A simple, straightforward overview of some of the most powerful tools in a game developer’s toolbelt
One of the most important traits of a software developer is to always be in “learning mode”. If you are a Unity C# game developer, this is truer than ever, as Unity releases new versions regularly, with tons of additional tools and packages in the Unity Editor UI. Learning new trades and being flexible are skills necessitated by the very concept of being a game developer, especially a solo dev.
Lambda expressions and delegates in Unity C# are considered intermediate in difficulty; if you have a few months or year’s experience behind you, it will be to your benefit. If…
Take a chill pill this June 12th with @_wholesomegames
Nintendo defines many great trends in gaming. When the Wii dropped back in 2006, all the other game studios clamored to emulate the unique gesture controls. And when Nintendo started doing their online showcases, known as Nintendo Direct, Sony followed suit for Playstation. It’s undeniable that Nintendo Direct generates hype and excitement around upcoming games. They’ve even created an indie version, the Nindie Showcase.
If you want more “Nindies” style Nintendo Direct goodness, don’t fret. The amazing people with @_wholesomegames and the Guerilla Collective have got you covered. On June 12th, at 1 PM ET, over 75 indie games will…
The fans, the fame, and now the fortune? Friday Night Funkin’ developers just want to do right by their fans.
Let me get straight to the point, and level with you. By now, if you are a PC gamer with your finger on the pulse of hot indie games, you already know about Friday Night Funkin’. You’ve either played the game and its various fan-created mods to death, or you have heard of FNF and are simply wondering what all the fuss is about. Why else would you be interested in this article?
A while back, I wrote another article on how Friday Night Funkin is the next iteration of DDR; a fresh new take on the PC rhythm game…
Okay, idle game fans, don’t get too upset. You might just be onto something.
The latest indie game success, Loop Hero, is unorthodox by every means. The game’s name implies some kind of tower defense or even conjures thoughts of mobile gacha games. In this situation, you really need to take the title at its most literal meaning — Loop Hero is about a hero, after a major catastrophe piecing together their memories while attempting to save the world. And gameplay takes in loops around the map, on a path whose environment is built out by the player.
Your map is unique, as you create it as your little hero traverses the loop over…
There are core tenets of Unity currently, that you should get to know before you become a professional game developer
Are you looking to quit your job and begin a new career as a Unity Developer, either as an independent studio or for an established game studio? If so — congratulations! I hope you have mustered up your resolve and perseverence. Now, onto the nitty-gritty.
In order to fully understand game development with Unity, you need to have the basics in your toolbelt. Unity development with C# has its share of quirks, so be sure to have a strong foundation in the basics of coding. This guide assumes you already know about:
- Basic syntax, variable declaration, and primitive data types
- …
We are on the cusp of interesting new developments in gaming technology. Don’t waste your opportunity to have a say!
Current news has been abuzz with news on cryptocurrency, blockchain, and most importantly NFTs. An NFT, or non-fungible token, is a digital asset that uses blockchain technology to identify its authenticity (and in effect, its rarity or scarcity). Even without understanding token standards, the concept is clear to anyone — collectibles are worth something because they are scarce.
How do NFTs fit into the gaming ecosystem? Many people consider the past few years the “wild west” for blockchain technology, gaining legitimacy only recently with big-ticket sales of NFTs on sites like Rarible and other auctions. …
Harness just the right balance of randomness and determinism to make something special and truly engaging.
If you haven’t heard, open world video games are all the rage. Again.
We’re not talking about Minecraft, Elder Scrolls Skyrim, and GTA 5 of the early 2010s. The new games on the block like Valheim, Spider Man: Miles Morales, and Cyberpunk 2077 would like to have a word with you. Heck, we even have an open world Pokemon game coming in the form of Pokemon Legends: Arceus. We can’t ignore it anymore — open world games are back.
But what exactly is an “open world” game? There are many schools of thought, but at the end of the argument…
And the genre was assumed to be all but dead and oversaturated. What did they do right? How did they defy the odds where others failed?
If you told me that indie games have no chance in 2020–2021, I would laugh you right out of the room. Looking at the past year, indie games have rocked the boat and then some. From Fall Guys, to Among Us, to Rust’s resurgence in popularity, indie games are far from dead. The “Indiepocalypse” as it were is far out of the mind of PC game developers.
Iron Gate Studios, the developers of Steam’s fastest rising game this year, would have to agree. Started by Henrik Törnqvist and Richard Svensson, the Swedish game studio has been working hard on their…
To deliver on your vision, you need to come to terms with what you’re capable of creating.
Independent game developers truly have it hard. Whether you are flying solo or work in a small team, there’s always hurdles to overcome. Unless you work at a major studio that is geared towards making your dream game, you are likely not seeing tremendous progress on your big passion project. Why is that?
As I present some reasons why in this article, maybe one, two, or even all of them resonate with you and your team. Heck, nearly all of them resonate with me! The key to uncovering and managing a pain point is by planning the solution. …
Just a few hours of time will help you implement changes that make your game more fun, interesting, and addictive to play
If you have been making games for years, or have just started, take a look at some of your first creations. When you are just starting out, your projects will lack depth and interesting mechanics — or sometimes be downright unplayable.
What makes a game interesting and fun? What makes a game a hit instead of a flop?
Sometimes it is a matter of when you release your game — think about the hit game Among Us, which has raked in millions of users, and dollars. …
C. James
Freelance game designer / developer. Full stack developer. Board game geek and cat tamer.
