I turned 16 today! I can’t believe that 16 years has passed already. On this special today I want to share with you the story of how I got into game development and the challenges I faced and how I overcame them. I remember the first time I started game development like it was yesterday.
Admit it, you have once wanted to develop a game that you didn't know how to develop, and then the time you decide to start development , you start staring at your computer screen trying hard to find a way out to get your game logic to work...
There are many programmer jokes out there but how about some good jokes for game developers? Here is 15 jokes by TheMeatly that every game developer can relate!
With over 4.5 million developers using Unity, it is one of the best game engines today. Here are a list of some great tips on different parts of development. These tips depend on the project and your personal preference.
The best time for a young game developer is the summer vacation. What could be possibly better than a summer vacation? The young game developer has all the free time to think about a game idea, develop this idea into a prototype and progress in his development skills and publish the games he make. But what happens after those three months of complete freedom? Being young game developers, we all know what comes after these three months : School. Whether it was elementary , intermediate or high school , most of our time will be spent on the school year starting with going to school and finishing up homework and studying for exams. Of course, we must not neglect school and focus on game development, rather we must maintain balance in time devoted into schooling and game development. After all, education is all what matters. School days does not only take time but it also takes efforts and energy, and also decrease your excitement about game development. Here are some few tips about how to develop game during school days : Create small sized gamesDue to the small portion of time left for you during the day to make games, try making small games. Small games can be finished in less time keeping you satisfied about the result you have reached which leads to finishing the game at the end. On the other hand, if you are thinking about a medium to big size game it will requires a lot of time and devotion. If you couldn't have enough time you will not be able to finish the game because of the lack of excitement because of the really slow progress. Unless you insist on making a medium sized game then you should only make one game in the school year, this will help you to finish the game because all the time that is used to develop games you know it will be devoted on that particular game which will help you to finish it at the end of the school year if possible. Finish homework before game developmentAlways start your homework before you start developing games. This strategy both improve your school performance , and increase your excitement about developing your game. Think of it as a reward system. If you finish your homework you will be able to have to develop your game which give you motivation to finish your homework to start developing your game. If you start developing your game then started your homework, you will be not motivated because you know that you will not going to get anything after you finish and that you have already done what you want. Plus you will driven by time and realize that you have small amount of time to finish your homework before going straight to bed. Divide your time properlyYou at the end, must know how to divide your time. you must be able to manage your time in such you can finish your school work , extracurricular activities , daily chores and game development. For example if you don't have a busy schedule set 3 hours for game development a day and if you do have a busy schedule, keep the maximum amount time spent on the computer between half to one hour a day. Work on weekends and holidaysWeekends can make a great time to develop games and sometimes even holidays. You can then in the two days devote around 2-5 hours per day which can be a great boost for the project. Also during the weekdays make a small notepad with checklist of what do you want to finish in the weekend. This way it helps you see what you have to achieve during the week. Extra NotesAlways keep in thought that you are still young and you do game development as a hobby, so don't stress yourself out if you couldn't have that much of time to develop your game. Once you grow up you will have to persuade your dreams. The most important thing is to keep going!
PolyBlast today has finally been launched internationally and now available for everyone to play. PolyBlast, an exciting arcade game, is developed by the Lebanese indie game development company GameCooks. Well, PolyBlast is a game that requires speed and precision to blast moving shapes. Although it’s a simple game but yet it’s truly addictive!
The stupid chickens are back for a brand new sequel and this time with great surprises! The game and the sequel, that were both developed last year ,will be back this year with tons of improvements and great new features. Stupid Chickens 3 or SC 3 will be the first game by Lightbulb Games Studio that is planned to be published on Google Playstore and also the first full game that players can enjoy not like the most games here which are either small games or unpolished projects (now we're talking!) . Why Another Stupid Chickens Series Game?The series's games were the most played games among the other games Lightbulb Games Studio and it were really enjoyed by many. I want to bring SC to life with overall improvements that will take SC to the next level. This next sequel has POTENTIAL. What's New In SC 3?Here's a brief detail about what will be in the new SC game Better Game EngineThe sequel will be developed in Unity Game Engine rather than Construct 2 which gives SC more abilties and features Improved Graphics/ArtThe visuals of the game will be improved and the art will feel similar to Angry Birds style. The game design and UI will also change. Challenging Levels and New Playing TechniquesThe game will contain some really challenging fun 60 levels divided into 3 worlds (20 levels each) . Also the game will have new playing techniques that will ensure that the level can be won in many different ways Smoother Physics and GameplayWith Unity Technologies , the physics will be smoother than ever, specially for mobile users. The gameplay also will be smoother and better and it will be focused on the puzzle side of the game In-game Level EditorThe most important feature in SC3 . With the level editor you have full access to the game features and the ability to save , load , and download levels online (mobile) or both online and offline (PC) Social SharingIn the new sequel you can share your custom levels and game progress on social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and more. A Whole New StorySC 3 will have a new story extended from SC 2 and there will be new characters, new chickens, and also some cutscenes Get Early Access To SC 3!If you're interested in getting updated about the latest news about Stupid Chickens 3 , subscribe to the newsletter and you will get an early access to the game before it is released! Spread The News!Please help us spread the words about Stupid Chickens by simply sharing this post
While you’re sitting on the computer, making the next “hit” game, have you ever thought what you should do, and what you shouldn’t? Well, you can’t simply make games and expect them to be the next hit. Here are five dos and five don’ts in game development that will help your game get more chances of success as an indie developer.
DefenitionConstruct2 Plugin Maker (also known as CPM) is software that help Construct 2 developers to make their plugins faster and in more organized by saving the plugins into files. You can design the plugin and save it and when you finish you can build your new plugin. Source CodeConstruct 2 Plugin Maker is written purely in Java . The source code is hosted on GitHub for free for all developers. Get the source code from the repository. RequirementsBefore you start using the plugin maker , make sure that you have downloaded the Construct 2 SDK and Java Environment because the software requires a template to build over it. The software also needs some edits on the edittime.js to build the plugin , you can download the modified edittime.js or you can do it manually with the steps given below. If you have a vague idea about this software or you need example , download health plugin . Edittime.js ModificationThe plugin maker replaces some contents in the files into the data provided by the developer. In the edittime.js you must add to the comment //example in the condition section a "c" the comment will be //example c so that the Plugin Builder knows that this is the condition section and so on. Do this for Actions //example a and Expressions //example e DownloadConstruct 2 Plugin Maker UIThe GUI is very easy for navigation. The frame has four tabs , each with the required data that a developer need to fill his plugin like the ACE (Action , Condition , Expression) and also properties. The menu bar has been well organized and divided into four categories : File , Edit , Build , and Help. The Files category has files functions like new , open , and save. The Edit category is used to edit the plugin info and to edit parameters. The Build Category is used to check the plugin info and to set the plugin template to build from it and to export and reexport the plugin. The Help Category contains the software info and resource , and the documentation. The Lang Category to choose which languages fit you There are popup (right-click) for the tabs and the parameters. How To Create a Plugin In CPMSimply for each tab , add any data that you want, edit them or delete them. Once you finished adding the data, select an item and edit its parameters and add some if needed. Once you finish , go to the plugin info and edit its info , like the name , version, id and etc... Then go and set the template for the plugin , choose the default plugin template with the modified edittime.js or else the Plugin Builder will not build the files right. Note: Don't forget to select template for your first plugin you make or the builder will not work on your new plugin. To change template click the template in the menu. After you finish all and check the data , save the plugin and then go and choose a folder to export and build your plugin into. If you have modified the plugin , then re-save it and reexport it! .CTP FilesPlugin data are stored in .CTP files (Construct 2 Plugin files) , it contains all the data need to be loaded into the program. Those files are editable and small in size and can be shared with other developers into any platform that supports Java. Construct 2 Plugin Maker OverviewWhen it comes to indie developers , it is either you work solo or with a team. According to studies more and more people are joining the indie world and many indie games are flourishing. Either ways, both has advantages and disadvantages , so if you are a solo developer who wants to join a team or vice versa, this article lists the pros and cons of being a solo indie developer The ProsFull Control Over ProjectSince you are working solo and alone , you have full control over your project, which means you can add and modify and remove whatever you want from the game at your free will, which is a great advantages since you will make a game that represents you and your creativity and logic. Infinite TimeAgain since your working solo and indie , there is no Deadline for publishers and no team. Hence you can start and continue development on your project at any time and you can get plenty of time to make your game. All CreditsIf you made a game and it was a huge hit, who else going to get the credits? No one except you which will make you a popular developer unless you are a one hit wonder or you used a lot of assets and references . Fast DevelopmentIf you are working on a small to medium sized game you will be able to finish it faster because you will not wait for other teammate to finish their work and that's why you can do all the work and added it to your game and you will finish at faster rate if you gave your game a lot of time for its development The ConsSlow Development On Long TermIt is impossible to create big to AAA sized games without the need of a team. If you stayed solo you will make forever small to medium sized game and making a big game would require years for one person but would take eight months for a full team Lacking Skills & ExperienceLet's face it, even if you have been developing games solo for lots of years , you will be still lack some skills in particular areas of game development. Everyone has a special skill that he works the best. For example you might be great at programming and scripting but your graphics needs a lot of improvement or you could make awesome graphics and maybe some sound designs but you can't make a legit code (logic) thus you will be excellent at skill and weak at another No Collaboration & Team SpiritWithout a team there will be no collaboration and no team spirit. As solo indie developers , sometimes you'll give up and get bored from development because there is no one to discuss about your project and help you out , which makes the process of game development less fun if you don't have a friend or a teammate that helps you out and collaborate with you and you both enjoy your time making a new awesome game ConclusionBeing an indie developer is really amazing and if you are starting solo it's a great start for you but after some time you might consider join a team or an indie studio because that will lead for more collaboration , more innovation and of course having fun through the process. Bigger and better indie teams promotes better games and more polished ones! But at the end, of course, it's up to you to choose if you want to be a solo developer or with a team.
Have a nice day everyone! Keep it Indie! |
AuthorNaji Kadri - Lightbulb Games Studio Founder Archives
March 2016
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