What are you doing when you play some kind of game and cannot go through the same place several times? You can just find the finished passage. This is,

We write our first game. Passing for developers

What are you doing when you play some kind of game and cannot go through the same place several times? You can just find ready -made Passage. This, of course, is great, but what if you are stuck in development games? Which guide read? So let our article become your step by step by the development of your first game, if you still have not started writing it. If you have already begun, then you still will not hurt to read our tips-maybe you will see something new.

Before we start, we want to give you an example of the first game from the author of this article. It was a simple text game called Divine Blood:

This was the very first game, and programmed for the TI-83 Plus calculator. Later, it was rewritten by the author to Java while studying in high school. It is noteworthy that the game was never finished.

Unfortunately, not to bring games to a logical end is one of the most common problems of novice developers. Accordingly, the question arises: how to increase your productivity and still end the project that has begun? The answer is simple: read our “passage” of the development of the game.

Main stages

If you develop the game yourself (and beginner programmers usually write just alone), then the spelling process can be divided into 4 main stages (or level, as in games):

• planning;
• prototyping;
• programming;
• release.

Each next level in the video game is more difficult than the previous one. Everything is the same here: each next stage has its own difficulties and problems that you will inevitably meet. This step -by -step guide will help you not stop at any stage of developing the game. We will give various quotes and opinions of professionals who have completely passed the path that we are just starting.

In games, each level has its own problem areas, and at the end there is also a boss. So it will be with us. We will dwell on them in more detail and, as in any passage, we will show how to go these places and move on.

Level 1: Planning

Remember, having made 90% of the game, you think that you spent 90% of your time. And finishing the remaining 10%, you spend the same number of “remaining” 90% of the time. Make a plan given this. – Jan Schraiber

The first and at the same time the most important level of development is planning. At this stage, you must plan all your activities and take into account all the aspects of your game. The purpose of this level is to consider everything so carefully that at the rest of the stages you do not have to improvise.

As soon as you plan to develop something, first take out a notebook, pen and start writing your ideas. Det up in detail on the details, this will help you in the future.Write everything that you would like to see in your game. All salt here is that at first it is quite simple: the project has not yet grown, and everything is in sight. But the more you develop the game, the more difficult it will be to start writing your ideas and take them into account in the future.

As mentioned above, pay attention to the details. Have you recorded a new feature for implementation? Mark it next to how it will work, how it will affect the player and directly on the gameplay. And remember, the secret of successful development is to solve existing problems until they have accumulated.

The development of the game is a compromise. Not everything should be able to do a quality game, but only a limited set of well -working functions. – Patrick Vayet

That is why it is important to plan everything, otherwise at the development stage (level 3) you will want to add more opportunities to the game and begin to implement everything, which is categorically wrong. Your project risks being overly large, which is why it will be more difficult for you to control it, and soon you will completely throw it into the far box in the hope that you will take it later. If you played a series of Halo games, imagine how difficult it would be to play it if you were faced with a couple of hunters immediately after the start of the game. You will simply die again and again, until you get tired of this series of deaths. Everything is similar in the development of the game.

The main problem of the first stage is to dull your desire to corn and start planning. You can always write a code, for this you will have a whole stage. Plan as many aspects of your game as possible.

And the boss of this level is questions. Look at all your notes and make sure that you have no incomprehensible points: neither in the tools used, nor in algorithms and other things. If you really have all issues resolved, then you can safely consider that the level of planning is completed. But if there are incomprehensible aspects – decide them before moving on.

Of course, you may have issues that concern, for example, the balance of the game. In such cases, you are also ready to move on, since this problem will need to be solved in the second and third stages of development of the game.

Level 2: Prototype

Design is a process, not a result. – Christopher Simmons

The second level of our development game is prototyping. Here you must check and test the main mechanics and features of your game. We talked above that at the previous stage questions may arise about the balance. The second level is just needed in order to polish this parameter.

At this stage, you will write the code not very beautiful and not entirely correct. This is in the order of things because you write a prototype. When you move on, you will already know what and where it doesn’t work as it should.

If you enjoy any game, then you will want to play it again, no matter how many points or money you scored there. – Stan Yarotski

Despite the fact that we allocated this stage separately, in some cases it can be missed, since it has a lot in common with planning. You might think that we are not constant in our judgments: most recently they called you not to switch to the next level until the current one has been passed, but now we say that the prototyping stage can be missed.

Do you remember secret teleports in the Super Mario Bros game? The player could find well -hidden pipes, jumping into which several levels could be missed. So here. True, we do not completely miss prototyping, but combine it with planning.

We want to note that the first two stages are interchangeable. Perhaps you want to check the main mechanics of your game before you spend a lot of time on details? Or maybe you want to try some opportunity in your game? These are the main reasons why it makes sense to change the order of the first two stages.

A good game is a stream of interesting tasks solved by the player. – Bruce Shelley

At this stage, you may have two main difficulties. The first is the desire to finally go to the next stage and start writing code. As we said above, you should be as ready for the transition to the next level, and therefore do not rush. The second difficulty is the desire to create a more accurate and finished prototype. This is certainly not worth it, since the prototype by definition should not be a finished product.

And the boss of this level is completeness. You must bring together all the achievements of the first and second stage and understand what you should do in the end. If you have a good idea of ​​your final project, then you will definitely not have problems when writing code. And therefore, the chances of finishing the game will increase.

Level 3: Programming

The third level is the most difficult level for beginner programmers. Having reached it, many throw their project. But there is nothing to be afraid here! The first two stages have been passed and you are already halfway by the end of the development.

To start this stage, you should decide on the target platform of your game. There will be this game for the consoles, and maybe mobile or completely browser? Having decided on the platform, select the necessary tools and programming language.

In fact, these two steps can be performed in the reverse order. Having any development environment (or programming language), you can analyze its capabilities and decide what you can write.

You will easily make your life very much if you use free libraries and resources. Do not try to invent the bike: use what is in the public domain.This will help you save a little effort to finish the project.

“I don't know how to draw” – use the clipart. “I do not know how to create sounds” – look for midi files. “I do not know how to program” – this does not care, do not program! – Rob

The main unpleasant moments at this stage are the emerging problems and disappointment. You will repeatedly come across moments when you will not know how to solve the current problem. Moreover, it is quite possible that your game at some stage of development will not justify your hopes.

But you should not lose heart! The best solution to these problems is to distract from the project for several days. You will clear your mind and allow new ideas to visit it. It is also repeatedly noticed that Morning of the evening is wiser. Stuck? Do not know how to solve the problem? Go to bed, and for tomorrow morning you may immediately understand the reason for your failures. Do not work to exhaustion and do not exhaust yourself: work on the project should be in pleasure.

If you are trying and cannot solve a really difficult problem, stop. Solve a simpler problem that performs the same actions as it is difficult. – Daniel Cook

Well, the boss of this level is the game itself. Yes, the game you write. It should not be perfect, but it should be full. One that people could and would like to play.

Level 4: Release

Finally, we got to the release. Of course, this level is not as difficult as the previous one, but it is not frivolous to treat it. At this stage, you must convince people to play your game and give you feedback (do you want to improve your project?). Based on the reviews of the players, make in your application those changes that will make the game more exciting in your opinion.

The main problem of this stage is criticism. There will always be those who simply will not like your game. This is fine. It is not worth it to give up because of such people. Focus better on those who play your application and offers you to add new opportunities to it.

Starting to create a game, do not look at the results of others. Create what you want. – Rob

And the final boss of our entire trip will be your pride. You made a full -fledged game from beginning to end! In fact, not everyone can boast of this.

Each developer will ever write a “bad” game. If you have not written yet, you will write. We will all write. – Brand Romero

And remember, the road to success is paved with repeated failures. Never give up!

Conclusion

The development of the first game is an exciting lesson, performing which we get invaluable experience. And yet, many developers cannot finish their project, although it is categorically cannot be done. Following our four “level” development, you will increase your chances of bringing your project to a logical conclusion.