I'm planning to start a game project using Java, but I'm torn between using IntelliJ IDEA and Eclipse as my development environment. I'm curious if choosing one over the other will affect the end product, aside from how it suits my programming style. Can anyone share their thoughts on which IDE might be better for game development, especially for creating 2D games?
2 Answers
Honestly, I wouldn't recommend starting with Java for game development. Sure, there are solid frameworks and awesome games like Minecraft and RuneScape made with it, but it just isn’t the most user-friendly option for games. If you’re looking to develop something simpler, maybe give Godot a shot (it uses GDScript), or Defold with Lua, or even Unity with C#. For 2D games, Python with Pygame could also work well. As for the IDEs, both IntelliJ and Eclipse are pretty similar in that respect; try them out and see which one clicks with you. If you’re taking a course, it’s best to go with the IDE they recommend to keep things smooth.
I’ve always leaned towards Eclipse, and I feel it's still popular among many Java developers—but maybe things have shifted. I think more people are on IntelliJ these days. But hey, that doesn’t mean Eclipse is bad; I personally prefer it.
That’s fair, but which one would you recommend specifically for making 2D games?
Eclipse may have been the go-to for a while, but IntelliJ has been the standard now for quite some time. Both have their merits, though; it’s really about personal preference.
I appreciate the advice! For more context, I’m planning on making a simple 2D game since I’m not ready for 3D yet. I chose Java mainly because I want to mod Minecraft down the line, especially since they're removing obfuscation.