How to Make a Video Game

So, you want to make a video game? Awesome! The game development world is super fun, but it can be tough. You can make the next big indie game or work at a huge company. But first, you need to know the basics. This guide will walk you through everything. We'll go from your first idea to the finished game. We'll talk about game design, coding, and using programs like Unity and Unreal Engine.

I. Game Design: The Foundation

Don't even think about coding yet! You need a solid game design first. This is like the blueprint for your whole game. It tells you what your game is and how people will play it.

A. What's Your Game About?

Start simple. What's the basic idea? Think about the games you love. What makes them so good? What kind of game is it? Puzzle? Action? Maybe a platformer? A clear idea will help you make all the other choices.

Ask yourself these questions:

• What's the goal? What does the player try to do?
• How do you play? What are the main things you do in the game?
• Where and when is it set? What's the story (if any)? What makes the player want to play?
• What makes it special? What makes your game different from other games?

B. The Gameplay Loop: What You Do Over and Over

The gameplay loop is what you do again and again in the game. It's what makes the game fun. Think about Minecraft. You dig for stuff, make tools, and build things. Or Diablo, where you explore, fight monsters, find treasure, and level up.

A good gameplay loop should be:

• Fun: It should keep you wanting to play.
• Rewarding: You should feel good when you do it.
• Easy to repeat: You should be able to do it a lot without getting bored.

C. Levels and Worlds

Does your game have levels or a world to explore? Think about how you'll make them. Level design is planning where things go in each level. How hard is it? Where are the enemies? What items are there? World building is making a world that feels real. It has its own history, culture, and places.

D. The Game Design Document (GDD)

This is a big document that explains everything about your game. It changes as you make the game. It should include:

• Overview: A quick description of the game.
• Gameplay: How the game works, how to control it, and how you get better at it.
• Story and Setting: (If there is one) The story, characters, and world.
• Level Design: (If there are levels) Where things are, what's hard, and what you need to do in each level.
• Art Style: What the game looks like, including characters, places, and menus.
• Sound Design: The music, sound effects, and voices in the game.
• Technical Stuff: What kind of computer or phone you need to play it.

II. Let's Code! Programming the Game

Got your game design? Great! Now it's time to start programming. This is where you write code to tell the computer what to do. This brings your game to life.

A. What Language Should You Use?

Lots of languages are used for game development. Here are some popular ones:

• C#: Used a lot in Unity. It's good for many different things.
• C++: Used for Unreal Engine. It's fast and gives you a lot of control.
• Lua: Used for making the game work, especially in Corona SDK.
• JavaScript: Used for games on the internet and in engines like Phaser.
• GDScript: Like Python, but made for the Godot Engine.

The best language for you depends on what you know, what engine you're using, and what kind of game you're making. C# and GDScript are good for beginners because they're easier to learn.

B. Basic Coding Stuff You Need to Know

No matter what language you use, you need to know these things:

• Variables: These hold information, like how much health you have, your score, or where things are.
• Data Types: Different kinds of information, like numbers, words, and true/false.
• Operators: Things like +, -, ==, and &&. They do math, compare things, and do logic.
• Control Flow: How the computer decides what code to run. This includes if statements and loops.
• Functions: Chunks of code that do one thing. You can use them over and over.
• Object-Oriented Programming (OOP): This is important! It's like building with blocks. You make "objects" that have their own information and actions. This helps you organize your game. Think of characters, enemies, and items as objects.

C. Coding Stuff Just for Games

Besides the basics, you also need to know these things:

• Game Loops: The main thing that runs your game. It takes input, updates the game, and shows it on the screen.
• Input Handling: How the game knows when you press a button or move the mouse.
• Collision Detection: How the game knows when things touch each other.
• Physics: Making things move like they do in real life, like gravity and bouncing.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI): Making the characters that aren't players seem smart.

III. Pick Your Engine!

A game engine is a set of tools to help you make a video game. It does a lot of the hard work so you can focus on making the game fun. You could make a game without an engine, but it's much easier to use one.

A. Popular Game Engines

Here are some of the most popular engines:

1. Unity: Easy to use and has a big community. Good for 2D and 3D games of all kinds. It uses C#.
2. Unreal Engine: Makes games look amazing. Used for big games, but also good for smaller developers. It uses C++ and Blueprints (a visual way to code).
3. Godot Engine: Free and easy to use. Good for 2D and 3D games. Uses GDScript.
4. GameMaker Studio 2: Easy to use for 2D games. You can drag and drop things instead of coding. Good for beginners.
5. Construct 3: Another 2D engine that uses visual coding.

B. How to Choose

What engine should you use? Here's what to think about:

• What Do You Know? If you're just starting out, Unity or Godot Engine are good choices because they're easier to learn.
• What Kind of Game? Some engines are better for certain games. GameMaker Studio 2 and Construct 3 are great for 2D. Unreal Engine is great for 3D games that look amazing.
• What's Your Budget? Some engines are free (Unity Personal, Unreal Engine with royalties, Godot Engine). Others cost money.
• Who Can Help You? A big community is good. Unity and Unreal Engine have lots of people who can help.
• Where Do You Want People to Play? Make sure the engine works on the computers, phones, or consoles you want.

IV. Art and Sound: Making Your Game Awesome

Art and sound are really important. Even if your game is well-designed and coded, it won't be fun if it looks and sounds bad.

A. Visuals

This includes everything you see: characters, places, menus, and special effects. You can make your own using:

• Blender: Free 3D modeling software.
• Maya: Professional 3D modeling software.
• 3ds Max: Another professional 3D modeling software.
• Photoshop: Used for making textures, menus, and other 2D art.
• GIMP: Free alternative to Photoshop.
• Aseprite: Popular for making pixel art.

Or, you can buy art from the Unity Asset Store, the Unreal Engine Marketplace, or other websites.

B. Audio

This includes music, sound effects, and voices. You can make your own using:

• Audacity: Free audio editor.
• FL Studio: Used for making music.
• Ableton Live: Another program for making music.
• Logic Pro X: Professional music program for Macs.

You can also find free and paid sound effects and music online. FMOD and Wwise are good for making the sound work well in your game.

C. Making It Easy to Use (UI/UX)

User Interface (UI) is what the game looks like. User Experience (UX) is how the game feels to play. Good UI/UX makes the game easy and fun to use. It makes the game more immersive.

V. Test and Improve!

Testing is a big part of game development. Get feedback from people and use it to make your game better.

A. Let People Play Your Game

Ask friends, family, or even strangers to play your game. Ask them:

• What did you like?
• What was hard or confusing?
• Did you find any bugs?
• What would you change?

B. Fix Bugs

You'll find bugs as you test. Fix them as soon as you can. Keep track of the bugs you find.

C. Make It Better

Use the feedback you get to make your game better. Change the gameplay, levels, menus, or add new things. You'll test, get feedback, and improve your game over and over again.

VI. Show the World!

When you're happy with your game, it's time to release it and tell people about it.

A. Where to Sell It

You can sell your game on:

• Steam: Popular for PC games.
• Itch.io: Good for indie games.
• Google Play Store: For Android phone games.
• Apple App Store: For iPhone games.
• Consoles (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch): You need special tools and permission to release games on consoles.

B. Getting the Word Out

Marketing is important. Here's how to do it:

• Make a Trailer: A short video showing off your game.
• Make a Website: A place where people can learn about your game and buy it.
• Use Social Media: Tell people about your game on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
• Contact Influencers: Ask game journalists and YouTubers to review your game.
• Join Game Jams: A fun way to get your game seen and get feedback.

VII. Keep Learning!

Game development is always changing. Keep learning and improving. There are lots of tutorials, courses, and forums online. Try new things! Making a video game is hard, but it's worth it. If you work hard and love games, you can make your dreams come true.

This guide gave you the basics. Remember, game development is a journey. Keep learning, experimenting, and trying! Good luck!