TLDR

We’ve released a Jam License for DragonRuby Game Toolkit. It has full API parity with the Standard License, can be used for commercial purposes, is royalty free, and exports to Web (perfect for game jams).

Download Jam License

From Game Jam to Commercial Release

The best way for Indies to vet an idea is through a game jam. You are constrained to a short amount of time which forces you to focus on the essense of your game to see if it has any legs.

You don’t have time to waste a single frame. Make every moment count, make every pixel sing, and leave them wanting more.

This is one of the places where DragonRuby shines.

• The engine is well documented, ships with over 200 sample apps, and is productive (the hot-loading capabilities are unmatched).
• Deployment / publishing to Itch.io is done with a single invocation of dragonruby-publish. Every second you have can be dedicated to building your game as opposed to wasting time trying to get a Web export to work.
• Most important of all: Your code does not need to be thrown away/ported to another engine if you decide to continue working on your game. The engine will support you from the prototyping phase all the way to commercial cross-platform release.

Here is an example of one of low-res fantasy console sample apps that DragonRuby ships with (link to source code):

The Jam License

We wanted to remove the monetary barrier of the Standard License and support the first step every Indie should take (the game jam). You can download the Jam license for free here. It will remain updated and will always have 100% API parity with the Standard License.

Seeing what DragonRuby is capable of will make it easier to pull the trigger on a Standard License purchase (which will give you Desktop export in addition to Web).

The engine really is a breath of fresh air. I hope you give it a shot.