The Beginning of a New Adventure (Game developer #1)

I love learning new things. Honestly, if I were independently wealthy, I would probably earn a few more college degrees and spend my time doing research and working on projects in whatever area were to catch my interest. The list of things I’d love to learn never gets any shorter, and the piled and cluttered state of my house is a testament to the numerous on-going and unfinished projects. As I glance around me, I can see the isobaric subwoofer I built that still has its naked sonotube and wires exposed (though it sounds awesome), and over there is a scratch-built arcade machine, and a factory cart coffee table made from pallets, and piles of books, magazines, and tools everywhere. Definitely don’t look behind the door over there.

So what should I do? Why, start another project of course! My family and I are trying not to buy any more stuff for three months, so some of my more ambitious dreams such as building a CNC router or a scratch-built laptop may have to wait. But what would combine my love of computers with my lack of money?

Video games; I love them, and they have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. But I have never tried making one. Now’s my chance. The idea of creating one is a bit intimidating though. So let’s figure out how best to go about it.

Searching for “make a video game,” I see a ton of results and resources that don’t require learning to code. So it looks as though finding resources won’t be a problem, but sorting through them might be. Digital Trends has a good overview/introduction that provides some context and a guide for how to start.

1. Conceptualize the Video Game – What kind of game do I want to make? A platformer, an RPG, an arcade shooter?
2. Choose the Proper Software – Whether I spend zero dollars or a thousand dollars, there are options.
3. Build the Characters and Environments – This is where it is at. Who are the characters and where are they?
4. Tinker and Publish the Game – Try the game, find the errors, fix the errors, improve graphics, improve game play, repeat, repeat, repeat.

One important consideration is the scope of the project. How much can I reasonable accomplish and still have a finished, playable game by the end of April?

Some initial ideas:

• In order to keep it simple and fun, I might try a side-scrolling RPG type game. Similar to the King’s Quest games I loved as a kid, but less random clicking.
• A software program specific to RPGs would be most helpful, especially one that has some included graphics and sound. I am already trying to learn how to make a game, I don’t need to learn digital art and electronic music at the same time.
• I hope I can find some people out there who’d help me tinker with the game and give me some feedback on controls, game play, etc. (if interested, find me on Twitter @TyleeTom).

So next steps, figure out a timeline, work on the concept, and find the software. Next week: Keep It Simple, but Interesting (Game developer #2)