach to rendering, giving developers more control over how graphics are processed and displayed. Unreal Engine, on the other hand, employs a sophisticated rendering system that automates many aspects of graphics rendering, making it easier for developers to achieve high-quality visuals.

  5. Community Support: Unreal Engine boasts a vast and active community of developers and users who contribute to forums, tutorials, and resources, making it easier for developers to find help and solutions to their problems. While MonoGame also has a supportive community, it may not be as large or extensive as Unreal Engine's, potentially impacting the availability of resources and assistance.

  6. Licensing and Cost: MonoGame is an open-source framework under the Microsoft Public License, allowing developers to use, modify, and distribute it freely without significant licensing costs. In contrast, Unreal Engine follows a different licensing model, where developers pay royalties on their commercial game sales if they exceed a certain revenue threshold, which may affect the total cost of using the engine.

In Summary, MonoGame and Unreal Engine differ in programming language, platform support, learning curve, rendering pipeline, community support, and licensing costs.
Decisions about MonoGame and Unreal Engine
norlin
Software Engineer / Game Developer at Norlin Games · | 7 upvotes · 86K views

When I started to learn game development, I've tried to use Unity multiple times because it's the most popular option. But never get it worked because of the clunky UI which is very hard to understand for a new user. After some time, I've decided to try UE4 despite there was a lot of rumors that it's "heavy" or requires an AAA team. And suddenly it clicked, everything works as I expecting, UI is clear and much more powerfull, no need to build custom tools to work on the game itself. Blueprints are very helpful for beginners, C++ has a lot of "syntax-sugar" - macroses, a lot of convenient in-engine types for everything. Later while working with Unreal, I've realized it has very consistent roadmap with constant improvements and adding new features. At the same time, each major version update is painless so you can upgrade your project during development to get new features. UE4 is free to use with the full list of features and you only have to pay royalty after getting your first $1 million from the project (and that's just the default case, you can always discuss custom license with an upfront fee, if you want to).

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Arthur Osipyan
Software Engineer at Value Industry · | 2 upvotes · 83.5K views

I chose Unity over Unreal Engine because Unity has a more user friendly UI for beginners looking to learn game development. Additionally, as someone who uses a lot of online resources to learn new languages and tools, I found a lot of tutorials covering game development with Unity as the core engine. This doesn't mean Unreal is not a great choice for game development, I just personally found learning game development much smoother with the amount of resources available with Unity.

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Pros of MonoGame
Pros of Unreal Engine
  • 1
    Cross-platform
  • 10
    C++
  • 6
    Blueprints
  • 5
    PBR
  • 4
    Suitable for any projects
  • 4
    Source Available
  • 3
    Convenient and modern UI
  • 1
    Most Popular Game engine

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Cons of MonoGame
Cons of Unreal Engine
  • 1
    Can't working in vs mac 2019
  • 1
    No GUI
  • 6
    Heavy
  • 1
    A lot of "heaviness" myths around

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What is MonoGame?

It is a free C# framework used by game developers to make games for multiple platforms and other systems. It is also used to make Windows and Windows Phone games run on other systems.

What is Unreal Engine?

It is a game engine that helps you make games. It is made up of several components that work together to drive the game. Its massive system of tools and editors allows you to organize your assets and manipulate them to create the gameplay for your game.

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What companies use MonoGame?
What companies use Unreal Engine?
See which teams inside your own company are using MonoGame or Unreal Engine.
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What tools integrate with Unreal Engine?

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What are some alternatives to MonoGame and Unreal Engine?
libGDX
The framework provides an environment for rapid prototyping and fast iterations. Instead of deploying to Android/iOS/Javascript after each code change, you can run and debug your game on the desktop, natively. Desktop JVM features like code hotswapping reduce your iteration times considerably.
Xamarin
Xamarin’s Mono-based products enable .NET developers to use their existing code, libraries and tools (including Visual Studio*), as well as skills in .NET and the C# programming language, to create mobile applications for the industry’s most widely-used mobile devices, including Android-based smartphones and tablets, iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.
Godot
It is an advanced, feature-packed, multi-platform 2D and 3D open source game engine. It is developed by hundreds of contributors from all around the world.
SDL
It is a cross-platform development library designed to provide low level access to audio, keyboard, mouse, joystick, and graphics hardware via OpenGL and Direct3D.
Unity
Unity is the ultimate game development platform. Use Unity to build high-quality 3D and 2D games, deploy them across mobile, desktop, VR/AR, consoles or the Web, and connect with loyal and enthusiastic players and customers.
See all alternatives