How to Get Started in Game Development

Code Condo

4 years ago

To a game enthusiast with a soft place for everything technical, the mere idea of coding a game might seem like paradise. There has never been a greater time to start a career in the game development industry. Talented, creative, and ambitious people are in high demand in this industry today.

No wonder game developers, mainly the younger ones, are starting career paths to get into Game development. Game development is a rewarding and promising career option if you have a vision for the extraordinary, and the mind of a coder. However, like everything else, these skills also can be obtained by practice. The only thing you need to start off straight is a creative bias of mind. With that settled, everything else will ultimately come into place.

In this article, we’ll be learning about everything you need to know before you get started with Game development.

What is Game Development?

In a simple way, Game Development is the comprehensive process of creating a video game. There are various components while creating a game such as Story, Characters, Audio, Art, Lighting, etc. that eventually blend together to create a whole new world in a video game.

Different Components in Game Development –

There are different components in Game Development that can either be managed by a single developer who is independently creating a game or usually by a team of multiple people. Hence, if you want to get started with Game Development, it’s best to first know the various components in this domain so that you can recognize the things that most interest you.

Story –

Everything has a story, and that is evenly right for video games. Your story can have a narrow structure which is relatively easy, or it can even have a non-linear structure with multiple plot changes according to character movements. The important point is that there should be an interesting narrative to hook your players.

Characters –

It is impossible to have any story without characters. That’s because, after the story, the characters are a major component of any video game. You have to determine the looks and natures of the characters, how quickly they should move, what should be behaviors and features etc.

Audio –

Indeed, it is the backbone of video games. This means it should support the game and still not be too obvious. You have to choose the different sounds in the game world like player sounds, background music, etc. that together create a realistic and convincing video game.

Art –

It can be stated that video games are basically just responsive art. So here art is very essential as it concludes the feel of the game. Generally, art in video games can include several things such as game texture, game lighting, 3D modeling of characters and objects, particle systems to create fire, fog, snow, etc.

Lighting –

All the lighting in video games is definitely artificial and is very important for mood setting. Less lighting can be used in connection with horror or thriller games while increased lighting can indicate more adventure or fun games. Also, lighting can be an influential factor in secrecy challenges with darkened areas providing cover to characters.

Levels –

All great video games have different levels that increase the challenge as time passes on. Levels can be expressed in games by various floors, different buildings, or even different countries and each level can have many possible routes that eventually drive to the next level. Moreover, designing games with many possible route combinations for different levels is a huge factor in Game Development.

How to Start Learning Game Development?

Now that you have known all the components involved in Game Development, the points provided here are a roadmap that is enough to make you understand the basics of learning Game Development. After acquiring these you can create a decent game and then move ahead with creating more and more complex worlds as you progress.

Learn Computer Programming –

The compelling world-view in a game is all created using computer programming. Therefore, it holds to reason that you need to understand programming in case you want to join this world. If you have some basic knowledge about coding in programming languages such as C++, C#, Python, Java, etc. then great, otherwise it’s best if you learn programming before proceeding any further.

Hence, there is no specific programming language that is particularly used for Game Development. But, C++ is the most popular in Game development and also the most usually used language for writing game engines. Another popular language is Java as it includes multithreading and sockets.

Also Read: History of Java

Pick a Known Game Engine –

As you are a trainee in Game Development, it is best to start with a known Game Engine. They are pretty helpful in common as they provide several functionalities for your games like 3D and 2D graphics rendering, audio support, animation, artificial intelligence, networking, etc.

The most popular Game Engine is Unity as it is very easy to learn, and also has the personal version which is free. Another popular Game Engine is the Unreal Engine which can be changed to create unique games.

Besides this, it is not completely necessary that you use a Game Engine. By not using a Game Engine will imply doing most of the technical work by yourself, which is difficult but will provide you many learning opportunities.

Also Read: An Infographic on Unity Game Engine by Eduonix

Make a Basic Game –

Now you might want to get moved away and desire to create a masterpiece but start it with small. A popular first game is Tetris as it is easy to create and also introduces you to many concepts in Game Development. It will essentially train you about the three steps in the Game Loop i.e. initialize, update and draw which are at the core of any viable game development you will make in the future.

If you don’t want to start with Tetris, then you can pick any game but make sure that the game you choose is not complex or confusing and has a clear objective and endpoint.

Learn Game Design Patterns –

Game Design Patterns is where things get slightly complicated as you have already learned the basics of creating a video game. There are many Game Design Patterns that are basically just templates for creating modular code that can be utilized as a repeated solution for any difficulty in Game Development.

It’ll be best if you first understand these Game Patterns and then use them in various small games. This will support you in understanding the different impacts and advantages that game design patterns can have on Game Development in general.

Discover 3D Graphics and Associated Maths –

It is impossible to create a video game without graphics and so you need to learn first about them. And, while 2D graphics were pretty popular in the mid-90s, most of the popular games today want 3D graphics that can be performed in fixed 3D, First-person perspective, Third-person perspective, etc. which renders a genuine feeling to the game.

Thus, the maths commonly required for 3D Graphics is Linear Algebra which essentially deals with linear equations, matrices, vectors, etc. If you know these concepts, you can easily manage the 3D world of your game to achieve phenomenal effects.

5 Best Tips in Game Development for Beginners –

Always follow other game developers
Try to innovate as much as possible
Play similar games and critically review them
Play, test, and code side-by-side
Never stop learning

10 Compelling Reasons Why You Should Consider a Career in Game Development

You can make your own games
Can do more than entertain
Know you’re in a growing industry
Get paid to do what you love
Doesn’t need a degree to make games
Get to work in a casual environment
Get to be more creative
Can brag about your job
Get to play games as part of your work
Opportunity to work with other passionate people

Final Thoughts –

Getting started in Game development is quite easy. If you can code, you can create games. It just takes a few tools and some time, but it’s a helpful skill, even for app developers. Game development is a powerful tool, competitive skill and newbies want to learn it completely and step by step to become a good developer.

Understanding how to develop games can build your skillset. It also provides a beneficial way to show business apps to your clients. You’ll be able to offer options with stunning interactive visuals, devices and platforms that aren’t usually available, and plenty of other exciting features.

So, if you’re willing to get started, or just want to dip into and see if it’s actually as simple as we say, why don’t you try to make something today? Select an easy game to practice on, and once you get that first build made, make a career switch into the incredible world of Game development.

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