Video games offer the perfect escape from the mundane realities of day-to-day life. However, playing them for hours at a time can also prove to be boring and unrewarding. For those looking for a challenge involving video games, creating their own may be a fun way to test their creativity. Given the huge market for video games, creating and selling one’s own games is also an exciting way to bring in some extra money.

Best tools to create your own video game

A basic to intermediate knowledge of software development is needed to design your own game.

Nuclino

A collaborative virtual workspace that combines multiple tools and creators is a necessity for world-class game creation.

There are several components and people that need to come together to design the perfect video game, and Nuclino unifies and helps organize all of them seamlessly. One of the many key features of Nuclino is the Kanban board view, which enables game developers to carry out sprint planning and easily re-arrange long lists of design assets and finished work without wasting time.

Construct 3

This is a design software that simplifies 2D game development for first-time game creators.

Autodesk

This is one of the most frequently used tools for the creation of AAA games, a term that denotes the high-budget, high-profile nature of these games, often developed and distributed by known publishers.

You will need to know the MEL language to download and write scripts for complex game creation. Autodesk offers realistic rendering of games to developers.

A key feature of this tool is Maya, a software that helps you create realistic 3D models when you are creating your own video game. Several game-producing companies tend to use the beautiful visuals and immersive gaming environment offered by Autodesk for designing.

Some of the downsides of Autodesk is that it cannot be used on multiple OS types and software platforms. Apart from that, mastering this tool may take first-time developers several weeks due to its complexity.

GDevelop

This is an open-source software tool to quickly develop the games of your vision. Its open-source nature makes it a free tool to use. Moreover, developers do not need to pay to unlock the source code of this tool. Unlike Autodesk, GDevelop offers an easy-to-master interface that supports simple HTML5 games and multi-language support for greater utility.

Some of GDevelop’s key features include its multi-platform and OS compatibility, a physics engine to give game-based objects realistic behavior, and an intuitive screen editor to keep tabs on multiple design elements while you create your own game.

Some of its downsides include the tool’s limitations regarding 3D game creation. Additionally, while the interface is easy to handle, you need a few in-depth tutorials to find your way around all its controls and settings.

Steps to create your own video game

There is no set strategy when it comes to video game creation. You can take several approaches and create your own process as long as certain boxes are ticked. Here is a simple outline for creating your own video game:

Come up with a concept

You will need to brainstorm for hours to come up with an idea that forms the basis of your game. For instance, if you are making a sport-based game, your brainstorming sessions will include watching real-world games to capture their spirit. You can go through several ideas before picking one out and writing a basic description on a piece of paper.

For first-time game developers, it is advisable to come up with simple ideas that do not require a whole lot of world-building.

Find and collate information

Research is key to creating an immersive and lifelike game interface. This process includes the creation of a game design document (GCD). This document should contain a brief of your entire project and concisely list the major aspects of your game, including story, characters, genre, and marketing strategy.

The research phase enables you to know the number of resources needed before you can sit down to create your own video game.

Choose the right software tools

The tools listed earlier are among the top-of-the-line resources for game creation. However, there are a plethora of tools available for this purpose. A quick online search can allow you to zero in on the exact ones you need to develop and nurture your game.

Design the game

This is the main part of the process. You will be designing your characters, environment, and storylines first on paper, and then in the flesh using your chosen tools. You can always keep room for improvisation during the creation process. This enables you to make changes on the fly during the development of your game.

Test the game

Once you design every aspect of your game, it is time to play it to know the game’s shortcomings. Testing allows you to iron out any inconsistencies and errors in your game.