Creating video games is a complex and exciting process that combines creativity, technical knowledge, and teamwork. This process can be seen as creating a virtual world where every element – from characters to story – requires attention and detailed development. But how exactly do developers turn an idea into an exciting game available to players around the world? In this article, let’s look at the main stages of video game development.
- Planning and concept
First, developers form the basic idea of the game. At this stage, the genre of the game, the main concept, story, and characters are determined. The development team creates documentation that includes all aspects of the future game – from storylines to gameplay mechanics.
- Design.
At the design stage, the team determines how the player will interact with the game world. The game designers are working on creating levels, puzzles, tasks, and other elements that will make the game interesting and exciting in the future. The visual style of the game is also developed at this stage.
- Development
Programming is the heart of the development process. Programmers are working on writing the code that makes the game world come alive. They use different game engines, such as Unity or Unreal Engine (we have already talked about it in one of our articles), which allow creating complex game mechanics and interactivity. Coding includes the development of game world physics, control systems, artificial intelligence for non-game characters, and other key gameplay elements.
Next, artists and designers work on creating the visuals of the game. This includes characters, environments, objects, textures, and animations. They use various graphics and animation programs to create visually appealing and realistic elements that make the game world more immersive.
Later, sound designers create the audio atmosphere of the game. This includes music, sound effects, character voices, and other audio elements that enhance the overall experience. Effective sound design is critical to creating an emotional connection with the player and enhancing the atmosphere of the game.
As the project develops, all elements of the game – graphics, sound, code – are integrated into a single whole. At this stage, it is important to ensure that all components work harmoniously together.
- Testing or “polishing”
Testing is a key stage in game development. Testers look for bugs and problems in the game, test it on different platforms, tracking any technical issues or bugs. All game elements are also polished to ensure the highest quality gaming experience.
- Release of the game
After development and testing are completed, it is time to release the game. The game is distributed through various platforms, such as consoles, computers, or mobile devices. The team is also working on marketing to attract players.
- Support after the release
Work on the game does not end after its release. The developers continue to release updates to fix bugs, add new content, and support the gaming community.
And this is the long and complicated path a game goes through before it is released to the world – from initial planning to final release.
*In a future article on TechnoVision, we will tell you how you can create your own simple game using one of the free engines with just a regular computer or laptop.
Some interesting facts:
The first video game was created in 1958 and was called Tennis for Two. It was created by physicist William Higginbottom on the basis of an analog computing device.
The creation of modern video games can take several years and involve hundreds of developers.
The first video game character to have a name and a personality was Pac-Man, who appeared in 1980.
Many video games use procedural generation technology, which allows you to create large worlds or levels automatically using algorithms rather than manually.
Creating music for video games is a separate industry, and famous composers often work on game soundtracks.
The computer game Minecraft, created by Markus Persson, has become one of the most popular games in the world and was later acquired by Microsoft for $2.5 billion.
Other artistic forms, such as cinema, music, and literature, have a great influence on the creation of video games. Many games were inspired by novels, movies, and stories.
In creating graphics for video games, technologies that were developed specifically for movies, such as CGI (computer graphics in film), are often used.
Creating video games is a collaborative effort of various specialists, such as programmers, designers, animators, writers, composers, and testers. It’s a blend of creativity, technical skill, and attention to detail that turns an initial idea into an immersive gaming experience.