Hello,

I am going to make a game as a part of my Engineer's Thesis, but I am stuck at the beginnig (as always). I have simple information app made in C#, from which the game should be launched, with possible comeback to it. My problem is, that I am not sure what engine to pick, that would suitable for such implementation. Game is going to use Kinect as controls and should have at least simple graphics, it can be even 2D. I was trying something in Unity before, but it is huge environment and I am not sure if can be launched and closed basing on C# application. Does someone know what engine would be suitable?

The engine isnt the problem at all because you can run and exit any third-party executable from a C# program. If you mean you want to embedd it into your launcher then you could use some Windows API tricks to set the engine player window as MDI child or similar. Starting a process is what Steam does for example.

If you want to have your C# app be the game engine then you wont be very successfull with existing engines. Those are made to be standalone and not to be used as a C# utility library. Then you just have the option to use some kind of C# library that is made for that, OpenTK for example. But you will also be used to handle Kinect by your own

The application is already done and game is going to be an addition to it. So, the second option is impossible. My advisor told me that maybe I should do it in openGL or DirectX (with C# overlays ofc.). Is that a good option?

I think I understand. You have something like a WinForms app or a Console app that you want to launch a game executable from. I don't think you want to run Unity from this. I think you want to launch the executable that Unity builds for your game. And like Adam said that's just straight C#. https://stackoverflow.com/questions/9679375/run-an-exe-from-c-sharp-code

If you're firing up Unity to launch your game, that'd be like someone firing up Visual Studio to run your list C# app.

- Eck

Yeah, I meant that. Sorry, if I explained that badly. I want to run game's .exe, if using unity, but I am wondering if there is any need to do so. I mean, it should be somehow light and I am not quite sure if making game in Unity (or any other engine) isn't a little over the top. What do you think?

The point of game engines is to make games, so I don't think it's over the top. It might not be the right tool for the game you're trying to make, but I don't know what kind of game you're trying to make. 

- Eck