How to write games on a computer. How to create a computer game at home

Probably, everyone who played computer games at least once thought about creating their own game and retreated before the upcoming difficulties. But the game can be created quite simply if you have a special program on hand and you will not always need knowledge of programming languages to use such programs. On the Internet, you can find many game designers for both beginners and professionals.

If you decide to get into game creation, then you definitely need to find yourself a development software. We have selected for you programs for creating games without programming.

Game Maker is a simple 2D and 3D game creation software that allows you to create games for a wide range of platforms: Windows, iOS, Linux, Android, Xbox One and more. But for each OS, the game will need to be configured, since Game Maker does not guarantee the same operation of the game everywhere.

The advantage of the constructor is that it has a low entry threshold. This means that if you have never been involved in game development, then you can safely download Game Maker - it does not require any special knowledge in the field of programming.

You can create games using a visual programming system or using the built-in GML programming language. We advise you to study GML, because with its help games come out much more interesting and better.

The process of creating games here is very simple: creating sprites in the editor (you can download ready-made drawings), creating objects with different properties and creating levels (rooms) in the editor. The speed of game development on Game Maker is much faster than on other similar engines.

Unity 3D

One of the most powerful and most popular game engines is Unity 3D. With it, you can create games of any complexity and any genre, using the same visual programming interface. Although initially the creation of full-fledged games on Unity3D meant knowledge of programming languages such as JavaScript or C #, but they are needed for larger projects.

The engine will give you a lot of opportunities, you just need to learn how to use them. To do this, you will find tons of training material on the Internet. And the program itself helps the user in every possible way in his work.

Cross-platform, stability, high performance, friendly interface - this is just a small list of the advantages of the Unity 3D engine. Here you can create almost everything: from Tetris to GTA 5. But the program is best for indie game developers.

If you decide to put your game on PlayMarket not for free, then you will have to pay the developers of Unity 3D a certain percentage of sales. The program is free for non-commercial use.

And back to the designers! Clickteam Fusion is a program for creating 2D games using a drag'n'drop interface. Here you do not need programming, because you will collect games piece by piece, like a constructor. But you can also create games by writing code for each object.

With this program, you can create games of any complexity and any genre, preferably with a static picture. Also, the created game can be run on any device: computer, phone, PDA, etc.

Despite the simplicity of the program, Clickteam Fusion has a large number of diverse and interesting tools. There is a test mode where you can check the game for bugs.

Clickteam Fusion is not expensive compared to other programs, and on the official website you can also download a free demo version. Unfortunately, the program is not suitable for large games, but for small arcades it is just right.

Another very good program for creating two-dimensional games is Construct 2. With the help of visual programming, you can create games for various popular and not so popular platforms.

Thanks to a simple and intuitive interface, the program is suitable even for those users who have never dealt with game development. Also, beginners will find many tutorials and examples of games in the program, with a detailed explanation of all processes.

In addition to the standard sets of plugins, behaviors and visual effects, you can replenish them yourself by downloading from the Internet or, if you are an experienced user, write plugins, behaviors and effects in JavaScript.

But where there are pluses, there are also minuses. The main disadvantage of Construct 2 is that export to additional platforms is carried out only with the help of third-party programs.

CryEngine is one of the most powerful 3D game engines out there, with graphics capabilities that are superior to any other similar program. It was here that such famous games as Crysis and Far Cry were created. And all this is possible without programming.

Here you will find a very large set of game development tools, as well as tools that designers need. You can quickly create sketches of models in the editor, or you can immediately on location.

The physics system in CryEngine supports inverse kinematics of characters, vehicles, physics of rigid and soft bodies, liquids, tissues. So the objects in your game will behave quite realistically.

CryEngine is, of course, very cool, but the price for this software is appropriate. You can get acquainted with the trial version of the program on the official website, but only advanced users should buy it, who will be able to cover the cost of the software.

Game Editor is another game builder on our list that looks like a simplified Game Maker builder. Here you can create simple 2D games without any special programming knowledge.

Here you will work only with actors. It can be both characters and "interior" items. For each actor, you can set many different properties and functions. You can also write actions in the form of code, or you can simply pick up a ready-made script.

Also, using the Game Editor, you can create games for both computers and phones. To do this, simply save the game in the correct format.

Unfortunately, you are unlikely to create a large project with the Game Editor, as it will take a lot of time and effort. Another disadvantage is that the developers have abandoned their project and no updates are expected yet.

And here is a competitor for Unity 3D and CryEngin - Unreal Development Kit. This is another powerful game engine for developing 3D games for many popular platforms. Games here, as well, can be created without using programming languages, but simply by setting ready-made events for objects.

Despite the complexity of mastering the program, the Unreal Development Kit gives you great opportunities for creating games. We advise you to learn how to use them all. Fortunately, you will find plenty of materials on the Internet.

For non-commercial use, you can download the program for free. But as soon as you start getting money for the game, you need to pay interest to the developers, depending on the amount received.

The Unreal Development Kit project does not stand still and the developers regularly post additions and updates. Also, if you have any problems when working with the program, you can contact the support service on the official website and they will definitely help you.

Kodu Game Lab is probably the best choice for those who are just getting started with 3D game development. Thanks to a colorful and clear interface, creating games in this program is interesting and not difficult at all. In general, this project was developed for teaching schoolchildren, but still it will be useful even for adults.

The program helps very well to understand how they work and what algorithm for creating games. By the way, you don't even need a keyboard to create a game - everything can be done with just a mouse. There is no need to write code here, you just need to click on objects and events.

A feature of Code Game Lab is that it is a free program in Russian. And this, mind you, is a rarity among serious game development programs. There is also a lot of educational material, made in an interesting form of quests.

But, no matter how good the program is, there are also disadvantages here. Kodu Game Lab is simple, yes. But there are not as many tools in it as we would like. And this development environment is quite demanding on system resources.

3D Rad is a rather interesting program for creating 3D games on a computer. As with all the programs mentioned above, it uses a visual programming interface that will please novice developers. Over time, you will learn how to create scripts in this program.

This is one of the few programs that are free even for commercial use. Almost all game engines either have to be bought or a percentage of income is deducted. In 3D Rad, you can create a game of any genre and earn money from it.

Interestingly, in 3D Rad you can create a multiplayer game or a game over the network and even set up a game chat. This is another interesting feature of this program.

Also, the designer pleases us with the quality of visualization and the physics engine. You can customize the behavior of hard and soft bodies, as well as make ready-made 3D models obey the laws of physics by adding springs, joints, and more to them.

With the help of another interesting and colorful program - Stencyl, you can create bright and colorful games for many popular platforms. The program has no genre restrictions, so here you can bring all your ideas to life.

Stencyl is not just application development software, but a set of tools that makes the job of creating an application easier, allowing you to concentrate on the most important thing. There is no need to write the code yourself - all you need is to move the blocks with the code, thus changing the behavior of the main characters of your application.

Of course, the free version of the program is quite limited, but still it is enough to create a small and interesting game. You will also find a lot of educational material, as well as the official wiki encyclopedia - Stencylpedia.

This is just a small part of all existing programs for creating games. Almost all of the programs on this list are paid, but you can always download a trial version and decide if it's worth the money. We hope you find something here for yourself and we will be able to see the games you have created soon.

Hello.

Games ... These are one of the most popular programs for which many users buy computers and laptops. Perhaps PCs would not have become so popular if they did not have games.

And if earlier, in order to create some kind of 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 figure them out.

In this article, I would like to touch upon such popular editors, as well as, using the example of one of them, to disassemble the creation of some simple game step by step.

1. Programs for creating 2D games

By 2D - understand two-dimensional games. For example: Tetris, fishing cat, pinball, various card games, etc.

An example is 2D games. Card Game: Solitaire

1) Game Maker

Developer site: http://yoyogames.com/studio

The process of creating a game in Game Maker…

This is one of the easiest editors to create small games. The editor is quite high quality: it is easy to start working in it (everything is intuitive), at the same time there are great opportunities for editing objects, rooms, etc.

Usually in this editor they make games with a top view and platformers (side view). For more advanced users (those who know a little about programming) there are special options for inserting scripts and code.

It should be noted a wide variety of effects and actions that can be set to various objects (future characters) in this editor: the number is simply amazing - more than a few hundred!

2) Construct 2

Website: http://c2community.ru/

A modern game designer (in the truest sense of the word), which allows 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 set their behavior (rules) and create various events. The editor is built according to the WYSIWYG principle - i.e. you will immediately see the result as you create the game.

The program is paid, although the free version will be enough to get started. The difference between different versions is 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 3D construction sets (by the way, many users will be satisfied with the free version, which has a 3-month update limit).

3D RAD is the easiest constructor to learn, there is practically no need to program here, except perhaps for prescribing the coordinates of objects during various interactions.

The most popular game format that is created using this engine is racing. By the way, the screenshots above confirm this once again.

2) Unity 3D

Developer site: http://unity3d.com/

A serious and complex tool for creating serious games (sorry for the tautology). I would recommend switching to it after studying other engines and constructors, i.e. with a full hand.

The Unity 3D package includes an engine that allows full use of DirectX and OpenGL capabilities. Also in the arsenal of the program is the ability to work with 3D models, work with shaders, shadows, music and sounds, a huge library of scripts for standard tasks.

Perhaps the only drawback of this package is the need for knowledge of programming in C # or Java - during compilation, part of the code will have to be added in "manual mode".

3) NeoAxis Game Engine SDK

Developer website: http://www.neoaxis.com/

Free development environment for almost any 3D game! With the help of this complex, you can make races, shooters, and adventure arcades ...

For the Game Engine SDK, there are many add-ons and extensions for a variety of tasks on the network: for example, the physics of a car or an airplane. With the help of extensible libraries, you don't even need a 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.

The 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 registered: there can be dozens of them, each event is the behavior of your object, its movement, sounds associated with it, controls, points, etc. game characteristics.

To add an event, click the button with the same name - then select the action for the event in the column on the right. For example, move horizontally and vertically by pressing the arrow keys.

Adding events to objects.

game maker. 5 events have been added for the Sonic object: character moving in different directions when pressing the arrow keys; plus a condition is set when crossing the border of the playing zone.

By the way, there can be a lot of events: here Game Maker does not waste time on trifles, the program will offer you a lot of things:

Character movement task: movement speed, jumps, jump strength, etc.;

Overlaying a piece of music for various actions;

The 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 with more opportunities the game will turn out to be. In principle, even without knowing what exactly this or that event will do, you can train by adding them and see how the game will behave after that. In general, a huge field for experiments!

6) The last and one of the important actions is the creation of a room. A room is a kind of game stage, a level where 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, you can arrange our objects on the stage. Set the background of the game, set the name of the game window, specify the types, etc. In general, a whole range for experiments and work on the game.

Launching the resulting game.

Game Maker will open a window with the game in front of you. In fact, you can watch what you have done, experiment, play. In my case, Sonic can move based on keystrokes on the keyboard. Kind of a mini-game oh, and there were times when a white dot running across a black screen caused wild surprise and interest among the people ...).

Received 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 such 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...

Every year the number of people playing computer or mobile games increases. People call them gamers who cannot imagine their life without toys. Many consider them sick people who need to be treated. But at the same time, there are people who have learned to make money on gamers by creating new games. In this case, many gamers think about creating a game on their own.

Today, creating games takes less time and effort than 5-10 years ago. For this, various programs for modeling three-dimensional graphics and engines for creating games have been developed. You just need to be patient.

If you want to create your own game, you need to have some gaming experience. If the user plays very rarely, it will be quite difficult to make a quality product. To create the right game, you must follow the game logic and be aware of all aspects of the game world.

To make a good enough game, you need to imagine the gameplay and come up with new ideas. If you create a unique game, it will be easier to find players. It is worth remembering that in order to create a game, you must have certain knowledge in this area. You need to learn programming languages, learn how to use three-dimensional editors. To do this, you can find many different articles and programs on the Internet.

Creating a game

Initially, you need to select the genre in which the game will be created. The core idea is an important part of every game. The most common games are based on the first-person shooter genre. Racing is also very popular. To find out the popularity of a particular game, just count their number in a certain category.

Action games and shooter is a shooting game in which you have to kill all the enemies. Strategies and RTS are also very popular. In addition, there are still a huge number of genres that also have the right to life.

After choosing a genre, you need to start creating a script. This is a very important part of creating a game. The script should have a plot, a main character, enemies or rivals, an ending. It is also worth working on the interface and graphics of the game.

If a beginner starts creating a game, it will be a rather complicated process for him, since this requires an engine that a novice user cannot make. To do this, you should use a special game designer. You can try to learn programming languages and write an engine yourself or use a ready-made one.

Beginners are encouraged to use the constructors. This is a special program that has the structure of a future game. Elements and objects must be placed and scripts must be included. Such constructors are constantly expanding the number of their functions, while the price of the program is growing. If there is no desire to spend money on a game designer, then you can use free utilities.

If you use game engines, you need to have some knowledge in programming. Since the engine is a collection of functions and objects, the developer does not need to create any actions. Everything you need is already in the engine. You will have to use special editors to make graphics and connect them to scripts.

Creating your own game is a very complex and lengthy process. A novice user is not recommended to take on this, but if there is extra money, you can order a game in specialized studios. At the same time, programmers will take into account all wishes.

To begin with, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with several programs that will help answer this question.

At the moment, there are many paid and free programs on the Internet, with which you can create a game of any genre and any complexity. This article describes the most common free game creation programs and their features that you can download and start creating games. I suggest you take a look at them.

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Defold Game Engine

In this article, I want to introduce you to a very young and free game engine for creating AAA games - Defold Game Engine. This engine was developed by Ragnar Svensson and Christian Murray in 2014 and there are already over 20k users and over 30k projects on this engine.

Defold runs on MacOS/OS x, Windows and Linux (32bit and 64bit). With it, you can create a game for 6 well-known platforms iOS, Android, HTML5, as well as for MacOS / OS x, Windows and Linux.

Defold is a complete 3D engine, however the toolset is made for 2D, so you have to do a lot of hard work yourself to create 3D games. Improved tools for creating 3D, the developers are planning in the near future. All applications and game logic in Defold are implemented using lua scripts. Lua is a lightweight, dynamic language that is fast and very powerful.

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Amazon Lumberyard

The lumberyard game engine can be used to create high-quality AAA games for PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4, support for iOS and Android devices will be announced soon, with deep integration in Amazon Web Services and fan engagement on Twitch, the Lumberyard engine can also be used and in making multi-platform games, as it now has its own network engine.

Lumberyard was not created from scratch, it is based on the code of the CryEngine engine, in the middle of summer 2015, Amazon acquired a broad license for the CryEngine engine, but according to the developers, many innovations and features were incorporated into the system, such as: a tool for creating plants, a tool for creating skeletal animations, a particle editor, physics-based shaders, modular gems that make it easy to work with natural effects, and much more.

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Cry Engine 5

CryEngine is a game engine created by the German private company Crytek in 2002 and originally used in a first-person shooter Far Cry. In mid-March, the company provided the world with a new, fifth CryEngine. The engine is absolutely free and anyone can use it, with which you can create a game of various genres and varying complexity.

CryEngine Sandbox: A real-time game editor offering "What You See Is What You PLAY" feedback.
Renderer: integrated open (eng. outdoor) and closed (eng. indoor) locations without seams. The renderer also supports OpenGL and DirectX 8/9, Xbox using the latest hardware features, PS2 and GameCube, and Xbox 360.
Physics System: Supports character inverse kinematics, vehicles, rigid bodies, liquid, ragdolls. rag doll), fabric simulation and soft body effects. The system is integrated with the game and tools.
Character Inverse Kinematics and Mixed Animation: Allows the model to have multiple animations for better realism.
Game AI System: Includes Team Intelligence and Scripted Intelligence. Ability to create custom enemies and their behavior without touching C++ code.
Interactive Dynamic Music System: Music tracks respond to player actions and situations and offer CD quality with full 5.1 surround sound.

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Construct Classic

Construct Classic is a small program whose main function is to create games, 2d animations and cartoons. This constructor was created according to the WYSIWYG principle. This means that you do not have to sit at programming tutorials for a long time to create your own animated video. Everything is much simpler - we add some object, turn on animation for it, and it starts to move.

The Construct Classic app is free. What's more, it's open source, so developers and programmers can customize it just the way they want.

Main features of Construct Classic:

A system for editing events and reacting to them via drag-n-drop.
The ability to use a huge number of plugins.
The program was created in python, but you can modify it in C ++.
It is possible to connect pixel shaders to HLSL.
You can connect ready-made source codes of games and applications in CAP format to the program.

Changes in the latest version

Physics: Fixed a bug in r1 where physics objects created after launch could fly off screen at high speed.
Behavior: Fixed a bug. when you couldn't jump off the platform. Caused by fixing the "landing in the air" bug in version r1. Both fixes are now working.
Installer: Fixed problem with installation in version r1.

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GameMaker Studio

GameMaker: Studio is a free version of the popular professional toolbox for creating small mobile multi-platform games. Thanks to the user-friendly intuitive interface of the program, game developers can develop their creations more quickly and efficiently. All this because they do not have to deal with manual coding, spending a lot of time on this process.

The distribution of GameMaker: Studio contains ready-made templates for sprites, rooms and individual objects. All of them can be dragged with a few mouse movements to the future playing field, while indicating the conditions for their interaction with each other.

Main features of GameMaker: Studio:

Cross-platform. Without much difficulty, you can create games for Windows, Android, Linux.
Convenient working window of the program, where there is nothing superfluous.
Ability to create small 2D games in a matter of hours.
Ready applications can be integrated with Steam.
You can connect ready-made templates to the application, change paths, objects, sounds, backgrounds, scripts step by step and make interesting and unusual games out of this.
GameMaker is great for developing games and applications on mobile platforms.

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game editor

Game Editor is a free designer for creating simple 2D games for Windows, Mac, Linux, IOS, Android operating systems. Created games are a set of game objects, each of which is given a reaction to a certain event, which determines their behavior in the game.

Built-in sets of animations are responsible for the appearance of objects. It is possible to use your own graphic and audio elements. In addition to the standard reactions of objects, you can use your own, written in a special scripting language Game Editor.

Main features of Game Editor:

Simple and easy to understand interface.
The finished application can be exported to Windows, Linux, Android, IOS.
The created game can be tested immediately, at any time you can stop it and start editing again.
Ability to use graphic files in JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, PCX, TGA, XPM, XCF and TIF formats.
Ability to use audio files in Ogg Vordis, MID, MOD, S3M, IT and XM formats.

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3D Rad

3D Rad is a free program for easily creating (no code required) various 3D games, interactive applications and physics simulations. Creating applications in 3D Rad is based on combining components (objects) in various combinations and setting up interaction between them. Physics is based on taking into account the interaction between objects.

3D Rad has a function to import models into the created project, a large number of examples and samples of three-dimensional objects, as well as the ability to add sound effects in WAV or OGG format. Works made with 3D Rad can be distributed as separate programs or web applications.

Main features of 3D Rad:

Creation of high-quality 3D games.
Realistic physics of object interaction.
Ability to import models.
High-quality graphics processing.
The possibility of using artificial intelligence.
Ability to use multiplayer.
High quality audio effects and music
Ability to embed games on web pages.

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Unreal Development Kit

The Unreal Development Kit (UDK) is a powerful free engine and development environment with great capabilities for creating games for a large number of platforms and operating systems. It contains all the tools for creating 3D games, advanced visualizations and detailed simulations.

The Unreal Development Kit includes a fully integrated Unreal Editor editing environment, as well as a set of ready-made scripts, sprites, textures and sounds. They can be combined with each other, prescribe the conditions for their interaction, while creating new games.

Main features of Unreal Development Kit:

Ability to create games for Windows, Mac OS, Xbox, PlayStation 3, Wii, Android.
Simple and convenient high-level programming language UnrealScript.
Realistic light, shadows and effects.
Advanced physics of behavior and interaction of objects.
Support LAN and direct connection to IP.
Ability to test the created application at any stage of its design.
Multi-threaded rendering of created games.
Ready game templates.

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NeoAxis 3D Engine

NeoAxis 3D Engine Non-Commercial SDK is a free version of a powerful and quality application for creating 3D games. In fact, it is a ready-made engine with its own models, physics, graphics and templates. Based on NeoAxis, you can make various 3D single models, as well as complex software visualizations, or even create full-featured 3D games. It all depends on the talent and goals of the developer.

NeoAxis 3D Engine consists of a whole set of necessary tools to implement any developer's idea. It already has 24 full-fledged maps in its finished form, some of which are already good shooters where you need to shoot at aliens, run through dark corridors in search of an exit and fight monsters in the village.

Main features of NeoAxis 3D Engine:

The installed program consists of a number of separate applications - a configurator, demo features of the program, a map editor and a main code editor.
Applications developed using the NeoAxis environment can be run on Windows and Mac OS X
The full range of features of the built-in NVIDIA PhysX. Support for ragdolls and vehicles.
Built-in support for synchronization over LAN and the Internet.
The application supports a huge list of languages, English, Ukrainian, Russian are available.
The editor is built very conveniently - all program resources are clearly structured into separate thematic folders.
The program consists of ready-made sets of objects, maps and models, so any student can understand it.

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Game Maker Lite

Game Maker is one of the most famous game makers focused on creating 2D games of almost any genre and difficulty level. The program has built-in editors for sprites, objects, scenarios and rooms, and also allows you to set a sequence of actions with reference to time and route of movement.

Game Maker differs in that it does not require knowledge of any programming languages to create games, although the ability to use scripts is also present.

Main features of Game Maker:

Simple and intuitive program interface.
Built-in lessons for creating the first games.
Programming with drag-n-drop.
Free collection of free images and sounds for games.
Ability to create simple 3D games.
Built-in Game Maker Language (GML) programming language, allowing you to develop more functional and interesting games.

Attention:

The free version of Game Maker is limited in functionality, and when you start the games created in it, the program logo is shown.

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Unity 3D

Unity 3D is a powerful development environment that makes it easy to create a game. 3D games and applications created with Unity work on Windows, OS X, Android operating systems. iOS, Linux, Blackberry, and Wii, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 game consoles. Applications built with Unity support DirectX and OpenGL.

With Unity 3D, you can create video games of any genre. The developer can easily import textures, models and sounds. All popular image formats are supported for textures. Scripting is done primarily with JavaScript, although code can also be written in C#.

Main features of Unity 3D:

Wide customization options.
Accessible and understandable interface.
Scripts in C#. JavaScript and Boo.
Full integration of the game engine with the development environment.
Support for dragging objects in the editor.
Support for importing a large number of formats.
Built-in network support.
Support for tissue physics (PhysX Cloth).
Ability to add functionality.
Tools for collaborative development.

Blender is a free 3D computer graphics creation package containing modeling, animation, rendering, video post-processing, and game creation tools. The functions of Blender are quite enough for both ordinary users and professionals to work. The program has all the basic tools used in professional 3D editors.

A full-fledged editor with all the main functions and a set of textures, models and event handlers is placed in a relatively small amount of Blender. Additional features in Blender are implemented by connecting plug-ins - both official, created by the authors of the editor, and developed by users.

Key features of Blender:

Support for a variety of geometric primitives (including polygonal models, SubSurf fast modeling system, Bezier curves, NURBS surfaces, metaspheres, sculpting and vector fonts).
Versatile built-in rendering engines and integration with an external YafRay renderer.
Animation tools including inverse kinematics, skeletal animation and mesh deformation, keyframe animation, non-linear animation, vertex weight editing, constraints, soft body dynamics, rigid body dynamics, particle-based hair system, and collision-enabled particle system
Python is used as a means of creating tools and prototypes, logic systems in games, as a means of importing and exporting files, and automating tasks.
Basic functions of non-linear editing and video combining.
Game Blender is a subproject of Blender that provides interactive features such as collision detection, dynamics engine, and programmable logic.

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Stencyl

Another environment for developing simple computer games that does not require the user to know codes and programming languages. You will have to work with diagrams and scripts presented as blocks. At the same time, it is allowed to drag objects and characteristics with the mouse. Despite the fact that the blocks provide dozens of options, the authors of Stencyl took care of those who may not have enough of this. So, it is allowed to prescribe your code in blocks. True, for this you need to understand programming.

Users who have worked in Photoshop will love the Scene Designer graphics editor designed for drawing game worlds. Its toolkit is strikingly similar to the menu of a popular photo editor.

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CraftStudio

Add and modify objects in 3D space, write scripts and rules, draw animations and effects. The authors of CraftStudio have thought of everything to make creating PC games from scratch in real time clear and fun. At the same time, all tools for modeling and animations are built into the program and are clearly marked. The same can be said about the visual script editor. What is most interesting is that you will not find any problems with format compatibility or conversion. For more advanced users, a Lua Scripting text editor is provided.

What should future game developers consider? What language to start learning? What to strive for? Whom to look up to? And what needs to be done first?

Most rock music lovers pick up a guitar sooner or later. Sports fans dream passionately about entering the football field, basketball court or tennis court. Well, those who have committed hundreds of hijackings in GTA, spent dozens of hours in computer clubs playing Counter-Strike, or achieved considerable success in MMORPGs, are probably thinking about a career as a game developer.

The problem is that this direction is taught in a few educational institutions. Therefore, most game developers are self-taught, who once compiled the curriculum themselves. But what nuances did they take into account? Where did you start and what did you strive for? What language did you learn first? We have tried to answer these and other relevant questions.

What to strive for?

Before going to the store, you make a shopping list (at least in your head). Before traveling to the other end of the city - lay out a route. Well, before learning how to develop games, it is advisable to ask yourself: what exactly do you want to do? Create mobile apps or browser games? Work for a big company or a small one? Do you want to develop games professionally or devote your free time to this? And if the former, what interests you more: creating an interface, polishing the gameplay, or writing scripts?

Having the right goal setting can save you a lot of time and effort. In addition, it will allow you to reach the final destination in the shortest way. Without the risk of getting off the road or getting into a swamp.

What language to learn?

In addition, the answer to the burning question depends on the goal: what programming language should I start with?

So, future developers of games like Minecraft and Android mobile applications should pay close attention to Java. To begin with, we advise you to go intensive, especially since it is free. For those who look towards iOS - on Objective-C. For browser games, knowledge of Ruby-On-Rails is sometimes enough. For very small and simple times, HTML is enough. Flash game production uses ActionScript, and to write scripts of any complexity, you need JavaScript or perhaps the less common Lua. To create small console games, knowledge of C# is required.

As for the most big-budget games (the so-called AAA class), most of them are equipped with their own or borrowed from colleagues "engine". Often, however, the entire "engine" or most of it is written in C++. It was this language that was used to create many famous "toys" - from Doom 3 and Call Of Duty to FIFA and The Sims. While classics like Quake were written in C.

However, there is a catch in mastering C++ - excessive complexity. No wonder they say that taking on C++ without knowing other languages is the same as starting the study of mathematics with linear equations.

Is one language enough?

One of the beauties of programming is the possibility of constant self-development. In the development of games (especially large ones), self-improvement, including the study of as many languages as possible, is not a whim, but a vital necessity. So, experienced developers working for the benefit of the giants of the gaming industry are often faced with the need to write alternately in 7-8 languages. At the same time, in addition to the above languages, they have to learn, for example, Python or even SQL (as you understand, to create databases).

Therefore, if you decide to tie your fate to the production of large games, be prepared to become a "polyglot". In addition, the more languages you master, the more interesting and varied tasks you will be faced with. And, of course, the chances of getting a dream job will increase significantly.

WHERE TO BEGIN?

Before you make a trip around the world, you need to learn how to walk. Well, before a serious game project, you need to try your hand at something less significant.

Almost all experienced developers, regardless of regalia and talent, started with small applications: board games, variations of famous "toys", simple "flash drives". Then they did not think about major exhibitions like E3, but accumulated invaluable experience. Why not follow their example? In this case, it is not necessary to write complex code. For a debut, it is enough to use special programs for creating games (for example, Game Maker). After all, even with a simple toolkit, you will greatly facilitate your life. First, you will understand in miniature the logic and structure of almost any game application. Secondly, you will fill the bumps that will heal during the transition to serious projects. Finally, third, enrich your portfolio. After all, even a simple "toy" requires a lot of time, patience and creativity to come up with a concept, write code and fix bugs. In addition, it shows that you are familiar with the production of games not only in dry theory.

What to take as a guideline?

Anyone who dreams of becoming a writer will read hundreds of books before writing a single word. Piano masters know by heart the best works of Strauss, Chopin and Beethoven. Well-known artists memorized the history of art before major exhibitions.

The same principle applies to game development. You cannot develop in a vacuum. Therefore, play, be inspired by the masters and, like a sponge, absorb the best. At the same time, try to look at applications not through the eyes of a "gamer", but through the eyes of a developer. In other words: transpose the game. Think about why at this point in time the "bot" ran to the left, and not back? What factors change the strength and accuracy of a strike in a sports simulator? How to create a "fatigue effect" when a character runs for a long time? How to make it so that during the rain the player hears the sound of drops, and not a pig squeal? Basically, get to the point. Try to recreate in your head the algorithms that you encounter during the game. Believe me, such a constructive approach will help you in your future difficult, but damn exciting career as a game developer.