The world of video games has changed dramatically since the first arcades opened and consumers started purchasing Atari units to play Pong at home. With several generations of consoles behind us, the advent of HD technology, and of course, the growth of online and mobile gaming, consumers now have more options than ever for video game entertainment. And developers no longer have to be think-tanks full of uniquely qualified engineers and programmers. Educated and experienced individuals are now creating fun and complex video games at home with nothing more than a personal computer and the latest graphics software. And they’re selling games on iTunes courtesy of the developer’s program, which entails little more than a $99/year membership fee. But before you decide to drop out of college and start making 3D video games, here are a few development tips you may want to consider.
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Get funded. Creating a full and complete video game experience that people will actually pay for is not something that happens overnight. There is a lot of planning, for one thing, between creating a concept, a story, a script, and level designs. But the actual work of building and testing the game could take months, no matter how prepared and experienced you are. So like any business, you’ll want to have funds on hand to support you while you work. This not only includes the cost of paying your living expenses for the next six months to a year, but it may also entail costs for employees, marketing, promotion, and more as you build and attempt to sell your game to publishing houses or directly to the public.
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Set up. Game development relies heavily on both hardware and software, and the type of games you decide to create will dictate both to a degree. Obviously you’ll need hardware that is designed to favor heavy graphics usage, as well as plenty of storage space for graphic files. If you’re creating a 3D video game for HD machinery, file sizes can be incredibly large. And you’ll need development kits for the consoles your game will run on. Then there is the development software required to make your games, and there are plenty of options. You have to know what you’re doing to select the right software for your needs, but some amount of product comparison might be needed to get it right.
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Hire help. Just because you can engineer the code for game environments doesn’t mean you have the artistic talent to create characters, landscapes, and the other visual elements inherent to your video game world. And what about the script? What about voice overs? Building a video game is multi-faceted project that requires expertise in a number of disciplines. Some talented individuals can do a lot on their own, but if you want to make a successful game, chances are you’ll need some help along the way.
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Understand the industry. So your game is in the box, so to speak. Now what? You need to know who to talk to and how to market your game so that you can actually get your product to the public, and this is especially true if you’re creating complex 3D games. You’ll have to hit up game conferences, contact publishers, offer demos, and sell your game. And this requires you to understand your product, the market, and the people who will ultimately buy and sell your game.
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Be more than an engineer. It’s true that 3D video games rely heavily upon complex coding, and it is imperative to understand how the codes, the machinery, online components, and even extras like 3D glasses from American Paper Optics will work together to create a gaming experience that consumers will enjoy. But competent programming is only a part of the package. You can’t just be a game engineer if you’re developing your own video games – you have to be a game designer. And this means having a vision for the completed project and seeing the path that will lead you there.
