This guide explains in detail how to create a game: develop an idea, choose tools and organize the development process so that it flows easily and leads to results.

Hello guys. In this article I will be completely honest with you and tell you how to create a game yourself. I warn you in advance that making a video game is difficult and very time-consuming. And if your goal is not another clone of Snake, Tetris or any other game from a step-by-step tutorial, you will have to put a lot of effort into it.

Too many people, trying to make their first game, dive headfirst into the engine and abandon the idea because it is “too difficult”, “I’m tired”, “I don’t see any progress”. In fact, this is just a set of stupid excuses that appear due to the “down aim”, that is, the desire to immediately make large-caliber games, like The Witcher or Final Fantasy.

These are projects that entire teams of specialists, teams of hundreds of people, have worked on for several years, so even if you really want to and spend your whole life, you will not be able to make the same large-scale product.

Your first game is a training session, a rough draft, but not a masterpiece. Even creating one level of the simplest pixel game can be an overwhelming task at first, and if you choose something huge, you simply won’t have any idea where to start, so you’ll spend a lot of time on details that don’t matter at all.

The main goal is to create a product that you can play yourself. I don't care if it's a linear platformer with two colors and takes 7 minutes to complete. You did it, you didn’t lose heart, you didn’t decide to give up everything, which already makes you better, you’re not one of those who despair and give up!

Give it to your mom, brother, friends, anyone else to play it. They will criticize, because they are used to seeing games as massive projects. Do not pay attention, because, firstly: you yourself created your first game, secondly: next time you will make it faster and better, and thirdly, soon you will achieve the level of skill that they will all ask for you let them play.

Your game should reflect your skills. Everything needs to be done sequentially: an idea appears - you check the possibility of its implementation - if there is no possibility, try to learn - having acquired the skill, you implement the idea. And this must be done every time. Over time, take a look at the Asset Store, perhaps there is already a fragment there that you have been hunching over for several days.

Finally, a bit of a parting word: most likely, you are trying to develop while studying or working. Sometimes weeks will pass before you can find the time, but if you really want to become successful in this field, find those hours and increase the number of skills you have. Remember, everyone can give up, but not everyone can reach the end.

Today the Internet is filled with various tutorials, training videos and free software. All this allows anyone who has a lot of free time and an idea to create their own computer game. However, it is also necessary to have a clear understanding of the process itself and its sequence.

What game should I make?

Most likely, a person interested in “How to make a game yourself?” I already have an idea. Most often this is some kind of modification of one of the games he played. Maybe your favorite game is missing something and you decided to add it (think about whether your game has modding capabilities: a built-in editor or a MOD-tool).

For example, the MOBA genre of games was created in the WarCraft 3 editor (the now popular Dota appeared precisely thanks to the editor’s wide capabilities).

In any case, the starting point will be the idea. This is where you should start.

Idea

But just in case you're wondering, "Which game should I make?" — the article will help you find an idea.

The gameplay component of your game idea will determine the game genre and platform.

Genre and platform of the future game

When choosing a genre, keep in mind that you should start with something short and simple. The first pancake is most often lumpy, but if you can bake this pancake, your development muscles will strengthen and you will be able to do something more next time.

Then decide on a platform. This is incredibly important, because gameplay capabilities depend on the platform. For example, making a dynamic shooter where the accuracy of a shot depends on the reaction and focusing on mobile devices with a touch screen is not a good idea.

Concept

Once you have some thoughts, sit down and describe the concept of the game. At first, these can only be theses, which will then turn into logically presented thoughts. If you fail to do this, reconsider your idea and get rid of contradictions.

Determine what should attract potential players, that is, its philosophy itself. For example, offer to become the sole ruler of a small island country, or control a fighter plane directly from the cockpit, promptly switching the necessary toggle switches.

Now to the features of your game. Most likely, a lot of experimenters have already tried themselves in your genre, but you still need to come up with something of your own, otherwise there will be no interest in the project. Here's a small example:

Example

Concept: small store simulator.
Peculiarity: You personally negotiate with suppliers, attract new clients and desperately try to survive in harsh realities.
Explain what factors influence success, and also talk about the key features of the game mechanics.
Don't try to add items that you don't want to implement. Your game should be something you would want to pay for.
The last step is to put all the drafts in a folder, and then in a desk drawer. After a couple of weeks, return to them, since perhaps you will lose both desire and passion, and it is better to go through this stage before starting the project than to leave everything in a half-finished state.

Development plan

A clear development plan is a solid foundation for your project and a solid basis for your growth as a game developer

This plan will be the skeleton of your game, so here you should mention every detail, every micro-moment, everything that you consider important. Those who make games alone can do without plans (provided they have a lot of experience), but if you have a team or experience under your leadership, then everything should be recorded.

A clear schedule of when to start programming or drawing your very first art is entirely up to you, so I’m sharing with you general points, the violation of which can set you back a few weeks, or even force you to abandon the idea of ​​creating your first game altogether.

1. Your plan should be for a month, no more. So trust your intuition and start simple. It's better to finish early than to miss the deadline.
2. Once you realized that this product can't teach you anything, put it on a shelf and forget it. You can test your skills by starting a similar project from scratch.
3. Even the best developers strive to become even better, so every new game should begin with the thought “I will do better than last time.”
4. Don't ignore planning. In the development of any project, small “force majeure” events occur, and it is almost impossible to predict them, so it is easier to simply take into account the time spent on eliminating them in the schedule. Have you planned 8 hours? Feel free to turn them into 12.
5. Design is one of the last things a new game developer should think about. Your goal is to “get the hang of things,” so spend your weekend implementing a few new mechanics (unfamiliar with them) rather than painting.
6. Break your plan into several pieces. Achieving these “checkpoints” increases motivation quite well. If you don't have time to fulfill your weekly requirements, simplify your overall plan.
7. Don't set yourself too abstract tasks. Instead of “Develop character”, enter “implement new shooting mechanics” or “change appearance during an impact” - clear goals are much easier to achieve.
8. Don't send yourself letters email every Monday. They should contain all actions performed over the past week. By comparing all the letters for the month, you can clearly see the progress.
9. Spend at least an hour a week playing your product. Ultimately, no one will make YOUR game better than you.
10. Spending two weeks without working on a project will leave you feeling confused and lost, forcing you to start all over again. It is at this point that most people give up and abandon the idea of ​​creating own game.
11. Killing time on sound and creating atmosphere in your very first game is incredibly pointless. The main thing is to develop the gameplay, because there are masterpieces consisting of ordinary moving pixels.
12. If you do something for more than an hour and still can’t do it, ask for help. Why stand still for a week because you were too shy to create a topic on the forum?
13. Let others try your game. Yes, criticism will immediately pour in, but you shouldn’t pay attention to it. Even the projects of leading studios are often slandered, but that doesn’t stop them from continuing to make masterpieces, right?
14. You don't have unlimited resources, so you need to set realistic, achievable goals.
15. Once you've polished your first game, immediately find some new ideas and take on a fresh project. Remember to apply what you have learned before.
16. Check out.

Let's move on to creating a table of contents. Oddly enough, the plot is almost completely ignored here. The main thing is to describe all aspects of the game mechanics and explain the principle of their operation. Basically, it is the table of contents that forms the basis of the game manual.

Now we complement each thesis of the table of contents detailed description every little detail, and we do it as clearly as possible, otherwise problems with implementation may arise.

Finally, you need to show your plan to everyone you plan to involve in the development. It is possible that some ideas will not be implemented, or you will be offered more comfortable alternatives. Having received a clear understanding of his part of the work, an experienced specialist will immediately make a few comments.

Selecting development tools

The engine is the heart of your game, choose responsibly, read the article

It will be easier for a beginner to take a ready-made engine than to develop his own.
Each engine has its own characteristics. Some will force you to learn programming, and some you won't even need to differentiate between a procedure and a function, they have visual programming tools.

If we give an extremely broad classification, then engines can be divided into two types: for two-dimensional projects (GameMaker: Studio, RPG Maker XV) and for three-dimensional games (Unity, Unreal Development Kit and Source)

Watch a few official video tutorials and try to do something in the engine yourself. If this task seemed overwhelming to you, try to cooperate with a programmer, some guys may be inspired by your idea and help in refining it.

Prototype

The next stage is the test version. Sound and graphics don't matter here, the main thing is that all functions work exactly as you intended. By the way, be patient, because you will have to make changes until you start enjoying the gameplay.

Also, be prepared for the need to create a finished prototype from scratch. Here you calibrate the controls: it should be as convenient and intuitive as possible. Otherwise, the player will go looking for the exit button in disappointment.

This phase is the polishing of your gameplay design. The phase of searching and trying different options.

Graphics and sound

Decide right away what range of colors you need. If it's a simple 2D platformer where everything is teeming with pixels, then hiring an orchestra and a whole team of graphic designers is a waste of time and money. At the same time, you should not skimp on resources if they are truly necessary to fully express your idea. Feel free to combine other people's ideas. The only prohibition is copyright infringement.

This is where you need to sketch out the rough art. By the way, it is not at all necessary to be able to draw, because most indie projects use pixel art due to its simplicity and popularity. If you nevertheless decide on a three-dimensional project, then you will have to hire professionals to create complex character models.

Finally, create several fragments of the game universe. These are concepts of what a level looks like, or how characters interact outside of gameplay. It's time to bring your ideas to life!

Blender is a simple and free editor for creating 3D models.
Photoshop is indispensable for processing 2D images, and also does a great job with textures.
net allows you to quickly create pixel art.
Sounds, along with graphics, create a sense of atmosphere in your game. A huge set of ready-made sound libraries for free programs is at your service, and the missing melodies can be recorded at home, the main thing is to get a microphone.

Finalization

Play what you created, and play it as often as possible. This way you can notice all the roughness. Learn one rule - either modify the element to an ideal state, or remove it. For example, if the gameplay of a level seems too monotonous to you, try making it more varied.
Constantly check the philosophy of the game to avoid the point where the project turns into a pile of disjointed levels and characters.
Polish the graphics and sound - the process is very labor-intensive, but the atmosphere depends on it.

Testing phase

Having received a preliminary version of the game (do not confuse it with the prototype), proceed to searching for bugs and errors. It will be better if you find them, and not potential players, on the first day after release.

Focus on moments that are unusual for your playing style. For example, go to parts of the map that are not used during the main gameplay. Testing sometimes takes longer than development itself, and its speed depends on the number and professionalism of testers.

If there are an incredible number of bugs, fix the largest ones first. Therefore, start searching for them as early as possible - this will give you more time to make changes. In addition, invite your friends and acquaintances to play. A look from the outside will allow you to notice many nuances that you yourself would never have guessed. Plus, it's absolutely free.

Release

Organize a promotional campaign: stir up interest in social networks, order reviews from gaming bloggers, don’t forget about a website with a forum, because fans will need somewhere to gather!
Select a distribution platform. It is unlikely that you will want to immediately invest in hosting or dedicated servers, so pay attention to popular platforms like Steam, GOG, Humble, Play Market and the like. Remember that owners charge a certain percentage of the cost, so this issue requires detailed study.
Don't forget to support the game even after release. Keep fixing bugs, releasing additional content, or jump straight into the sequel!

Everything in the article is presented very briefly, but at the same time it gives general idea O full cycle game release. You shouldn’t immediately count on earning millions of dollars, because games are, first and foremost, creativity.

Many people may not believe in you. What is there: there will probably be a couple of evenings when you want to give up everything, but you shouldn’t give up. Remember: a really good product requires a lot of time, money and your nerves.

P.S.

If you have any questions or need help, write to the forum section, I receive notifications - I will always answer and help as best I can.

To begin with, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with several programs that will help answer this question.

Currently on the Internet there are many programs, paid and free, with which you can create a game of any genre and any complexity. This article describes the most common free game creation programs and their capabilities that you can download and start creating games. I suggest you familiarize yourself with them.

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Defold Game Engine

In this article I want to introduce you to a very young and free game engine for creating AAA games - Defold Game Engine. This engine was developed by Ragnar Svensson and Christian Murray in 2014 and there are already more than 20 thousand users and more than 30 thousand projects on this engine.

Defold runs on MacOS/OS x, Windows and Linux (32 bit and 64 bit). With its help, you can create a game for 6 well-known platforms: iOS, Android, HTML5, as well as for MacOS/OS x, Windows and Linux.

Defold is a full-fledged 3D engine, but the toolkit is built for 2D, so you'll have to do a lot of the heavy lifting yourself to create 3D games. The developers plan to improve the tools for creating 3D in the near future. All applications and game logic in Defold are implemented using scripts in the lua language. Lua is a lightweight, dynamic language that is fast and very powerful.

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Amazon Lumberyard

The lumberyard game engine can create high-quality AAA games for PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4, support for iOS and Android devices has been announced in the near future, with deep integration into Amazon Web Services and the involvement of fans in the Twitch service, and the Lumberyard engine can also be used in creating multi-platform games, since it now has its own network engine.

Lumberyard was not created “from scratch”; it is based on the code of the CryEngine engine; in mid-summer 2015, Amazon acquired a broad license for the CryEngine engine, but according to the developers, the system included many innovations and capabilities, such as: a tool for creating plants, a tool for creating skeletal animation, a particle editor, physics-based shaders, modular gems that make it easier to work with natural effects and much more.

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CryEngine 5

CryEngine is a game engine created by the German private company Crytek in 2002 and originally used in first-person shooter games Far Cry. In mid-March, the company provided the world with a new, fifth CryEngine. The engine is absolutely free and anyone can use it, with which they can create games of various genres and varying complexity.

1. CryEngine Sandbox: A real-time game editor offering "What You See Is What You PLAY" feedback.
2. Renderer: integrated open outdoor) and closed (eng. indoor) locations without seams. The renderer also supports OpenGL and DirectX 8/9, Xbox using the latest hardware features, PS2 and GameCube, as well as Xbox 360.
3. Physics system: supports inverse kinematics of characters, vehicles, solids, liquids, rag dolls (eng. rag doll), fabric simulation and soft body effects. The system is integrated with the game and tools.
4. Inverse Character Kinematics and Mixed Animation: Allows the model to have multiple animations for better realism.
5. Game Artificial Intelligence System: Includes team intelligence and script-driven intelligence. Ability to create custom enemies and their behavior without touching C++ code.
6. Interactive Dynamic Music System: Music tracks respond to player actions and situations and offer CD quality with full 5.1 surround sound.

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Construct Classic

Construct Classic is a small program whose main function is to create games, 2D animation videos and cartoons. This designer is created according to the WYSIWYG principle. This means that you don’t have to spend a long time studying programming textbooks to create your own animated video. Everything is much simpler - we added some object, turned on animation for it and it starts moving.

The Construct Classic app is free. Moreover, it has open source, so developers and programming specialists can customize it exactly as they wish.

Key features of Construct Classic:

• A system for editing events and reacting to them using drag-n-drop.
• Possibility of use huge amount plugins.
• The program was created in python, but it can be modified in C++.
• It is possible to connect pixel shaders to HLSL.
• You can connect ready-made source codes for games and applications in CAP format to the program.

Changes in the latest version

• Physics: Fixed a bug in version r1, when physical objects created after the start could fly off the screen at high speed.
• Behavior: Bug fixed. when you couldn't jump off the platform. Caused by a fix for the "landing in the air" bug in version r1. Both fixes now work.
• Installer: Fixed installation problem in version r1.

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GameMaker:Studio

GameMaker: Studio is a free version of the popular professional set of tools for creating small mobile multi-platform games. Thanks to the program's user-friendly, intuitive interface, game developers can develop their creations more quickly and efficiently. This is because they won't have to do manual coding, which takes a lot of time.

The GameMaker: Studio distribution contains ready-made templates for sprites, rooms and individual objects. All of them can be dragged with a few mouse movements onto the future playing field, while indicating the conditions for their interaction with each other.

Key features of GameMaker: Studio:

• Cross-platform. You can create games for Windows, Android, and Linux without much difficulty.
• Convenient working window of the program, where there is nothing superfluous.
• The ability to create small 2D games in a matter of hours.
• Ready-made applications can be integrated with Steam.
• You can connect ready-made templates to the application, step by step change paths, objects, sounds, backgrounds, scripts and make interesting and unusual games out of it all.
• GameMaker is great for developing games and applications on mobile platforms.

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Game Editor

Game Editor is a free designer for creating simple two-dimensional games for operating systems Windows, Mac, Linux, IOS, Android. The games being created are a set of game objects, each of which is given a reaction to a specific event, which determines their behavior in the game.

Built-in sets of animations are responsible for the appearance of objects. It is possible to use your own graphic and audio elements. In addition to standard object reactions, you can also use your own, written in the special scripting language Game Editor.

Key features of Game Editor:

• Simple and easy to understand interface.
• The finished application can be exported to Windows, Linux, Android, IOS.
• The created game can be immediately tested, stopped at any time and started editing again.
• Ability to use graphic files in JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, PCX, TGA, XPM, XCF and TIF formats.
• Ability to use audio files in Ogg Vordis, MID, MOD, S3M, IT and XM formats.

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3D Rad

3D Rad - free program For easy creation(without using code) various 3D games, interactive applications and physics simulations. Creating applications in 3D Rad is based on a combination of various combinations components (objects) and settings for interaction between them. Physics is based on taking into account the interaction between objects.

3D Rad has a feature for importing models into created project, a large number of examples and samples of three-dimensional objects, as well as the ability to add sound effects in WAV or OGG format. Works made with 3D Rad can be distributed as separate programs or web applications.

Key features of 3D Rad:

• Creation of high-quality 3D games.
• Realistic physics of object interaction.
• Ability to import models.
• High-quality graphics processing.
• Possibility of using artificial intelligence.
• Possibility of using multiplayer.
• High quality audio effects and music
• Possibility of embedding games on web pages.

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Unreal Development Kit

Unreal Development Kit (UDK) is a powerful free engine and development environment with enormous capabilities for creating games for large quantity platforms and operating systems. It contains all the tools for creating 3D games, advanced visualizations and detailed simulations.

The Unreal Development Kit includes a fully integrated Unreal Editor editing environment, as well as a set of ready-made scripts, sprites, textures and sounds. They can be combined with each other, prescribe the conditions for their interaction, thereby creating new games.

Key features of the Unreal Development Kit:

• Ability to create games for Windows, Mac OS, Xbox, PlayStation 3, Wii, Android.
• A simple and convenient high-level programming language called UnrealScript.
• Realistic light, shadows and effects.
• Advanced physics of behavior and interaction of objects.
• Support LAN and direct IP connection.
• Possibility of testing the created application at any stage of its design.
• Multi-threaded rendering of created games.
• Ready-made game templates.

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NeoAxis 3D Engine

NeoAxis 3D Engine Non-Commercial SDK is a free version of a powerful, high-quality application for creating 3D games. Essentially, it is a ready-made engine with its own models, physics, graphics and templates. Based on NeoAxis, you can make various 3D single models, complex software visualizations, or even create full-featured 3D games. It all depends on the talent and goals of the developer.

NeoAxis 3D Engine consists of a whole set necessary tools to implement any developer's idea. It already contains 24 full-fledged maps, some of which are already good shooters, where you need to shoot aliens, run through dark corridors in search of a way out and fight monsters in the village.

Main features of NeoAxis 3D Engine:

• The installed program consists of a number of separate applications - a configurator, demo capabilities of the program, a map editor and a main code editor.
• Applications developed using the NeoAxis environment can be run on Windows and Mac OS X
• The full range of capabilities of built-in NVIDIA PhysX. Ragdoll and vehicle support.
• Built-in support for synchronization over LAN and Internet.
• The application supports a huge list of languages, English, Ukrainian, Russian are available.
• The editor is built very conveniently - all program resources are clearly structured into separate thematic folders.
• The program consists of ready-made sets of objects, maps and models, so any student can understand it.

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Game Maker Lite

Game Maker is one of the most famous game designers, focused on creating two-dimensional games of almost any genre and difficulty level. The program has built-in editors for sprites, objects, scenarios and rooms, and also allows you to set a sequence of actions based on time and route.

Game Maker is different in that to create games it does not require knowledge of any programming languages, although the ability to use scripts is also present.

Key features of Game Maker:

• Simple and intuitive program interface.
• Built-in lessons on creating your first games.
• Programming using drag-n-drop.
• Free collection of free images and sounds for games.
• Ability to create simple 3D games.
• Built-in Game Maker Language (GML) programming language, allowing you to develop more functional and interesting games.

Attention:

The free version of Game Maker is limited in functionality, and when you launch games created in it, the program logo is shown.

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Unity 3D

Unity 3D is a powerful development environment that makes it easy to create a game. Games and applications built with Unity 3D run in operating rooms Windows systems, OS X, Android. iOS, Linux, Blackberry and also on game consoles Wii, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Applications created with Unity support DirectX and OpenGL.

With Unity 3D you can create video games of any genre. The developer can easily import textures, models and sounds. All popular image formats are supported for textures. Scripting is done primarily using JavaScript, although code can also be written in C#.

Key features of Unity 3D:

• Wide range of customization options.
• Accessible and intuitive interface.
• Scripts in C#. JavaScript and Boo.
• Full integration of the game engine with the development environment.
• Support for dragging objects in the editor.
• Support for importing a large number of formats.
• Built-in network support.
• Cloth physics support (PhysX Cloth).
• Possibility of adding functionality.
• Tools for collaborative development.

Blender is a free three-dimensional (3D) computer graphics package that includes modeling, animation, rendering, video post-processing, and game creation tools. Blender's functions are quite sufficient for both ordinary users and professionals. The program has all the basic tools used in professional 3D editors.

In a relatively small volume, Blender contains a full-fledged editor with all the main functions and a set of textures, models and event handlers. Additional features in Blender are realized by connecting plugins - both official ones created by the editor's authors and those developed by users.

Key features of Blender:

• Support for a variety of geometric primitives (including polygon models, SubSurf fast modeling, Bezier curves, NURBS surfaces, metaspheres, sculpting and vector fonts).
• Universal built-in rendering engines and integration with the external YafRay renderer.
• Animation tools including inverse kinematics, skeletal animation and mesh warping, keyframe animation, non-linear animation, vertex weight editing, constraint, soft body dynamics, rigid body dynamics, particle hair system and collision-enabled particle system
• Python is used as a tool for creating tools and prototypes, logic systems in games, as a means of importing and exporting files, and automating tasks.
• Basic functions of non-linear video editing and combining.
• Game Blender is a subproject of Blender that provides interactive features such as collision detection, a dynamics engine, and programmable logic.

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Stencyl

Another environment for developing simple computer games, which does not require the user to know codes and programming languages. You will have to work with diagrams and scenarios presented in the form of blocks. In this case, you are allowed to drag objects and characteristics with the mouse. Despite the fact that the blocks provide dozens of options, the authors of Stencyl also took care of those who may not have enough of this. Thus, you are allowed to write your own code in blocks. True, for this you will need to understand programming.

Users who have worked in Photoshop will enjoy Scene Designer, a graphic editor designed for drawing game worlds. Its tools are strikingly reminiscent of the menu of a popular photo editor.



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CraftStudio

Add and change objects in 3D space, write scripts and rules, draw animations and effects. The authors of CraftStudio have thought of everything to make creating games on a PC from scratch in real time clear and fun. Moreover, all tools for modeling and animation are built into the program and are clearly labeled. The same can be said about the visual script editor. What's most interesting is that you won't find any problems with format compatibility or conversion. For more advanced users, a Lua Scripting text editor is provided.

Come up with a plot and idea for the game you want to create. Whether it's an adventure game, a race or fighting options, it's up to you to decide. You should understand that creating a game is a tedious and time-consuming process. Without certain knowledge you will not be able to create a game. It is necessary to learn the basics of programming languages, scripting languages, and modeling.

Choose the format for creating a game - 2D or 3D. 2D is easier than 3D: they do not load the computer, but required quantity The programs required to create a game are kept to a minimum. But even to create 2D games you need to be good at drawing. If you don’t know how to draw, you can use ready-made templates for locations, characters, etc.

One of the advantages of 3D games can be called beauty and entertainment, but it requires sacrifice, so the disadvantages immediately become visible. You will need knowledge different languages programming. This is the most difficult part of creating a 3D game. The more complex the game is supposed to be, the more complex the languages. There are a huge number of them and they take a very long time to become known. When learning one language you will be faced with the need to know another. And so on increasingly. Another obvious disadvantage is that powerful computers are needed. There is no need to draw here, but you need to learn to work in modeling programs, but this is no easier than drawing and you can’t do it without imagination.

There are special designers for creating games. From the ready-made parts that are given to you in the designer, you gradually create your own game. They are suitable for both 3D games and 2D games. If you don’t have enough ready-made parts, you can add your own and use them. To make something move, you will need to assign actions to objects using ready-made logical operations. If there is a lack of standard actions, scripting languages ​​will come to the rescue. There are constructors that include common programming languages, they are more functional, but their work is more difficult to understand. Designers are usually divided by genre, but there are also general ones that are suitable for creating games of various genres.

Creation of a computer games- a complex process, the most important part of which is design. You must first create a plan games, script, plot, choose a suitable programming language, consider the possibility of technical implementation of the given. There is no one way to write games, since its creation is creative process.

Instructions

Work out the theme and genre of the future games. First you need to create an idea and formalize it. Create future heroes, think through the plot, each of its components. Compile all the collected data into one project design document, which will contain information about both the plot and gameplay.

Select the programming language in which the project will be implemented. It should be one of the languages ​​that you are fluent in. Depending on the scale games, the peculiarities of the language should be taken into account. For example, many modern games are written in C++, but there are many other languages ​​that can be written. For example, Delphi, which is one of the best in terms of working with objects.

Select the engine on which it will be built game project. The engine is a control system responsible for displaying graphic elements, defining functions, controlling sound, etc. It is directly linked to the graphical application programming interface (API). If you are going to use a ready-made engine, you should think about the project, since purchasing program code, 3D, graphic and audio editors can cost a significant amount.

To write serious projects, you need to recruit a team that will consist of a 3D modeler, a graphic editor, a designer, a layout designer and a musician. The number of required specialized specialists depends on the complexity of the project.

Having created a plan and chosen an engine, you can begin the technical implementation of your plan. Break the work into stages, write the game gradually, implementing the main functionality first, and then creating more and more new features. Don’t be afraid to rewrite code that has already been created, but not entirely correctly written, even if there are already thousands of lines of it. Try to create the most efficient code possible.

Video on the topic

When teaching children and adolescents, it is important to instill in them the skills logical thinking. Such skills will help in the future to explain abstract concepts, substantiate the phenomena of reality and competently defend one’s own point of view. The joint participation of children and adults in logic games will allow them to find better mutual understanding and simply bring many joyful moments.

You will need

• - developed creative imagination.

Instructions

To understand the principles of constructing logic games, read the development manuals. Today there are a number of books that cover in detail the playful side of the learning process. It is best if you manage to read one of the collections of similar games, equipped with specific examples and practical recommendations.

Enter the necessary restrictions by defining the age limits for the participants in the game being created. Requirements for its logical structure and content will depend on how mature the players are. For children, it is undesirable to include in the play objects too abstract concepts that have no analogues in the surrounding material world.

Determine the direction of the future game. Among logic games, the most interesting and exciting are those that are aimed at developing ingenuity and intelligence. They allow participants to demonstrate speed of thinking while developing the ability to make correct judgments. Games of wit are good when it is necessary to switch the child to another type of activity.

For example, consider a logic game conventionally called “Chain of Words”. According to the rules, participants sit in a circle, after which one of them names any word. The neighboring participant must immediately say a word starting with the last letter of the previous one, after which all players in a circle are included in the game sequentially. Set a rule that you cannot repeat previously spoken words. The advantage of such a game exercise is that it does not require any additional materials.

Take the structure of the described game as a basis, slightly modifying the task and introducing additional time restrictions. For example, it is allowed to name only the names of animate objects; For each mistake a penalty point is awarded; the one who finds it difficult to name the right word drops out of the game and so on. So in a simple way you will be able to get several new logic games while maintaining interest in them on the part of the participants.

Sources:

• “Logic games for children”, T.N. Obraztsova, 2010.
• "The best mobile and logic games for children from 5 to 10 years old,” E.A. Boyko, 2008.
• "Didactics. Logic train. Games for children 2-5 years old”, T.A. Barchan, 2003.

A fence in Minecraft is used to create pens for pets and to decorate the surrounding area. It's very easy to make if you have at least some wood.

Wood is the very first thing you need to get in the game

Wood in Minecraft comes from tree trunks. various trees. There are six types of wood, all of them have the same properties, although externally the blocks different breeds vary.

To get a block of wood, go to the nearest tree, click on the left mouse button, aiming at the tree trunk. Do not release the button until you get the desired block. Get as much wood as possible, you will need it not only to obtain, but also to create most the right tools. In addition, you can craft planks from wood, from which you can easily build your first shelter from monsters.

Fence can be used instead of glass to create windows if there is no sand nearby or you are low on fuel. The fence allows light to pass through, but does not allow aggressive monsters or...

Once you have collected enough wood, open your inventory window. Place two or three mined blocks (the rest may be needed to create charcoal or decorate a future home) into one of the crafting or crafting slots that are located to the right of your character's schematic image, this will give you boards. There will be four times more of them than wood blocks.

Recipe for creating a fence in minecraft

To create a fence, you will need a workbench. This work surface with a 3x3 crafting area, which allows you to collect most of the tools and items on it. To create a workbench, open the inventory window again and fill all available crafting slots with boards. Take the workbench and place it on a suitable horizontal surface.

The fence is created from sticks. Sticks can be made at any time from planks by placing two planks on top of each other in the crafting area of ​​a workbench or in the inventory window. Two boards make four sticks. To create a fence you will need six sticks. They need to be placed on the workbench so as to fill the bottom two horizontal lines of the crafting area.

With the help of a fence, players often fence off farms to protect them from trampling by animals and monsters. The ability to install torches on the fence allows you to sufficiently illuminate the crops being grown.

There is a special type of door for a fence. To make a gate or wicket, in the fence design, replace the two center poles with blocks of boards. Gates make interacting with livestock much easier.

Pickaxe - the main tool and main symbol Minecraft games. Without it, cave exploration and mining are impossible. The pickaxe is one of those things that you need to make at the very beginning.

What do you need for a pickaxe?

Any tool or weapon in Minecraft can be made from different types of materials. At the first stage, the most accessible resource is wood, since trees grow on any type of terrain (except desert) and are easily “disassembled”. Wood can be used to make sticks and boards. This is enough to create the first, most important tools.

After appearing in the game world, head to the nearest cluster of trees, but do not go far from the spawn point or try to remember the landmarks. Approaching the tree, start extracting wood by holding down the left mouse button. You can mine resources within a radius of three blocks. Get at least ten units of wood. Part of it will be used to create a pickaxe and other tools, the rest can be used to obtain coal, which is needed to illuminate the space and protect against monsters.

After collecting the wood, open the character window. Next to the image of your hero there is a crafting window (creating items) measuring 2x2. This is not enough to create a pickaxe, but here you can make a workbench, which is used for crafting most items. Place half of the extracted wood in one of the cells, this will allow you to get boards. One unit of wood produces four boards. Planks are excellent raw materials for creating the first tools and fuel for the furnace. In the same crafting window, place two planks on top of each other, this will give you sticks. Now fill all four cells with boards, the result should be a workbench.

You can make an ax from boards and sticks, which will significantly speed up the extraction of wood.

Pickaxe - minecraft symbol

Take the workbench in your hand and place it on the surface by pressing the right mouse button. Right-click on the workbench again to open its interface. An active crafting field measuring 3x3 will appear in front of you. This is enough to create absolutely any items in the game. Fill the top horizontal line with boards (you should need three pieces), and place sticks along the central vertical line as handles. As a result, you will receive a pickaxe.

A wooden pickaxe is not durable, and not all types of resources can be obtained with its help. Once you have this tool, head to the nearest mountain or simply remove a couple of nearby blocks of dirt or sand to gain access to the stone. Use a pickaxe to mine three cobblestones and create new tool on the workbench.

Coal is the first resource that needs to be mined, since it is from it that the torches important for life are created.

A stone pickaxe is much stronger than a wooden one; it can mine almost all types of resources except emeralds, gold and red dust, which is not important in the early stages of the game. When setting out to explore the world, take three or four pickaxes with you, so as not to suddenly be left without your main tool.

The virtual world is increasingly becoming three-dimensional. Every software company that respects itself and the user strives to make its products in 3-D. The popularity of this visual display medium is so great that many people want to master the intricacies of 3D design on their own. And for this there is special programs.

A lot of programs have been created for 3D modeling. Some are for complete beginners in this area, others are more suitable professional designers. The user can easily get confused in all the variety of proposals, so only the three most popular 3D construction products are offered to the reader, which anyone can understand if they wish.

3D Studio MAX

The program is currently called Autodesk 3ds Max. The project started back in 1990, when the most daring experimenters were just beginning to think about 3D modeling.

Often, for game or film projects, a special software oriented towards solving specific problems.

The package was developed by the Yost Group studio and the first four versions were released for DOS. For those who don't remember the "pre-window" times, this is an operating system with command line– the grandmother of modern operating systems. Since 1994, the package began to be released for Windows.

Using the package, you can create videos, engage in architectural modeling, and bring computer game characters to life. For example, many of Blizzard's video games for Warcraft and Starcraft used 3D-Max capabilities. The product was also used to create models in these games.

Autodesk Maya

If anyone ever thinks about what product in 3D modeling can be considered the de facto standard, then it is Maya. In her time she made the world 3D graphics in cinema and television. The product had a rather complicated history. It officially appeared only in 2006, but before that there were various corporate mergers and reshuffles in the business segment, which in one way or another affected the project.

However, it has survived and is now actively used by many professionals and enthusiasts around the world. The list of famous cartoons and those created with its help alone deserves respect:

The image of Gollum in The Lord of the Rings
- mouse from the comedy “Stuart Little”
- “South Park”.
- The Matrix trilogy
- spider man 2
- gold

And this is just the beginning, because it’s simply not possible to cover everything.

Cinema 4D

Judging by the name, the program is capable of creating four-dimensional space. However, as you know, the fourth is time. Hence the essence of the software package is to create three-dimensional objects that change over time. And here many can already guess that we're talking about about computer animation.

At the beginning, all 3D modeling programs seem complicated, but once you understand the basic principles, everything becomes easier.

And in fact, today the project represents serious competition to the two products described above. It is more convenient, has a simpler interface, and is easier to learn even for a beginner.

It first appeared on the Amiga computer in the early nineties of the last century. The first versions of the software were only for this machine. Maxon was then able to port it to other platforms.

It is impossible to list all the projects where the program was used. It is actively used to create animation. And among the most famous projects"Beowulf."

Video on the topic

Sources:

• Interesting programs for beginners in 2019

Games of this kind do not require money and greatly delight the child. Having fun in this way, your child will not only lift his and your mood, but will also develop intellectually.

Which one is the most popular game? Surely, you remember it from childhood - this is “Soroka-Soroka”. When your parents played it with you, they weren't just thinking about your entertainment. The fact is that games of this kind stimulate the brain activity of children, help develop speech and unleash their creative potential. Finger games were invented in the distant past. For example, in Japan, children developed their fingers with the help of walnuts.

What are the benefits of finger games? Everything in our body is interconnected, let alone a child’s body, in which the main center - the brain - is located very close to the hands and fingers. Fine motor skills develops areas of the brain that are responsible for speech.

Children often face the problem that they, like a dog, understand everything, but cannot say anything. This is due to the fact that one hemisphere is responsible for creating pictures, images, and the other for speech. It is necessary to find a balance - finger games have no equal here!

Finger games for children need to be selected according to age - this is important. Remember that the main goal of such games is to help in development, there is no need to rush. You can start playing finger games almost from birth. The best age is from 3 months to 6 years.

Video on the topic

Money is material assets, which give us more opportunities to live better. There's no arguing with that. So what should you do to earn more money to live on?

You always get what you earn

Some people feel like they are worth much more than they are paid. If you are one of this number of those unfairly offended, then take care of a job that will pay higher. After all, for you better job no one will look. The more you depend on others, the less you depend on yourself. Take control of your income. Those who give this power to other hands always play the role of a victim in society and, accordingly, do not earn enough.

You can only win the game when you understand its rules

Consider all areas of society as a large market, where all people are your equal partners, and each situation is an opportunity provided by the market to improve your financial well-being.
The rules of today's game are set by the market, and they are the same for everyone. Anyone who does not know the rules of the game has practically no chance of success. Main principle of any market is that the exchange must be truly mutually beneficial.

There is no rule that limits your income!

All the rules that limit your income today are invented by people themselves, and they can also change them. The value of your workforce is subjective; no one will give an objective assessment of your work, neither the boss nor the performer. You just need to raise your own criteria for evaluating your work and create necessary conditions to increase your own earnings.
Your income is assessed in three ways: your boss’s assessment, your own assessment, and your ability to negotiate.

You won't get a salary increase by other methods just like that - earn it! If you work in a team, the question is how indispensable you are in the team. Your task is to ensure that your boss himself understands your irreplaceability, and this largely depends on how you negotiate with him.
If you work for yourself, then the question is how indispensable your products are to society. The task is to get your value noticed by this society. And it also depends on how well you negotiate with him.

Video on the topic

Useful advice

The five rules given should provide a starting point for your thinking.
These rules are based on three important prerequisites for success:
1. self-confidence;
2. the ability to take responsibility;
3. ability to act.
These are the skills you need to work on.

There is hardly a person who has not played at least one computer game at least once in his life, no matter on a laptop or mobile device. Well, which of you, dear reader of our blog, has not dreamed of creating your own game and, if not becoming a millionaire thanks to your project, then at least becoming famous among your friends?

But how to create a game on Android from scratch, without special knowledge and without even knowing the basics of programming? It turns out that trying yourself as a game developer is not such a difficult task. This will be the topic of our material today.

1. Idea or script.
2. Desire and patience.
3. Game designer.

And if everything is more or less clear with the first two components of success, then we need to dwell on the third component in more detail.

What is Game Builder

We are talking about a program that significantly simplifies game development, making it accessible to people who do not have programming skills. The Game Builder combines an integrated development environment, a game engine, and a level editor that functions as a visual editor ( WYSIWYG– English acronym for “what you see is what you get”).

Some designers may be limited by genre (for example, RPG, arcade, quests). Others, while providing the opportunity to design games of different genres, at the same time limit the imagination of a novice developer to 2D games.

Even after reading only what has already been written, it becomes clear that for a novice developer who decides to write a game for any operating system, including Android OS, choosing a suitable designer is the main task, because the fate of the future project depends on the functionality and capabilities of this tool.

How to choose the right designer

You need to start by assessing your own level of programming knowledge. If it tends to zero or is absent altogether, then it is better to try the most simple options. And even if you do not have the necessary knowledge of the English language, then even in this case you can find a program that suits you.

And the second important point when choosing a designer - functionality. Here you need to very accurately analyze the scenario of your project, because the more complex the game is, the more different tools you will need to create it, and accordingly, you will need a more powerful designer.

To help you with your choice, below we will present to your attention the best design programs, which, in general, does not exclude the possibility that, having thoroughly delved into forums or specialized sites, you will choose something else for yourself, since the range of this range of programs quite wide.

Top 5 best game designers

Construct 2

This application consistently ranks first in the ratings of game designers. Using Construct 2, you can create two-dimensional games of almost any genre for various platforms, including Android, as well as animated games aimed at browsers that support HTML5.

Taking into account the huge number auxiliary tools, even novice users can easily master the program.

To master working with Construct 2, there is no need to buy a license; the free Free version offers quite sufficient tools and the ability to export finished project on some platforms. However, coding the finished product for mobile platforms and access to the full range of functionality will be provided by a Personal license for $129. If your skill in creating games has reached its peak, and you have already begun to receive income from your project of more than $5 thousand, you will have to fork out for the Business option, which will cost $429.

Now, watch some practical video tutorials on creating gaming applications using Construct 2:

Clickteam Fusion

Clickteam Fusion is another example of an excellent full-fledged game designer that helps even a beginner create a full-fledged game. The program provides the ability to export created applications completely free of charge in HTML5 format, which means that it will be possible to publish browser games and, in addition, convert them for publication in various mobile markets, for example, Google play.

The main characteristics include the simplicity of the interface, support for shader effects and hardware acceleration, the presence of a full-fledged event editor, and saving projects in formats compatible with various platforms, including Android.

The paid Developer version of the program is not available to residents of the Russian Federation, but its licensed disk can be ordered from the same Amazon, easing your personal budget by an average of $100. It is possible to Russify the menu through a third-party Russifier.

How to work with the application, watch a special video course:

Stencyl

Stencyl is another great tool that allows you to develop simple 2D computer games without special knowledge codes, as well as programming languages ​​for all popular platforms. Here you have to work with scenarios and diagrams, which are presented in the form of blocks, and you can drag objects or characteristics with the mouse, which is very convenient.

The program developer also offers the opportunity to write your own code in blocks, but this will of course require programming knowledge.

The presence of an excellent graphic editor Scene Designer allows the user to use their imagination to draw game worlds.

The optimal set of functions will help create high-quality games of different genres, but the most tiled graphics of Stencyl will be relevant for “shooters” or “adventure games”.

The program is free, but exporting to desktop formats requires a subscription, which costs $99 per year, and a license for mobile games costs $199 per year.

Let's watch a crash course on working with Stencyl:

Game Maker

The program exists in paid and free versions. The budget option allows you to create high-quality 2D games for the desktop. While the paid version makes it possible to write quite sophisticated 3D games for Windows, iOS and Android. For now, we are interested in the free opportunity to learn how to realize oneself in the gaming industry, and Game Maker is the very option that will allow you to create games with your own scenario without restrictions in choosing a genre.

The program offers a choice ready-made templates locations, objects, as well as characters, sounds and backgrounds. So, all creative work comes down to dragging selected elements into the work area and selecting conditions - location and interaction with other objects. Although knowledge of a programming language is not required, users who are “in the know” will be able to use GML, somewhat similar to JS and C++.

Game Maker covers English, so those who do not have sufficient knowledge of it will need to download the crack file.

For those interested in this program, we suggest watching the training video:

Unity 3D

Unity 3D is perhaps the best that can be offered for creating a high-quality 3D project. The program integrates fully finished models, as well as textures and scripts. In addition, it is possible to add your own content - sound, images and videos.

Games created with Unity are compatible with all popular platforms from mobile devices on iOS or Android to SMART TV television receivers.

The program is different high speed compilation, easy-to-use interface, flexible and multifunctional editor.

All game actions and character behavior are based on a high-quality PhysX physical core. Each object created in this game constructor represents a certain combination of events and scripts that are independently controlled by the developer.

It is important to understand that although the program is positioned as a game designer designed for beginners, a certain level of knowledge will still be required to work with this application. Well, working with 3D graphics requires having a fairly modern computer equipped with a hardware video card.

A series of classes on creating games using Unity 3D:

So, you have decided to realize your dream of creating your own unique game. We have tried to provide information that can help with this. Please note that if you carefully read the presented material, and even briefly watched the video tutorials for each program, you probably noticed that working with each game designer is based on the same principle. Therefore, it is quite possible that you will be able to choose something more suitable specifically for your needs. We at least hope that at this stage the question of how to make a game on Android yourself is closed. Good luck!

Creating your own game on a computer platform is an expensive endeavor, and in order for the money spent to justify itself, you must be guided by the following rules:

Also, to create an interesting and profitable product, you need to follow trends modern market. For example, today the genre of interactive cinema has emerged with renewed vigor.

Stages of creating a computer game

There are seven stages of creating a game that will help you create a concise and finished product:

• Concept creation. In this first step, the team comes up with a game concept and does some initial game design work.
  
• Prototype development. Important stage designing any game means creating a prototype. What looks good “on paper” will not necessarily be interesting in reality. The prototype is implemented to evaluate the basic gameplay, test various hypotheses, conduct tests of game mechanics, and check key technical points.
  
• Getting the minimum result. The minimum result means several, or even one full-fledged level of the game, in which gameplay, graphics and other components are fully implemented. It is necessary to evaluate the work done and correct mistakes.
  
• Closed beta testing. A team of specialists is allowed to play through the game, and they, in turn, find any bugs and glitches, evaluate all the components of the game, etc.
• Open Beta exists for real players who are interested in the project. Every player who has previously registered can take part in the open beta test. At this stage, gamers express their wishes, evaluate the game and look for vulnerabilities.
• Release. The development company presents its new project. As a rule, this is done at a large gaming conference or at a closed screening, where journalists and gamers are invited.
  
• Sales and support of your product. This is the final stage. The product hits store shelves, and in order to promote it, you need to come up with an original idea. advertising campaign, as well as release additional products to maintain long-term interest in the game (for example, unique game sets, special editions, etc.).
  

Programming languages ​​for creating games

In order to create a large game project, you need to use the AAA programming language. But, as a rule, AAA is only the basic “body”, and to create truly interesting things you will need several languages ​​(for example, Python, C++ or SQL, which are more complex and are learned to create a large open world).