How to Make Computer Games - RK store

Are you a gamer who wants to learn more about how games are made? Do you appreciate a good challenge and coming up with innovative solutions to problems?

You might be interested in game design. With today's game engines, it's easier than ever to build and publish games for practically any platform, even if you don't know how to program.

All you have to do now is figure out what your strengths are and create a game around them. This wikiHow teaches you how to develop a computer game from the ground up.

Part 1

Planning Your Game

1. Consider your skills

Making a video game necessitates a wide range of abilities. Scriptwriting, programming, art design, character design, level design, 3D modeling, audio design, music composition, and more are examples of these skills.

• If you're working alone or with a small group, you'll need to figure out what your strengths are. Designing a game around your strengths is your best bet.

• You can make a game based on a template if you are a brilliant artist but not a great programmer.

•  You can utilize a template to make a basic first-person shooter or role-playing game, then customize it with your artwork.

Consider creating a game with unique gameplay and a simplistic art style if you are a talented coder but not a brilliant artist. Many well-known independent games are made with 8-bit pixel art or even simple shapes and colors.

2. Create a design document

Before you start making a game, you must first decide what you want to make. Make a design document that contains all of the game's details.

The main game mechanics, concept art, level design, the game's plot, screenplays, and more could all be found here.

This is especially important if you're working with a group. This will assist in bringing everyone on board.

• Think about how big you want your project to be. Several of the most successful games are created over many years by a team of tens or even hundreds of individuals.

• You won't be able to build the next Call of Duty game by yourself. This is especially true if this is your first game. Make sure your goals are in line with your abilities, finances, and available time.

3. Decide on a game engine you want to use

The game engine is the game's backbone. It's the software that processes the images, the sound, the button inputs, the coding and scripting, and much more.

You can create your own game engine if you are a talented programmer. You'll almost certainly want to use an existing game engine.

Fortunately, there are numerous gaming engines from which to pick. Many of them allow you to download them for free and begin learning right away.

You can try some of the following popular game engines:

• Unity is a well-known game engine that can be used to make both 3D and 2D games. It's relatively simple for new developers to pick up. Indie game developers and the mobile gaming market love it. Unity is available for download at https://unity.com/.

• Unreal Engine is a more sophisticated gaming engine. It is well-known for its outstanding visual graphics. Many popular games have been made with it, including Dark Souls Remastered and Final Fantasy VII Remake. It is not, however, an easy engine to master for beginners. Unreal Engine is available for download at https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/.

• Amazon's Lumberyard: Amazon's Lumberyard is a collection of Amazon Lumberyard is an Amazon-developed 3D game engine that is supported by Amazon Web Services. It's a feature-packed game engine that doesn't charge royalties for the games you make. It's ideal for integrating Twitch and creating online games. Lumberyard is available for download at https://aws.amazon.com/lumberyard/.

• Gaming Maker Studio is a 2D game engine that doesn't require any coding experience to use. It's ideal for newcomers. Game Maker Studio does not allow you to create 3D games. Game Maker Studio is available for download at https://www.yoyogames.com/en/gamemaker/.

• Godot is a game engine developed by MIT that is free and open-source. It has a large number of tools for both 2D and 3D games. It has a large and active community. There is no membership fee and no royalties for the games you create because it is open-source. Godot is available for download at https://godotengine.org/.

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4. Decide on any additional tools you need

You may need to choose extra tools to develop game assets once you've decided on a game engine to employ.

Programming languages, integrated development environments for coding, graphic design programs, 3D modeling programs, digital audio workstations (DAW), and other products fall under this category.

Programming Languages: Some game engines are designed so that you can create games without knowing anything about programming.

Programming, on the other hand, is a useful ability to have because it allows you to accomplish more with your game design.

All you have to do now is choose a programming language. C#, C++, Java, and Python are some of the most prominent programming languages used in game development.

IDEs (Integrated Development Environments) are systems that give computer programmers tools and allow them to collaborate and consolidate their work. Studio and Eclipse are two prominent IDEs.

Software for 2D Graphics: 2D graphics are flat images. They're frequently employed in game creation. They're useful for making the HUD, title screen, in-game menus, sprites, and backdrops, among other things.

In a 3D game, 2D images can also be utilized to texture 3D objects. There are two forms of 2D graphics in game development: raster and vector.

Pixels are used to create raster graphics. They have specific measurements. JPG, PNG, and BMP images are among them. Adobe Photoshop and GIMP are examples of raster graphics software.

Vector graphics are visuals composed of data points. They can extend to any size without distorting or blurring the image. SVG and AI files are examples of this. Adobe Illustrator and Inkscape are two examples of vector graphics software. Adobe Animate can be used to make 2D animations.

3D Graphics Software: You'll need a 3D graphics application to design and animate 3D objects and meshes if you're making a 3D game. Blender 3D and 3DS Max are two prominent 3D graphics apps.

A digital audio workstation is a computer that is used to create audio. They may be used to record and produce music for games as well as master sound effects. Pro Tools, Ableton Live, and Adobe Audition are some of the most popular digital audio workstations (DAWs).

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Part 2

Producing A Computer Game

1. Plan the project

1. Create a list of all the chores that need to be accomplished before you begin developing the game, as well as a plan for when you intend to complete them.
2. Break down major jobs into smaller ones. Make a Gantt Chart track your progress. Make a list of milestones.
3. Write down what you completed the previous week and what you hope to accomplish the next week at the end of each week.
4. Compare those notes to the ones from the previous week.

• Don't be too concerned if you go a little ahead of plan. Unexpected issues will always arise throughout the production of a game.

• Even experienced producers will frequently add 50% to their best time. You may need to scale back the project if you go over by more than 300 percent.

If this is your first game, don't plan on building anything that will take more than a month to complete. It will most likely take longer than a month, but that is fine.

• Don't go into it with any preconceived notions. The first game you play should be a learning experience for you.

• Take advantage of this opportunity to see what you can come up with. Make something basic before moving on to the next task. Be proud of what you've accomplished. Even if it isn't really good.

2. Create a prototype for your game

It's time to start making games now that you have the necessary tools. Make a small prototype to begin. It should take no more than three weeks to finish. There should be no unique features in this, just the main mechanics.

This is known as the "minimum viable product" in game development. This provides you with something to test and play with.

By really playing your game, you can learn a lot about it. The prototype will allow you to test which components of the game are enjoyable and which are not.

• This allows you to lay a strong foundation for the rest of the game.

If you're building a first-person shooter, for example, your prototype doesn't have to be a massive level with a slew of foes, several customizable weapons, and stunning visuals. Your prototype would consist of a single room with one adversary type and one shooting weapon.

3. Create the assets of the game

It's time to start developing all of the game assets once you have a good notion of what the end product will look like.

The assets are the foundation of the game. Character and enemy models/sprites, animations, level design, scripts, sound effects, music, and more are all included.

• Everything will have to be built separately and then loaded into the game engine.

Many game engines feature an assets store where you may buy game assets developed by other people and import them into your own game if you don't know how to make them or don't have the time.

• Some games are entirely composed of assets obtained from the asset shop.

4. Test your game

Playing a game that you created can teach you a lot. Observing others play your game can also teach you a lot. Playtesting should be done at every step of game production, from early prototypes to the final days before launch.

Players of diverse skill levels were used in the playtest. If you're trying for a specific niche, don't just use skill gamers.

At the start, don't go into too much detail about the game. Allow the Playtester to take a stab at it. If they are stuck or puzzled, you can go ahead and offer them a brief explanation.

• Keep an eye on what playtesters do in the game on their own.
• Examine where they get stuck and where they require guidance.
• Figure out where they spend the most time in the game looking.
• Observe the reactions of the playtesters during the game.
• Look for anything that makes them gasp, sigh, or make other audible noises.
• Any feedback you receive should be written down.

• Pay attention to the order in which they provide feedback.

• This clarifies what they value the most.

• When you receive bad feedback, don't become defensive or feel compelled to justify yourself.

• Don't make playtesters keep playing your game.

• Allow them to walk away if they want to. It's a significant data point when people decide to stop playing your game.

• Fill up a test survey with your playtesters.

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Include 1-10 rating questions that can be converted to data, as well as a place at the end for comments.

You are the worst playtester for a game. Friends and family are the second-worst playtesters for a game. They're skewed.

5. Make adjustments to your game

Make the necessary changes to your game after receiving feedback from playtesting. Check the survey data points to ensure that the numbers are heading upwards. Make sure you're dealing with the issues that need to be dealt with.

• Be open-minded when it comes to your thoughts.

• During playtesting, you may discover that your assumptions about your game are incorrect.

• What you consider to be the most interesting may not be what others consider to be the most engaging.

6. Polish and optimize your game

You can start adding bells and whistles to your game when it's nearly finished. Feel free to improve the graphics and add new sounds and effects, but keep in mind how these changes will influence the game's performance.

• Ensure that the framerate remains constant for the duration of the game.

If you see that adding a certain effect slows down the game, investigate if the effect is necessary or if it can be implemented in a less hardware-intensive manner.

If you want to market your game to a larger audience, you should create it so that it can be played on as many PCs as feasible.

• Make it possible for gamers with lower-end PCs to switch off the more hardware-intensive features.

7. Publish and distribute your game

Unless this is your first game and you're only creating it for the learning experience, you'll most likely want to sell it and get paid for your efforts. Fortunately, Windows is an open platform, which means that anyone can create software for it.

Many game engines allow you to publish a working version of your game for distribution. You'll need a mechanism to distribute your game once it's finished. Fortunately, there are numerous online distribution outlets to choose from.

Look for a website that will distribute your game digitally. Getting your game on a marketplace like Steam or a more independent site like Itch.io is now easier than ever.

Make sure you understand the platform's quality control procedure, regardless of whatever platform you choose.

Start generating interest in your game before it goes live. Make a website as well as a promotional trailer. Independent gaming websites are a good place to start.

Conduct interviews and participate in podcasts. Make a social media post about your game.