Video Game Development

After posting a few screen shots of my currently in development game "Solar Fury"

Solar Fury Blog 1Link

I have been asked about game development, how could they get into it cheaply and easy, just to mess around to see if it is something they would like to do. Here is a few bits of information and links.

You do not need to be a programmer to make games, or even enjoy programming to make games, but it helps. There are point and click, simple scripting tools and the like for those who just do not want to get into the actual coding. You wont make anything high tech, but you can make some fun and interesting games.

Depending on the type of game here are some fast game building programs.

- First Person Shooters -
FPS Creator - The Game Makers - http://www.fpscreator.com/
-- you can paint (really easy) your levels and fairly basic scripting to put your games together.
-- Tons of free and for purchase model packs are supported
-- Multiplayer
-- Lightmapping
-- No royalties

- you wont make a game to compete with UT2k7 graphically or even gameplay wise, but you can put together a FPS in short time that is playable.

If you want to program/script and get more indepth
Torque - Garage Games - www.garagegames.com
-- Advanced
-- Scripting and C++ coding
-- Multiplatform (Mac, Linux, Windows)
-- Multiplayer
-- can create professional games
-- FPS, RPGs, Racing games can be made fairly quick, but it will take time to perfect.


Fast Action Shooters and Puzzle
Torque Game Builder - Garage Games - www.garagegames.com
-- really straight forward
-- scripting to C++ coding
-- Multiplayer
-- can create some great 2D Professional games very quickly
-- great community to help

(wont really recommend anything else here for puzzle/shooters because they are a waste of money, but you can look at game maker, games factory and multimedia fusion, easy, can make fun games but I think they are a waste)

If you want to code, but C++ scares you (it is scary at times, evil like my exwife) there are plenty of great languages to get into

Darkbasic Professional - The Game Creators - http://www.thegamecreators.com
-- Cheap but with all the extras you can spend the money but they are worth it
-- Easy to pick up
-- DX9 and DX10 compatible
-- Books with great information (I own the books and this program)
-- good community but there are trolls at times but its heavy moderated so its not bad
-- updated all the time
-- plenty of extra programs to buy to help your game (AI, Physics, Lighting, tools, etc that plug right in with a few lines of code)
-- fast
-- Multiplayer capable
-- Can create any type of games from FPS, RPGs, puzzle, racing, shooter, etc
-- Fast for prototyping
-- Stay away from Dark Basic Classic as it is no longer supported and was poor

Blitz Basic 3D, Blitz Max
-- Cheap
-- Easy to pick up
-- DX7 for Blitz 3D
-- 2D only for BLitz Max
-- Blitz Max is Mac, Linux and Windows compatible
-- very small community
-- Fast program
-- Multiplayer
-- Tons of 3d party tools
-- community is troll heavy and not moderated well
-- Not a program for those who hate to figure everything out because the community is zero help with most things
-- I own Blitz 3D, Blitz Plus, Blitz Max and they are good, but the company basically stopped supporting them, and the DX7 really limits you at times


But for those who really are into making games XNA and C#. You can make games for Windows and your 360.
-- XNA is good, but not fully featured yet (something that annoys me)
-- Great support system
-- Make games very quick once you understand C# and XNA
-- easy to make them work on your 360 but costs 100 /yr
-- limited 3D Model Support (X and FBX only atm but really X is all you need)
-- right now 2D games are a breeze to make
-- 3D works but issues at times

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If you are artistic and want to make 3D models but do not have the cash to spend on big expensive programs and do not like pirating (which is illegal, sad and hurts the industry) there are a ton of free/cheap and powerful programs.

- Blender 3D - http://www.blender.org/cms/Home.2.0.html
-- open source
-- can compete with 3DS Max at times
-- Daunting at first (for me at least) but you can do amazing things

- GameSpace -  http://www.caligari.com/gamespace/
-- free version is very limited
-- very good program based on the TrueSpace program
--  easily competes with the big programs like 3DSMax  for modelling/textures

Paint Shop Pro
-- really the standard for the industry (all my artists I work with use it)
-- older versions are still good (and sometimes free in books)

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For music and sound I can not help as I never got into that part..

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For those who want to make games and dont want to get into the heavy coding, Dark Basic Professional is very straight forward. With the books it will be a quick pick up for many people. FPS Creator is good for quick FPS games as well. Just remember you wont build anything beyond a basic FPS with out learning detailed scripting in it.


PM me  if you have questions..