Game development is an ever-growing field that offers a unique and creative way to bring your ideas to life. From simple 2D games to complex 3D games, game development offers a world of possibilities for anyone with an interest in programming and a passion for creating interactive experiences.
Step 1: Choose a Game Engine
The first step to game development is choosing a game engine. A game engine is a software framework that provides the tools and resources you need to develop games. Some popular game engines include Unity, Unreal Engine, and Game Maker Studio. Each engine has its own strengths and weaknesses, so it’s important to choose one that fits your needs and skill level. My personal favourite is Unity. It is important to note that each Game Engine will have it’s own templates, tutorials and coding principles.
Step 2: Learn the Basics
Once you’ve chosen a game engine, it’s time to learn the basics of game development. This includes learning how to create game objects, apply physics, implement animations, and use scripting to control the behaviour of objects in your game. There are many online tutorials, forums, and communities that can help you get started with game development. Having no prior knowledge of the game engine you are using, you WILL find this part difficult, and you might get stuck here for a long time. The important part is to not give up, keep learning, keep improving.
Step 3: Plan Your Game
Before you start coding, it’s important to have a clear vision of what you want your game to be. This includes defining your game mechanics, characters, levels, and overall style. You can use tools like storyboards, mind maps, and concept art to help you visualize your game. Be wary of the butterfly effect. It can be very easy to get excited and start adding more and more game mechanics to the game. Before writing code, stop and think if each game mechanic has a reason to exist, think of the time it will take to develop it, of the possible issues that it might cause. Make sure that your additions make sense and stay true to the core gameplay you have built.
Step 4: Start Coding
Once you’ve planned your game, it’s time to start coding. Start by creating a simple prototype of your game to test your ideas. This will help you refine your game mechanics and identify any issues you need to address before moving on to more complex features. This part does not need to be fancy. You can create a prototype with simple shapes. Your game will go through many iterations, think of this one as the stage where you build the skeleton or base of your game.
Step 5: Test and Iterate
As you develop your game, it’s important to test it regularly and make adjustments based on the feedback you receive. This can include fixing bugs, refining gameplay, and adding new features. This is basically going to be all you will be doing from here on out. Make changes, ask for people’s feedback, test again. You will be surprised at the amount of bugs that people will find. Everyone will play your game differently and thus will potentially find something that you never accounted for. The bigger your game the more bugs there will be, this is why it is important to start small. Make sure to resolve issues whenever you find them and keep on top of it.
Conclusion
Game development is a challenging and rewarding field that requires a combination of technical skills and creative vision. With the right tools and resources, anyone can start developing games and bring their ideas to life. Whether you’re a seasoned programmer or a beginner just starting out, the journey to game development is an exciting one.
This article provides a high-level overview of game development. Each step of the process can involve a significant amount of work, so be prepared to invest a lot of time and effort into developing your game.
I will be releasing more in-depth tutorials, more specifically about game development in Unity Game Engine. If this is something you are interested in, make sure to keep an eye out for my future articles!
