Where to find game development tools?

[GameStudioD]

I am doing research for a website project that I have been working on. The website connects game developers with services, software tools, code libraries , etc. This isnt like gamedev or devmasters or flipcode, they feature articles and are more community based. I wanted to get some feedback from developers:

Do you actively seek out open source or commercial solutions to make game development easier? If so, where?

If you were to use a third party solution, do you feel comfortable using open source or do you stick with a commercial product?

If there were a site that featured solutions specifically for game development, would you like to see commercial solutions separate from OSS solutions?

Do you feel there is a need for a one-stop-shop for game development solutions?

[Reactor]

Do you actively seek out open source or commercial solutions to make game development easier? If so, where?

I usually search for opensource solutions on places like Sourceforge, and commercial ones from a number of graphics news websites, that link to the latest developments in tools.


If you were to use a third party solution, do you feel comfortable using open source or do you stick with a commercial product?

I'll stick with open source if things seem stable enough, but I usually go with commercial because things tend to be better developed.


If there were a site that featured solutions specifically for game development, would you like to see commercial solutions separate from OSS solutions?

Yes.


Do you feel there is a need for a one-stop-shop for game development solutions?

If it was continually updated, and contained good information, yes.

[JoshuaSmyth]

As a general I don't seek third party solutions, I like to solve all my own problems. (I mean to an extent, I use directx for my graphics routines and I use off the shelf compilers)

Although, if I was to use one it would probably be through someone recommending it to me, which is why I'm gonna look into using SDL for cross-platform development with my next game.

[dan]

Same as Joshua Smyth for us, regular old C++ and DirectX.

Though if someone knows where a nice set of open source classes that do an excellent job with a DirectX particle engine, I'd be interested. We've got one to work with, but it's going to need a decent amount of work to get it where we want it.

[Sunshine]

I also use C++ and DX.

I have found CodeProject.com to be usefull somtimes.

But God have mercy on anyone that follows MY advise!

[Rainer Deyke]

I like freeware third party tools, especially when they're open source, but I don't actively seek them out. Most of the tools I use right now, I learned about from either usenet or online message boards.