How to create games for PC. If you think this all sounds too good, then I want to sober you up.
The program is designed to create two-dimensional games without using programming languages. Instead of lines of code, ready-made actions of game characters are substituted. The user can only create game objects, provide them with two-dimensional sprites or animation, create rules for interaction between objects, and arrange objects on levels. You can draw graphics and animation directly in Game Maker without using third-party programs.
This program excels at top-down games and side-view platformers.
“Game Maker” will also be of interest to advanced programmers; there is also the opportunity to add your own program code.
The free version of the program does not limit ordinary users in any way, compared to the paid version of Game Maker Pro. The paid version provides access to complex software modules that are of interest only to real professional programmers.
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A very simple 2D game designer. Knowledge of programming languages is not required.
Unlike Game Maker, Construct 2 can create games for iOS, Android, Facebook, Chrome Web Store, Desktop Windows, Windows 8 Apps, Web (HTML5), Kongregate and many other platforms.
This is a higher quality program, but also more greedy for money. The program is free until you want to sell your game. In this case, you will need to buy a licensed version. There is also a special store on the developers’ website where you can buy building resources for your game: sound sets, music, detailed instructions.
We recommend the training course “TDS from A to Z” (creating a game in the “Top-down shooter” genre).
Programs for creating 3D games (Website)
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"3D Rad" is the cheapest option among 3D game engines. The program can be used for free, and by paying $5 you get the latest updates on the day they are released (on free version updates appear only after three months). Most often, this engine is used to create racing games.
The program has a simple and clear interface, not burdened with trifles.
"3D Rad" supports the installation of individual plugins, has pre-installed AI models, shadow and texture maps. It is possible to create online games.
NeoAxis Game Engine SDK
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An excellent game engine with a simple interface and high-quality graphics. Designed to create games in almost any genre.
Created based on the Ogre3D engine. The programming language used is C# and C++ and the .NET platform, but it is possible to do without programming thanks to special libraries of ready-made actions. The engine has various add-ons and extensions developed by third-party users. It is possible to export for 3dsMax and Maya, Autodesk Softimage and Blender. PSSM (Parallel-Split Shadow Map) shaders, lighting and shadows are supported.
NeoAxis Engine is distributed under 4 license types: Non-commercial – free for non-commercial projects; Indie license – $95/$295 (single/team); Commercial – $395/995 (single/team); Source license - from $9,800.
The main advantage of this game engine is maximum convenience and simplicity. In addition, the engine was developed by domestic programmers, which is why it has Russian as the default language. When you purchase a licensed version, you get high-quality technical support in your native language.
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A comprehensive tool containing everything you might need to create a game. The Unity 3D package includes a graphics engine that fully utilizes the capabilities of DirectX and OpenGL, a built-in 3D model editor, separate programs for creating and processing shaders, shadows, landscapes, physics and sounds, as well as rich script libraries. With Unity 3D you can completely forget about third-party programs, or reduce their use to a minimum.
Unity 3D is suitable for creating games of any genre. Standard computers (Windows XP/Vista/7, OSX) are supported as platforms. mobile devices(Android, iOS, Blackberry), game consoles(Wii, Playstation 3, Xbox), Internet browsers (Flash, Web Player).
There is a special collaborative development system - Asset Server, which allows you to develop a game as part of an entire team directly via the Internet.
The only negative is that to use Unity 3D you need to know computer programming at least at an intermediate level. Despite the rich library of ready-made practical software solutions and a powerful scripting engine with instant compilation, some of the code will have to be written independently in JavaScript or C#.
Unreal Development Kit (UDK)
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One of the most popular game engines among professional game developers. The following games were created on the Unreal Engine: the Unreal Tournament series, the Mass Effect", "XCOM", "Borderlands 2", "DmC: Devil May Cry"and dozens and hundreds of smaller games.
"UDK" supports the following platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, Android.
This engine was originally designed for creating 3D shooters, but it also has the ability to create games of related genres: slashers, adventures, MMO games.
The game engine perfectly creates facial animations, complex building architecture, and processes complex physical objects. UDK contains all the necessary tools for creating animations, textures, sounds, levels, models, and program scripts. There is a built-in library containing more than 1000 structures, other 3D models, standard textures and sounds. It is possible to program in a special language “Unreal Script” (created based on C++).
You can use UDK completely free of charge until you decide to officially publish your game created on this engine. In this case, you will have to fork out for an expensive license.
CryENGINE 3 Free SDK
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"CryENGINE 3" is the pinnacle of modern game engines, delivering photorealistic graphics with support for DirectX 11 and third generation shaders. The third version of the engine was created in 2009. A series of games were created on this engine " Far Cry" and "Crysis", online game"Aion", as well as dozens of lesser known ones computer games.
The Crytek company decided to distribute this already popular game engine for free. But the free version only lasts until you want to officially release a game created on this engine. Licensed version It costs more than all similar programs, but it is worth the money.
On "CryENGINE 3" you can create games for the platforms: PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
You can import textures from graphics programs “3ds max”, “Maya”, as well as from previous versions of the engine.
The CryENGINE 3 engine turned out to be very popular, it has a whole Russian-speaking community, thanks to this you can easily find all kinds of training materials, as well as answers to specific questions.
Creation own game on a computer platform is an expensive undertaking and in order for the money spent to be justified, you must be guided by the following rules:
Also, to create an interesting and profitable product, it is necessary to follow the trends of the modern market. For example, today with new strength The genre of interactive cinema was born.
Stages of creating a computer game
There are seven stages of creating a game that will help you create a concise and finished product:
- Concept creation. In this first step, the team comes up with a game concept and does some initial game design work.
- Prototype development. An important stage in the design of any game is creating a prototype. What looks good “on paper” will not necessarily be interesting in reality. The prototype is implemented to evaluate the main gameplay, testing various hypotheses, conducting tests game mechanic, to check key technical points.
- Getting the minimum result. The minimum result means several, or even one full-fledged level of the game, in which gameplay, graphics and other components are fully implemented. It is necessary to evaluate the work done and correct mistakes.
- Closed beta testing. A team of specialists is allowed to play through the game, and they, in turn, find any bugs and glitches, evaluate all the components of the game, etc.
- Open Beta exists for real players who are interested in the project. Every player who has previously registered can take part in the open beta test. At this stage, gamers express their wishes, evaluate the game and look for vulnerabilities.
- Release. The development company presents its new project. As a rule, this is done at a large gaming conference or at a closed screening, where journalists and gamers are invited.
- Sales and support of your product. This is the final stage. The product hits store shelves, and in order to promote it, it is necessary to come up with an original advertising campaign, as well as release additional products to maintain long-term interest in the game (for example, unique play sets, special editions, etc.).
Programming languages for creating games
In order to create a large game project, you need to use the AAA programming language. But, as a rule, AAA is only the basic “body”, and to create truly interesting things you will need several languages (for example, Python, C++ or SQL, which are more complex and are learned to create a large open world). 
Modern big games created by many years of work by a team of experienced programmers. To create your own game, you need to understand programming and have some experience. But it is possible to create a simple computer game without professional skills.
There are special programs on the basis of which you can develop your own game. One of them is 3D Game Maker. It has a simple and user-friendly interface. You can create simple game in just ten minutes. The program will prompt you to select the genre of the game being implemented and the number of required levels (up to twenty). The main character can be selected from ready-made avatars. At this stage you will be able to launch the game and try to play. Then add interesting story, opponents, model attributes, etc. The program is ideal for beginner game developers. Its cost is $35.
On the Internet you can find many different programs for creating games. Most of them can be downloaded for free. Before creating serious games, practice with free programs and understand the essence of development. After this, it makes sense to buy a suitable engine and start working on creation.
Hello.
Games... These are some of the most popular programs for which many users buy computers and laptops. Probably, PCs would not have become so popular if there were no games on them.
And if earlier, in order to create a game, it was necessary to have special knowledge in the field of programming, drawing models, etc., now it is enough to study some kind of editor. Many editors, by the way, are quite simple and even a novice user can understand them.
In this article I would like to touch upon such popular editors, as well as, using the example of one of them, to analyze step by step the creation of a simple game.
1. Programs for creating 2D games
2D refers to two-dimensional games. For example: Tetris, fishing cat, pinball, various card games, etc.
Example - 2D games. Card game: Solitaire
1) Game Maker
Developer's website: http://yoyogames.com/studio
The process of creating a game in Game Maker...
This is one of the simplest editors for creating small games. The editor is made quite well: it’s easy to start working in (everything is intuitive), but at the same time there are great opportunities for editing objects, rooms, etc.
Typically, this editor makes games with a top view and platformers (side view). For more experienced users (those who know a little about programming), there are special options for inserting scripts and code.
It is impossible not to note the wide variety of effects and actions that can be assigned to various objects (future characters) in this editor: the number is simply amazing - more than several hundred!
2) Construct 2
Website: http://c2community.ru/
A modern game designer (in the literal sense of the word), allowing even novice PC users to make modern games. Moreover, I want to emphasize that with the help of this program, games can be made for different platforms: IOS, Android, Linux, Windows 7/8, Mac Desktop, Web (HTML 5), etc.
This constructor is very similar to Game Maker - here you also need to add objects, then assign behavior (rules) to them and create various events. The editor is built on the WYSIWYG principle - i.e. you will immediately see the results as you create the game.
The program is paid, although there will be plenty of free version to start with. The differences between the various versions are described on the developer's website.
2. Programs for creating 3D games
(3D - three-dimensional games)
1) 3D RAD
Website: http://www.3drad.com/
One of the cheapest designers in 3D format (for many users, by the way, the free version, which has a 3-month update limit, will be enough).
3D RAD is the easiest constructor to learn; there is practically no need to program here, except perhaps for specifying the coordinates of objects for various interactions.
The most popular game format created using this engine is racing. By the way, the screenshots above once again confirm this.
2) Unity 3D
Developer website: http://unity3d.com/
A serious and comprehensive tool for creating serious games (sorry for the tautology). I would recommend switching to it after studying other engines and designers, i.e. with a full hand.
The Unity 3D package includes an engine that fully allows you to use the capabilities of DirectX and OpenGL. The program also has the ability to work with 3D models, work with shaders, shadows, music and sounds, and a huge library of scripts for standard tasks.
Perhaps the only drawback of this package is the need to know programming in C# or Java - part of the code will have to be added manually during compilation.
3) NeoAxis Game Engine SDK
Developer website: http://www.neoaxis.com/
A free development environment for almost any 3D game! Using this complex you can make racing games, shooting games, and arcade games with adventures...
For the Game Engine SDK, there are many additions and extensions on the network for many tasks: for example, car or airplane physics. With extensible libraries, you don't even need any serious knowledge of programming languages!
Thanks to a special player built into the engine, games created in it can be played in many popular browsers: Google Chrome, FireFox, Internet Explorer, Opera and Safari.
Game Engine SDK is distributed as a free engine for non-commercial development.
3. How to create a 2D game in Game Maker - step by step
Game Maker. Adding an object.
Then for the object events are prescribed: there can be dozens of them, each event is the behavior of your object, its movement, sounds associated with it, controls, points, and other game characteristics.
To add an event, click the button with the same name 
- then in the right column, select an action for the event. For example, moving horizontally and vertically by pressing the arrow keys.
Adding events to objects.
Game Maker. 5 events have been added for the Sonic object: moving the character in different directions when pressing the arrow keys; plus a condition is specified when crossing the border of the playing area.
By the way, there can be a lot of events: Game Maker doesn’t waste time on trifles here, the program will offer you a lot of things:
Character movement task: movement speed, jumping, jump strength, etc.;
Overlaying a piece of music for various actions;
Appearance and removal of a character (object), etc.
Important! For each object in the game you need to register your own events. The more events you write for each object, the more versatile and potential the game will be. In principle, even without knowing exactly what this or that event will do, you can train by adding them and see how the game behaves after that. In general, a huge field for experimentation!
6) The last and one of the important actions is creating a room. The room is a kind of stage of the game, the level on which your objects will interact. To create such a room, click the button with the following icon: .
Adding a room (game stage).
In the created room, using the mouse, we can place our objects on the stage. Set up the game background, set the name of the game window, specify types, etc. In general, a whole testing ground for experiments and work on the game.
Launch the resulting game.
Game Maker will open a window with the game in front of you. In fact, you can look at what you got, experiment, play. In my case, Sonic can move depending on the keys pressed on the keyboard. A kind of mini-game ( oh, there were times when a white dot running across a black screen aroused wild surprise and interest among people...).
The resulting game...
Yes, of course, the resulting game is primitive and very simple, but the example of its creation is very indicative. Further experimenting and working with objects, sprites, sounds, backgrounds and rooms - you can create a very good 2D game. To create similar games 10-15 years ago it was necessary to have special knowledge, now it is enough to be able to rotate the mouse. Progress!
Best! Happy gaming everyone...
Harsh criticism immediately after release is the fate of many modern video games. Whether it’s small but exciting online applications or global projects with a budget of less than a million dollars, they all cause dissatisfaction with one category or another of users. But most of the criticism today, unfortunately, is not objective. People who are far from the basics of creating computer games criticize something that even theoretically cannot be presented differently than the developers did. We will try to correct this injustice today. So, let's begin.
Let's form a concept
The first step in creating any game is defining its concept. What will the project be dedicated to? What genre and theme will it belong to? Which audience should it be aimed at? By answering these questions, you can set the direction for the development of your creation, understand what goals you want and can (with due diligence) achieve. Thus, a focus on battles or competitions guarantees increased interest among gamers, while a focus on training or logic guarantees the absence of serious competitors. Choosing a fantasy or post-apocalyptic world will contribute to the comfort and quick adaptation of players (since these universes are familiar to them), comics or anime - a narrower (but also more devoted) audience that will not run away when a similar project is released.
Let's decide on the possibilities
The next step in creating a gaming masterpiece is realizing your own capabilities. As a rule, at this stage, developers determine the maximum allowable budget for the project, select the engine on which development will be carried out, or select the most suitable programming language, and also evaluate the available resources (both technical and human). It is necessary to decide on all these nuances in advance. Otherwise, you may encounter a situation where, after developing, for example, a spectacular super-strike with an original eyeliner from a whole chain of quests, it turns out that it is not possible to implement this brilliant idea within the framework of this project.
Variety of engines and platforms - something to think about
Let's calculate the mechanics
In-game mechanics are one of the most important components of any project. While the graphic component is designed to attract the attention of players and interest them in a new project, the task of the gameplay is to forever leave a mark in their hearts. A striking example of this Stardew Valley is a farm simulator with pixel graphics, which topped the sales charts on Steam from the first days of release. You need to understand that attention should be paid even to small things. For example, if the game has a class division, a clear bias in favor of one or more factions is unacceptable, and the more opportunities the project provides to the player (quests, leveling up, puzzles, etc.), the longer he will not want to leave game world. Moreover, not only the character himself needs to be developed, but also all the objects surrounding him, such as NPCs and enemies (), decorations and objects (physics engine), levels and everything else.
Let's come up with a plot
If earlier the development of online and offline projects was approximately similar, now at this stage the first cardinal difference appears. When thinking through the plot of a game, you need to clearly understand its time frame. While single-player oriented games rarely take more than 1-2 months to complete, online multiplayer games tend to be open-ended. Therefore, the plot here should not have a logical conclusion, but should be presented with an open ending, which can be delayed weekly/monthly by adding new quests, items, and skills. In single-player games, the ending is worked out almost from the first days of work on the plot. At the same time, it should not leave open questions (unless, of course, you are planning to release a sequel to the game) and any omissions, although it may be alternative (as in Silent Hill 2).
Let's create the design
Having thought through all the nuances of the project framework, you can move on to its graphic component (interface, sound, backgrounds, art, special effects, animations, etc.). Particular attention should be paid to the direction of the game. If it is expected that updates for it will be released quite often (for example, once a week), there is no point in creating highly detailed art and animations with several dozen (or even hundreds) of movements. The simpler the characters are designed, the fewer mistakes you will get when implementing them and the less effort you will spend on regular releases. In the case of rarely updated or offline projects, as a rule, the opposite is true. The more elaborate it will be virtual world and spectacular movements/skills of the player, the greater the chance of the game to attract the attention of a wide audience.
Let's understand that the work is just beginning
Don't think that work on a game is completed after its pre-release. On the contrary, from this moment on the developer acquires additional responsibilities. He must test his product, detect and eradicate bugs in it, adequately advertise his creation and create a certain image in the minds of players, begin to develop possible additions, DLC and localization, think through a system of sales and support for players.As you can see, the work of creating a game requires a lot of effort. Therefore, before you criticize the next release, think about whether it is really that bad, or whether you yourself have endowed it with unrealizable features.
