Do you think IIT Guwahati certified course can help you in your career?
Introduction
The popularity of game development has been booming, especially for the last ten years. The gaming industry is growing increasingly and has gained a lot of following. Games are available on different platforms like smartphones, computers, consoles, and virtual reality platforms. The Internet has made everything very accessible, and due to this, games and game development are available to everyone. Let us learn about game development and how we can start with game development.
Game development simply means the process of developing or making a game. Game development starts with an idea or concept of the game. Then we write the program, render, record, mix, produce, test, etc., until we get the final game. Game development includes various steps, and game developers have to perform multiple tasks to develop the game. A typical game developer performs the following functions.
Develop new ideas for the game
Converting visual ideas into code
Create a prototype and improve the gameplay
Work with the designers, producers, and artists
Check the game’s stability across the platforms.
Review the code of the game and recommend improvements.
These tasks are performed by a large team of developers, each with a specific role. You can see the average team size of a typical AAA game title throughout the development process.
The first step of the game development is finalizing the game's concept. This is a general idea of the game. It is a brief overview of the game, including the story, demographics, risk analysis, and further information.
Step 2: Developing the prototype of the game
Game prototyping is an essential part of game development. Prototype means creating a method to test whether the idea of the game can be put into practice before investing time and money. It allows us to develop the methods by which we execute our ideas. It is an excellent way to build a proof of concept and convert our goals into a more perceptible form.
Popular prototyping techniques
Paper prototyping:
In paper prototyping, we make the most basic or minimal model of our game that people can interact with. It is the cheapest prototype to set up. Paper game prototypes can be doodles that help us estimate the size, properties, and elements of our game.
Wireframe prototyping provides a better understanding of the layout of the game. It is more than an art. It accurately represents the placements of the elements. This prototype lays out the static elements of the game, such as the menu, loading screen, etc. Wireframe uses a grid-like surface to figure out the scale and placement of the game elements.
Greybox prototyping replaces the 2D representation with 3D ones. The Greybox prototype includes some of the final physics of the game. While paper prototyping and wireframe prototyping give you the look of the game, greybox prototyping tells you how the game will feel like. It includes the mechanics of the game like steering, collision, health mechanics, etc. We can use game engines to create a greybox prototype of the game.
It is the most time-consuming part of the game development process. During this process:
Characters are designed and rendered precisely as they are supposed to be in the story.
Audio is designed to have excellent audio quality.
Levels are crafted that is dynamic and immersive.
Voice actors give voice to the characters.
Developers write large codes to bring game pieces to life.
Step 4: Testing
Games are thoroughly tested for any bugs. Testers also test the game to ensure that there is no way the game can be exploited. Testing ensures that our game can run smoothly on different devices. It is crucial to test the game thoroughly before its release.
This is a major stage in game testing. Alpha testing happens when the game is still in the development stage. Testing is done parallel to the game development to ensure that the game has no glitches or bugs. It helps the developers to fix the game in the early stages. It is performed by a closed group of testers who work closely with the game developers.
Beta testing:
Beta testing is done when the game is about to be released. It is done when all the major problems have been fixed and only some minor issues are left. Beta testers perform performance tests, stress tests, game compliance tests, etc. Testers run the game for hours and hours to eliminate any possible bugs.
Step 5: Maintenance
After the game's release, a team is assigned the maintenance of the game. This includes tasks such as fixing bugs or creating patches. Maintenance is very important because even after testing many bugs make their way into the final production of the game.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can we build serious games without programming knowledge?
No, for building serious games, you need to write scripts. However, you can create simple games without programming knowledge.
Is game development a promising career?
Yes, game development is a promising career.
What is meant by open beta testing of a game?
Beta testing refers to the distribution of the game to a select group of people before its official release so that they can test the game in their own homes.
Conclusion
This blog talked about game development. We got a brief introduction and looked at the different stages associated with game development.
570+ registered 
