Best Platforms for Game Development
Ten years ago, it would have been astounding to hear news about an MMO being developed in under five years. However, nowadays, with game development teams getting smaller and the timeline getting shorter, that’s not the case. Did you know that InnerSloth LLC’s three-person squad created the recently viral game, Among Us? This inverse proportion results from the help of convenient platforms where developers can create immersive and beautiful games with ease.
In the past, creating a framework for every aspect of development — from the UI to programming character movement — was done from scratch. However, innovation has simplified the process by offering you all the foundations you need from the get-go. So little programming is necessary for some game types that even new designers can jump in and create the next big title of the year.
A New Generation of Game Engines
There is plenty of game development software on the market, each catering to a specific genre. Autodesk Maya has also emerged as a staple for concept and 3D character design, with unity being a fan-favorite for an innovative level design experience — but more on those later. The big takeaway is that these platforms try to make things as easy as possible for you.
Creating an environment is as simple as building a house on Sims 4. It follows a similar concept: drag, drop, and adjust! You can also upload new assets, textures, objects, patterns — anything — to beach new levels of customization and make your game feel truly yours. Creating an item’s functions doesn’t even need much coding these days (unless you’re going for something very specific). Just choose an apple from the design library, indicate how much HP it heals, decide whether it heals instantly or over time, and perhaps even put it in Dorothy’s General Goods Store or set it as a common drop rate (with a specific % chance) of Very-Strong Slimes.
The new generation of game engines is a massive upgrade from the early days of RPGMaker — which is still great to use today if you like the retro JRPG look — and supports just about any aesthetic. An engine will allow you to work with 2D, 2.5D, 3D assets, and more, so you don’t have to switch between various platforms unless it’s absolutely necessary. The workflow is straightforward and seamless, giving independent developers and freelancers a chance to make it big.
How Design Defines Today’s Game Development Scene
All the essential functions are laid out to you in the game engine’s workflow, so all you really need to do is to turn your imagination into reality. Independent developers usually specialize in a specific area of design, whether storytelling, level design, environment design, or character design. And then, someone on the team puts everything together and integrates them onto the software and into the gameplay. Large companies hire smaller developers for this purpose, so you can do client work to supplement the cost of creating your own title.
The problem lies in how you can turn your game into a non-generic-looking experience. Free design libraries that game engines provide are expansive — but usually outdated. The only way to create unique aesthetics is to purchase asset packs or hire illustrators, concept artists, and graphic designers to work in your team (if you aren’t one already). Can you believe that Albion Online and Azur Lane were both created on Unity? It’s all thanks to the work of artists!
Interestingly, there are game development markets that offer asset packs for a price if you can’t afford a full-time or you could hire freelance artists to provide the necessary elements. While they’re great for small-scale developers, they aren’t an ideal choice if you’re looking to scale up. The competitive field is now defined by great aesthetics on top of exciting gameplay. MiHoYo has made this clear with their recently-released Genshin Impact, which is known for its stunning attention to design and detail.
NFTs Bridge Design Ownership and Unique Game Engine Integrations
In an era where game development is defined by design, the non-fungibility of NFTs (non-fungible tokens) is attractive. By turning an asset into an NFT, you can own it, which means that nobody else can replicate the uniqueness of the same image, sound, video — or any other digital asset. That allows your game to own or sell unique pieces and blur the line between the digital and real-world marketplace through innovative platforms like ESPA. Today, design is key to a great game, and an element of unique ownership is vital to both developers and players. It’s important to integrate that sense of creativity and legacy into the game engine to create a really good title.
Most Popular Game Engines
This platform is most famous for its robust 2D and pixel game support. It has oversimplified the development workflow, making it beginner-friendly while still retaining premium features attractive to pro developers. It’s a simple drag-and-drop engine with a unique programming language called GML that’s also easy to learn and use. Portability, file size optimization, and the creation of new development tools aren’t issues either. The only caveat is that GameMaker isn’t ideal for 3D games. However, UnderTale and Shovel Knight are some memorable games created on GameMaker.
Unity is a 3D game development powerhouse with VR support and other customizable features. Moreover, it has incredible portability, making it great for mobile releases and a vast asset store on the get-go. While it allows you to build tools for larger-scale releases, it’s also great for small game development projects as all the foundations are ready and available. A caveat is that integrating custom designs will require a lot more effort from the artists’ end. Cooking Simulator and Arknights are some titles created on Unity.
Autodesk is less of a game engine and more so software for creative game directors and artists to make custom content. It’s an essential tool for 2D and 3D asset creation, with robust collaboration tools that can integrate with popular game engines. Whether it’s animation, modeling, rendering, and more, this platform has everything you need to create a beautiful custom world.
Game engines are the foundations of contemporary games. They have made the grueling workflow so simple for game programmers — but it’s important to filter through all the options on the market and find the best for your needs. Know that while some top developers may lean toward one engine over another, it doesn’t necessarily make it better. Ultimately, it boils down to preference and specific needs. However, if you’re an Indie company or a freelancer, it helps to know how to use popular engines to attract more clients.
