The Stencyl game development toolkit can be installed on the following desktop computer platforms:
- Microsoft Windows (XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8)
- Mac OS X
- Linux
The installation process for each of the above platforms is detailed later in this chapter.
When we talk about target platforms, we mean the devices that our game can run on.
Games created with Stencyl can be played on most common platforms including web browsers, Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X and iOS devices (for example, iPhone and iPad), Android, and Linux. The main issues that we need to think about, when it comes to the target platform, are the screen size of the game and how our game will be controlled (that is, keyboard, mouse, or touch). Stencyl does all the hard work for you!
Currently, at the time of publication, Stencyl can target the following platforms:
- Apple mobile devices running iOS Version 4.1 and above, including:
- iPod touch
- iPad
- iPhone
- Google Android devices running Android Version 2.2 and above, including:
- Phones
- Tablets
- HTML5 web browsers:
- Many web browsers and devices that support the HTML5 web standard
- Microsoft Windows desktop PCs and laptops:
- Windows XP and above
- Mac desktop operating systems:
- Mac OS X
- Linux desktops:
- Ubuntu distributions recommended
If you need to target a specific device, it is important to ensure that it is supported. So, check the Stencyl website for the most up-to-date information, as details may have changed since publication.
When creating games for desktop platforms, it's important to understand that you can only publish games for the platform on which you are running Stencyl. For example, if you are running Stencyl on a Windows PC, you can only create desktop games for other Windows PCs, and if you are running Stencyl on Mac OS X, then you can only create desktop games for other Mac OS X computers.
Amazingly, if you want to publish to Apple's iOS devices using Stencyl, you don't need to own an Apple computer, which has been, until now, an expensive barrier to entry for would-be iOS game developers! The Stencyl Mobile and Studio annual subscriptions include access to the StencylBuilder service that enables Windows and Linux users to publish their Stencyl games to the Apple App Store as long as they are current members of the Apple iOS Developer Program.