When comparing GameFlow + Unity vs Leadwerks Game Engine, the Slant community recommends Leadwerks Game Engine for most people. In the question“What are the best game engines for beginners and non-programmers?” Leadwerks Game Engine is ranked 20th while GameFlow + Unity is ranked 26th. The most important reason people chose Leadwerks Game Engine is:
Leadwerks's flowgraphs resemble flowcharts where each box represents a function or value, with connections between them representing program flow. This provides a better at-a-glance indication of game logic than a simple list of events, and makes complex behaviors easier to accomplish.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Adds an abstraction layer that helps create the game logic
It is almost like talking with Unity naturally. Actions in Unity can be coded using regular English more-so than with other game engines, which makes it much easier for beginners.
Pro None of boxes and arrows, perfectly integrated into the workflow of Unity
Almost all visual scripting solutions for Unity are based on nodes, boxes and arrows, GameFlow changes this way of working incorporating actions blocks and actions using drag and drop.
Pro Excellent product
The developer supports the users quickly and with detailed responses. He is knowledgeable on the Unity API as well as developing videogames.
Pro Integrated in the Unity inspector
No windows apart, work with GameFlow from the own Unity inspector
Pro Can achieve in minutes what would take hours with classical scripting
Due to its innovative block system and without follow tutorials or look documentation will be able to create actions within five minutes in Unity.
Pro An effective advanced prototyping and scripting tool
GameFlow allows to complete a videogame in half an hour.
Pro Versatile flow diagram script model
Leadwerks's flowgraphs resemble flowcharts where each box represents a function or value, with connections between them representing program flow. This provides a better at-a-glance indication of game logic than a simple list of events, and makes complex behaviors easier to accomplish.
Pro Built-in level editor
Has an acceptable 3D map editor that is easy to use.
Pro Handful of Prefabs and Scripts
For example, you take a model (e.g. torch), add a light source to it, add a particle generator (for fire) and save it as a prefab (one file). Then this prefab can be used to add many torches with fire and light.
Cons
Con The documentation is not very extensive
The documentation for GameFlow could use some work. It's not very extensive and it hardly covers everything needed to know to build a game.
Con Performance could be better for 2D
Performance can be a real issue with 2D games. Unity 3D is actually a 3D game engine, and drags a lot of overhead with it.
For mobile, one could never achieve the performance of more specialized 2D engines with Unity3D.
Con Very buggy
Leadworks is a not complete, it's a work in progress. As such many parts of the engine are clunky, especially the level editor.
Con Documentation and support are limited for non-coders
The flowgraph editor can be used with free script assets to build games without writing any code, but this is not directly intended or encouraged by Leadwerks.