Newbie dev with cross-platform questions

Hello,

I am jumping feet first into game development - and it's basically a fresh start as my last game development was C and then a C-to-C++ conversion for a text-based MUD in the 90s. I've done what I consider semi-pro coding in the past in a variety of languages for the various companies that I've worked for, but this is going to be my first start-to-finish project from scratch. I have a couple of questions that I'm hoping you all can help me with.

I'm starting the code in the free version of Unity. It's going to be a 2D game (which I understand Unity pulls off very well with some 3D assets). In the end, I would like to make the game available for iOS, Android and probably SteamPlay on Steam (Win + Mac). If I write the game, at least the bulk of it, in the free version of Unity, can I later purchase the iOS package ($400) and compile/target for iOS? Can I do the same with Android? Has anyone here (I'm still looking through topics) compiled for iOS and SteamPlay?

Thank you so much for helping me. I'm still searching for some of my answers, but the free to iOS target compile question I couldn't quite find anything for.


~X

 

You can, but you'd have to write new routines for input. Also, you may have performance issues unless you kept in mind the limitations of iOS hardware while developing. It's generally better to make it work on iOS from the beginning, or at least fairly early on.

Steam is fairly exclusive and difficult to get accepted by. Also you need Unity Pro in order to integrate the Steam API.

--Eric

 

Eric has a point, you should target iOS first. It's easiest if you target the slowest hardware first because it forces you to be efficient, PC scripting will be far, far more forgiving and will potentially allow you to get away with sloppy scripting.

 

That seems like a reasonable tip - thank you. Some things got in the way and development has only really just started along. I suppose I'll have to bite the bullet sooner rather than later to get Steam API integrated early

 

I just want to make sure I understand something here. Assuming that I code for PC/Mac first and convert to iOS/Android/Vita later, the base code itself is unchanged, correct? I'd need to add input variables based on target platform, and obviously clean up routines that may be sloppy from a performance perspective, but aside from that, the core of the game would compile against each target without an abundance of change? That seems to me to be one of the most beneficial aspects of Unity, as long as I understand it correctly.

 

As Eric mentioned you are currently unlikely to be accepted by steam, this is low on your list and could happen if you become popular. You don't just sign up and they let you in. Doesn't work like that unfortunately.


Yes you can switch platforms and the code works fine although sometimes you run into device specific problems as mention by Eric.

 

That's the idea, yes.

--Eric