More than a few of us who work in SW development have probably had the urge to fire up our imagination and our developer skills and create a game to our own liking. And then ideally share it with the world. Game development in general has recently taken leaps and bounds forward. Mobile games are not far behind either. With newer and newer mobile devices boasting higher performance, we can play more demanding and graphically interesting games on our mobile devices. So let’s take a look at what to consider when developing games and how to approach it.
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Development environment
Before a studio or individual can begin to create a game, they must start by selecting a suitable game environment. For Android devices, we can use Android Studio and Java, for example. Also popular is the game engine called Unity Engine, which gives the developer a lot of options, including the possibility to create a version of the game for Android and iOS in one environment. Depending on whether we want a 2D or 3D game, we have to use Java or C++.
The following table can help you choose the right game engine:
Got an idea? And can we see it?
The right idea is actually probably the hardest thing to come to grips with when developing a game. Why, you may wonder? “I’ll make a game where I kill zombies and that’s it.” You’ll be done in a jiffy, it’s true, but such a game gets old very quickly. It’s better to come up with a story, add quests, and also achievements set to make the player try to achieve the challenges. Overall, based on the long-term success charts, it is the games with a story that have been successful with gamers on PC, consoles and mobile devices.
Paid game or ads?
A big issue, and often thin ice, with mobile games is price. A large number of games use microtransactions: the best example is Clash of Clans or Harry Potter Hogwarts Mystery, which is a relatively easy way to make money from the game, but it is not very popular among players. Another option is to keep the game free but include ads. However, this approach often goes beyond reasonable limits and ads pop up everywhere. You probably know it yourself; whatever you do, an ad pops up. You finish the level and there it is. These games will not last long and be successful in the market either. From my point of view, the best way is to set a reasonable price for the game at the beginning and avoid microtransactions and ads entirely. But I fully respect that it’s up to the creators and players to decide what games they prefer.
How to handle graphics?
There are three basic options for creating game graphics:
- raster graphics
- vector graphics
- rendered graphics
Raster graphics are very popular in games and give them a bit of a retro feel. Such graphics should be created in an editor that is designed for this purpose. One of the best is Pyxel, which also offers a reasonable price-performance ratio. Adobe Photoshop can also be used.
Vector graphics bring a more modern look to the game, but are a bit more challenging to create than raster graphics. I recommend using a graphics tablet, which can make drawing very easy. Software you can use for vectors include Corel Draw or Adobe Illustrator.
Rendered graphics are the most demanding, but they are the best way to get close to reality. The resulting image consists of modelled objects, each object forming a polygon mesh. Textures must then be added to the created object. If you use this type of graphics, expect the game development to take quite a while, but the result will look really good.
Enhance the gaming experience with music
Sounds and music are an integral part of any good game, so pay attention to this aspect as well. You can use software that can compose music and help you create ambient sounds and melodies. For example, try Digital Audio Workstation, Ableton or the well-known Steinberg Cubase. Individual sounds, or FX audio, are created using Xtreme FX. You can also work with free tools, but check if you can use the sound for commercial use. If so, you will have to pay for them. There are also sites where you can buy a whole collection of sounds. If you choose Unity or Unreal Engine for your game, you can use their MarketPlace to purchase the sound bundle directly from there.
And how to get the game to eagerly waiting players?
You have it all fine-tuned to perfection and just need to get the game to the players. If it is developed for Android devices, you need to put it on Google Play. To do this you need a Google account, then sign up for DEV Google, where you set up everything necessary. The interface is very intuitive and easy to use.
If you’ve developed a game for iOS, you’ll be adding it to the Apple Store, and you’ll need to set aside money for the fee. Yes, as a developer who wants to release a game/app on the Apple Store, you have to pay for it. The procedure is similar to Google DEV.
Standa Keppert shared some great tips on how to develop your own mobile game. If you have any questions, let us know, we’ll be happy to answer them with Standa. Otherwise, have fun and we look forward to the links to download your new games. :)
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