Are you a newbie game developer who is enthusiastic to begin your game development journey? However, some may be confused or don’t know where to start because they don’t have a clear roadmap. Feel relevant? Therefore, in this article, we will list the top essential tools, divided into phases that all game developers should use to ensure a smooth start. And, of course, these tools are suitable for those who have prior programming experience and even a beginner 

1. Planning is a great head start

Before beginning your game-building journey, you should have a solid plan to organize the workflow. One of the valuable tools for this stage is a notebook or whiteboard. If you are more of a tech geek, consider using Notion, TodoGPT, Trello, or Gantt charts.  These tools will help you to brainstorm ideas, execute your tasks and track your progress. By having a clear plan, you can prevent miss-out, and procrastination and set clear goals for your game project.

2. What are your Core Concepts?

To develop an irresistible game, you need to define its core concept. This includes deciding the overall story, plot, narrative, and design summary of your game. By having a clear view of what you want to attain, you have a higher chance of creating a memorable gaming experience for players. However, you should work closely with writers or other creative professional to achieve the best results. Remember, the purpose and style of your game should always align with public standards and demands to be successful. 

Okay, for the overall process, we recommend using these tools. But please continue to scroll down as there are more tools for you to explore. 

• ConceptMap:  brainstorming ideas via mindmap
• ChatGPT, BingAI, or Bard: all-in-one functions
• Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, Leonardo.ai: image generation for idea collecting
• Blender: Rendering 3D characters or elements
• Photoshop, Adobe Illustration, Adobe After Effect: Designing, modeling
• Fmod, Wwise, Adobe Audition: adding and editing sound effects and music

3. Considering Core Mechanics for solid gameplay

Game mechanics are the groundwork of profitable games. the rules, systems, and structures that define how players interact with and experience a game. Game mechanics can include everything from basic actions and strategies to more complex feedback loops and reward systems. Understanding and learning the mechanics is important for newcomers. Take the time to discover differing game mechanics and how they work. This information will help you design fun, challenging, and addictive gameplay, questioning, and beneficial for players. 

Remember, the game must also be compatible with the platforms such as IOS or Android and there are many tools to help you such as Xcode (IOS) or Android Studio (Android). However, we suggest using the game engines below instead because of their versatility

(Source: Just a Designer)

4. Choosing the Right Language and Game Engine

Game Engines are essential for game growth. They provide the vital framework and resources to bring life to your game. Unity is one of the favorite engines, known for its versatility, and ease to use. It offers a vast range of complete user-friendly features, making it a wonderful choice for beginners. Other notable game engines involve CRYENGINE, GameMaker, and Godot. Each engine their own pros and cons; thus we advise you to watch tutorials on Youtube about these game engines to gain a better visual perspective.

In terms of programming languages, we advise that you should use C++ as it’s a widely used language in game development, especially for Unity developers and it’s really easy to learn. Some languages such as JavaScript, and Python are also used but they are less common in creating high-end games such as the AAA genre. Unreal Engine, known for its advanced graphics capabilities and powerful tools for AR, and VR experience, are  C++ dominant.

If you are a beginner in coding, we got you. Try Programminghelper, AI Code Mentor or Codeium

5. Learning from Resources and Communities

As a newcomer, knowledge from paid courses, free resources (such as this blog) community can really boost your learning process. Online instruction, forums, and communities can support you with valuable feedback and tips from experienced developers. You can join game-developing groups on LinkedIn (you can reach out to professional communities and employers with the power of networking) or Discord. Unity, offers inclusive education materials, such as freebies and courses. We also recommend Stack Overflow, a question-and-answer website for professional and enthusiast programmers. Stack Overflow also provides tools and resources for developers to learn new skills, connect with others in the industry, and advance their careers. 

6. Embracing the Power of Prototyping

Prototyping is critical to the game development process. It enables you to test and refine your game’s mechanics, gameplay, and user experience step-by-step. Tools like GDevelop can speed up rapid prototyping and iteration. By establishing prototypes, you can gain feedback and adapt before moving forward to accomplishing the development of your game.

7. Polishing and Playtesting – a finishing touch

Once you have a working game prototype, it’s essential to devote effort to polishing and playtesting. Game developing tools like Unity include built-in features such as Unity Test Runner that allow you to fix bugs, and optimize gameplay. Playtesting accompanying a different group of performers will give you valuable feedback and enhance the overall game performance. You can also consider using these testing tools such as Game Scanner (for mobile games), TestComplete, and OpenTest.

8. Confident in your game? Publish it with Gamota now

Embarking on a game development journey as a newbie developer can be both challenging and exciting. However, game development is not all. In order to put your games to the market, making them visible to gamers, you need game publishing companies like us. Publishing and distributing a game after developing it is crucial to making your game into a goldmine, but the process can be difficult if you do it solo. With the help of a 10-year experience game publishing company – Gamota, you will have access to our vast services from marketing, payment, and UA strategies to data insights. Additionally, your game will make an epic entrance into one of the most potential and profitable game markets in Asia – Vietnam. 

So, what are you waiting for, CONTACT US NOW to get more info and advice