Unreal Engine vs Stride: Which Platform Should You Choose?

For developers seeking cutting-edge tech and robustness, choose Unreal Engine. Its wide platform support, advanced features, and revenue sharing model suit larger projects. But, if open-source, C# scripting, and lower-cost development matter, Stride is your fit. Ideal for smaller scale and experimentation.

Key Differences Between Unreal Engine and Stride

• Programming: Unreal Engine uses C++, while Stride uses C#.
• Licensing: Unreal charges 5% of revenues over USD 1 million; Stride is free and open-source under MIT License.
• Platform Support: Both offer wide platform support, but Unreal has established a stronger presence in VR.
• Community and Support: Unreal has a larger, more mature ecosystem; Stride is newer with a growing community.
• Toolset: Unreal provides a broader range of in-built tools; Stride offers a customizable shader system and other assets.

What Is Unreal Engine and Who’s It For?

Unreal Engine (UE) is a powerful 3D computer graphics game engine developed by Epic Games. Initially showcased in 1998, it’s known for the breadth of game genres it’s employed in, including its expansion into film and television fields. Written in C++, UE’s versatility covers desktop, mobile, console, and virtual reality platforms, garnering universal applications.

Ideal for game developers, UE amalgamates cutting-edge technology with creative freedom. Whether one is an indie game designer or a large-scale commercial developer, UE serves as the perfect platform to bring visions to life. It’s also a valuable asset for educators, with its availability for free in schools and universities.

Pros of Unreal Engine

• Supports a wide array of platforms
• Robust and flexible, used in various industries
• Powerful renderer, excellent for 3D games
• Royalty model waived for games on Epic Game Store
• Free for educational institutions

Cons of Unreal Engine

• Epic charges 5% of revenues over USD 1 million for commercial use
• May have a steep learning curve for beginners
• Requires a fairly high-end development system
• Primarily uses C++, which may not suit all developers

What Is Stride and Who’s It For?

Stride, formerly known as Xenko, is a free, open-source 2D and 3D cross-platform game engine. Developed originally by Silicon Studio, this engine is proficient at crafting video games for different modalities such as PC, mobile devices, and virtual reality.

Stride, with its C# suite tools and customizable shader system, proves perfect for game developers who want to retain complete control over their creations. It also finds applications within the realm of 3D rendering for visual programming environments.

Pros of Stride

• Free and open-source
• Customizable shader system
• Integrated environment for asset import and game building
• Compatible with different platforms

Cons of Stride

• Underwent several changes and rebranding
• Limited community support when compared to other engines
• Documentation might not be as comprehensive
• Lower performance for high-quality 3D games compared to some commercial engines

Unreal Engine vs Stride: Pricing

In contrast to Unreal Engine’s revenue sharing model, Stride operates on an open-source platform, entailing zero cost.

Unreal Engine

Epic charges a royalty fee of 5% for revenues surpassing $1 million associated with commercial use of the Unreal Engine. Notably, the royalty model is waived for games published on the Epic Games Store. For products that generate more than $3,000 per calendar[ quarter, a 5% of revenue applies. In the Unreal Engine Marketplace, content creators get to keep an 88% share of the revenue earned. Usage of Unreal Engine is free for academic institutions like schools and universities.

Stride

Stride is a free and open-source cross-platform game engine, and hence it isn’t tethered to a specific price structuring. Initially dual-licensed under GNU GPLv3 with a paid option, as of Stride v3.0, it was re-licensed under the MIT License, inclusive of the game engine and the editor.

Code Examples for Unreal Engine & Stride

Unreal Engine – Player Character Rotation

This following Unreal Engine code snippet allows the user’s avatar to rotate to face the current direction of movement. Make sure a C++ project has been set up in Unreal Engine to execute this successfully.

    // Header File PlayerController.h
#pragma once
#include "CoreMinimal.h"
#include "GameFramework/PlayerController.h"
#include "PlayerControllerBase.generated.h"

UCLASS()
class YOURPROJECT_API APlayerControllerBase : public APlayerController
{
    GENERATED_BODY()

    virtual void Tick(float DeltaTime) override;

};
//.cpp File
#include "PlayerControllerBase.h"

void APlayerControllerBase::Tick(float DeltaTime)
{
    Super::Tick(DeltaTime);

    if (GetPawn())
    {
        const FRotator NewRotation = FRotator(0, GetControlRotation().Yaw, 0);
        GetPawn()->SetActorRotation(NewRotation);
    }
}
  

Stride – Basic Input Handling

Code snippet demonstrating a Stride example on accepting basic player inputs. Require an active Stride project to use this snippet comprehensively.

    using System;
using Stride.Core;
using Stride.Engine;
using Stride.Games;
using Stride.Input;

public class InputExampleScript : SyncScript
{
    public override void Start()
    {
        // This will display messages when gamepad or keyboard is disconnected
        Input.deviceDisconnected += Input_deviceDisconnected;
        Input.deviceConnected += Input_deviceConnected;
    }

    private void Input_deviceConnected(object sender, DeviceEventArgs e)
    {
        DebugText.Print("Connected to: " + e.Device.Name, new Int2(32, 32));
    }

    private void Input_deviceDisconnected(object sender, DeviceEventArgs e)
    {
        DebugText.Print("Disconnected from: " + e.Device.Name, new Int2(32, 64));
    }

    public override void Update()
    {
        if (Input.KeyBoard.IsKeyPressed(Keys.Space))
        {
            DebugText.Print("Spacebar Pressed", new Int2(128, 128));
        }
    }
}
  

Unreal Engine or Stride: The Ultimate Verdict

Honing in on either Unreal Engine or Stride depends upon your specific needs, projects, and proficiency level. Let’s break down the suitability based on distinct user segments.

Seasoned Developers Eyeing Rich Feature-Set

If you’re an established developer seeking a rich feature-set, Unreal Engine takes the lead. With its sophisticated level editor, UnrealEd, and the array of basic project templates on offer, it facilitates enhanced customization and ease of use. Additionally, the 5% royalty clause post $1 million revenue appropriately compensates for the extensive toolset.

Beginner Developers Embracing C++

For novices more comfortable with C++, Unreal Engine serves as an ideal starting point. Its free version for schools and universities paired with useful beginner templates offer an accessible learning curve while nurturing practical competencies.

C# Enthusiasts & Indie Developers

Stride is your go-to engine if you’re a fan of C# or an Indie developer. Stride’s open-source model, MIT License, and C# suite tools provide a budget-friendly yet comprehensive development platform. Coupled with its cross-platform runtime support, it offers increased flexibility over multiple platforms.

Ultimately, Unreal Engine is a powerhouse for seasoned developers seeking comprehensive toolsets, specifically in C++, but with a royalty clause. In contrast, Stride is a cost-effective, viable option for C# enthusiasts, Indie developers, or developers seeking horizontal scalability.