Getting Started With Game Development

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So, you want to create your own games but have no idea where to get started? You're not
the only one; that's why this guide has been created. There is a lot of information
available that covers every aspect of game development, but it's hard to get started at the
absolute beginning. Let us guide you through the very first steps into game development!

First and foremost, you’ll have to choose a game engine to get started with. A game
engine is the software on which developers build and run their games. Most engines
offer versions suited for personal or hobby use, which are perfect for new developers
to get started with. Each one greatly differs in features and ease of use.

Level 1. Choosing the right tools

There’s a huge selection of game engines currently available. Some of the most popular
out there are ​Unity​
,​Unreal Engine and ​ CryENGINE​ . These engines get used by both
small independent developers and large triple-A studios. However, these tools can be
quite hard to understand and require a solid grasp of a programming language.

Easier tools are available and most of these support visual programming. Visual
programming is a method that enables non-programmers to visually define behaviors
in their games using drag-and-drop interfaces. The best engine for you is completely
dependent on the features you want or the time you can invest in learning.

Easy to learn (visual programming):

∘​Construct 2 (2D) is an extremely easy to use game engine. It uses a visual

programming language which means there’s no steep learning curve and you
can make your first game within hours. Check out the ​ Beginner's Guide to
Construct 2

∘​Game Maker: Studio (2D/3D) is a flexible game creation tool for beginners,
offering both a drag-and-drop interface as well as its own scripting language
known as GML. ​ Learn How to Use GameMaker: Studio​ on their official website.

∘​Stencyl (2D) is similar to Construct 2 but instead is powered by Flash

technology. It allows for easy exporting to various mobile platforms. ​
The Indie
Station video tutorials​
are a great start.

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Require learning a programming language:

∘​Unity​(2D/3D) is one of the most used game engines by both indie developers
and triple-A game studios. It can however be hard to get into. Unity supports
both JavaScript and C# for programming. A good place to get started with Unity
is on their official website. ​
Getting started with Unity

Unreal Engine​
∘​ (2D/3D) is an engine that aims to deliver state-of-the-art
graphics. It contains easy to use tools for various tasks and contains a visual
programming language (node based).

∘​LÖVE​ (2D) is an open source game engine that uses the Lua language and is
really easy to get into. It doesn’t offer an IDE however, so everything is handled
by code.

Specific purpose:

The following tools serve a specific purpose and might not fit the type of game you
want to create, they do however provide an excellent environment for practicing and
learning.

RPG Maker (2D) is limited in the type of game you can create but it allows for
∘​
great practice in storytelling and world building. It supports both a proper
programming language and visual coding.

∘​Scratch (2D) is an educational tool aimed at younger developers. It uses a

visual programming language and their website contains hundreds of sample
games. The tool can be very limiting however.

Most of the engines above offer an easy way to get started using visual programming.
Some, however, require knowledge of a specific programming language. For a
complete list of game engines head over to ​
PixelProspector​.

While there are hundreds of languages out there, the most commonly used are C# and
C++. These can be hard to get started with so it's advised to first get the hang of an
easier language first. Lua, Python or JavaScript are all great starting languages. Once
you have a basic mastery of programming with one language it becomes much easier
to get acquainted with the others, as the concepts can easily “translate” between
languages.

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Level 2. Resources

While it’s one thing to learn a programming language, it’s a whole different story to
gain artistic skills. It’s another aspect of game development, and while some
developers can churn out some pretty decent graphics, others have trouble creating
even the most simple of sprites.

For the beginner, the solution is simple: pre-made game assets. There’s a whole
treasure trove of game assets available that are just waiting to be put together and
programmed.

At ​
Kenney.nl you’ll find over 19,000 different game assets which cover a huge array of
game types! Most of the asset packs are aimed specifically for beginner game
developers and contain every graphic required to create a specific game. Included is a
shooting gallery​ , ​
a jumping game​, and a ​
flying game similar to Flappy Bird. These
assets are all in the public domain and have no requirement for their use.

Still can’t find what you’re looking for? Take a look at ​ this page​, which lists dozens
more sources for free game assets and tools. ​ OpenGameArt.org also has a great
collection of freely available game assets, do take note of the licenses though.

Be absolutely sure you are familiar with your rights with any asset you download
online! Some licenses for game assets require attribution if they are used in a project.
If an author requests attribution, you have to put their name in the credits. Public
domain assets like the ones at ​Kenney.nl require no attribution. Many authors use
Creative Commons licenses to make it very clear what rights they give to you, so keep
an eye out.

Not completely sure about the license? Ask the author!

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Level 3. Your first game

For your first game, it’s important to start simple. It’s likely that you’ll be learning your
tools as you’re starting your first project, so stick to what you know! Even the masters
of game design started out re-creating arcade classics like PAC-MAN or Space Invaders.
Take a simple concept or idea, and develop that into a theme. It doesn’t matter what it
is, as long as it’s fun!

Here’s a short list of game genres in order of simplicity to create prototypes for. If you
can make games from at least three genres on this list, you should be good to start
experimenting yourself.

1. Shooting gallery
2. Racing game
3. Top-down shooter
4. 2D Platformer
5. Color-matching puzzle
6. Card game

Learning new skills and moving onto more intricate projects is mostly done through
trial and error. Figuring out how to create a UI, menu, keeping score and saving games
are all methods you’ll learn along the way.

Level 4. Gaining feedback

It’s important to gain honest feedback on your first few projects. This feedback will
help you improve your skills and create better games in the long run. Feedback also
helps build friendships in the community. Utilize all social media outlets to get the
word out there that your game is ready to be played! If you’re using software that
allows for in-browser playback (like Construct 2 and Unity) you can upload your game
to sites like ​
Kongregate​
and ​
Newgrounds​ .

There are plenty of friendly gaming communities where you can show off your game
and ask for feedback. Check if the game engine you’re using has its own community,
these people can often help you with more technical problems and advice.

For a global community of game developers have a look at ​ Reddit /r/gamedev​ . Over
140,000 game developers have gathered there to discuss topics and give insight on the
gaming industry.

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Level 5. Getting your jam on

Game jams are gatherings of game developers/artists where a game or prototype is

created within a short span of time, usually between 24 and 72 hours. Most game jams
are centered around a theme, which all games developed within the jam must adhere
to. These gatherings are a great way to test your skill and get acquainted with other
developers.

While there’s a huge number of game jams, some of the larger ones are ​ Ludum Dare
and ​
Global Game Jam​ . The latter is great because it’s held all over the world at over 400
locations. There’s a great chance there might be a venue near you!

Level 6. Your next project

Now that you’ve created a few prototypes, and possibly even a small game you’re
ready to tackle your next project;

6a. Concept
Think up a concept for your game, a great starting point might be taking a core
mechanics of an already existing game and further building upon that. Write
down the complete idea and each of the features that’ll be included, the game
design document will make sure it won’t end up in development hell and keeps
you focused on the core gameplay.

6b. Development
Keep it simple and don’t try to create an engine or framework for everything.
It’s quite normal that you’ll have to create some wonky snippets of code to get
everything working. It’s your first game, don’t make it too hard on yourself.

6c. Release
The release of your game differs depending on the platform you’ve chosen to
create your game for. Mobile platforms like Android and iOS offer a storefront
which is open to all developers and user friendly. Picking a game engine that
allows exporting to HTML5 will make it easy for you to get the game published
on the web.

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6d. Marketing
Don’t skip this step! There’s no need for a big marketing budget to get a few
players for your game. Tell your friends and publish your title on a few forums
or communities. Humbly asking for an opinion on your game will most often
work better than trying to advertise your project as the next best thing.

Gather all the criticism you can, carefully take everything in consideration and use it to
update the game or for your next game. The players of your game are your customers,
so give them what they want.

Use this guide as a good suggestion where to start, every developer has their own ways
of doing things and there’s no wrong or right way.

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Level complete. Footnotes/credits

Guide written by:

Kenney Vleugels ([email protected])

Co-written by (random order):

Sam Baylus, Dan Relluchs, Liam Sauvé, Charlie Geiger and Ian Martin.

Game engines:
Construct 2​(2D)
Game Maker: Studio​ (2D/3D)
Stencyl​(2D)
Unity​(2D/3D)
Unreal Engine​ (2D/3D)
LÖVE​ (2D)
RPG Maker​ (2D)
Scratch​(2D)

Resources:
Kenney.nl​
(Assets)
OpenGameArt.org​ (Assets)

Game portals:
Newgrounds.com
Kongregate.com

Communities:
Reddit​
(/r/gamedev)

Game jams:
Ludum Dare
Global Game Jam

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