Application development for games is a popular career for many designers. Technology is one of the most profitable industries in the world, and it allows you to be creative on so many levels. Designing a gaming app that people will want to keep playing will need some skill on your part and a few essential pieces of equipment.
To develop any app on a computer or a mobile platform, you don’t need to know every programming language or the various algorithms. Many programs will do all the coding for you. Instead, we’ll focus on the items that are vital to get you started as a game developer.
Specific Software Components
The software you use is entirely dependent on the game you want to design. For Android mobile apps, you’ll need Java, C++, HTML, JavaScript, and possibly language C. When working with desktop gaming apps, you will want to get something with most of the functionality pre-installed. Look into Unity, the Unreal Development Kit (UDK), and Phaser to list a few. Each of these development programs has unique visuals and graphics, so the one you choose must be perfect for your specific game. They can also pre-code certain functions so it takes you less time.
It is a good idea to learn the basics of at least one programming language like C. Most people start with this because it is universal and used for many gaming apps. There’s no need to be proficient in coding, but it will go a long way in your development journey.
Peripheral Hardware
When creating an app, you want to give the players something to enjoy. It must look nice, be fun to play, and it should have good music. All of these factors affect how your gaming app will be experienced. To ensure that you get this right, you will need a few key pieces of hardware. Namely, a computer that can run the software you need, and some equipment for the audio.
The computer will need about 16GB of RAM. More if the game uses a lot of resources. For the audio, get both speakers and headsets. This way you can design the sound around the peripheral a player may use. A microphone might also come in handy if you want to incorporate external audio. These gaming headsets and microphone packages from lenovo.com will do very nicely.
Emulator or Game Testers
To know how your game works on all the various platforms, run a game emulator. You will be able to pick up any compatibility issues or bugs that are only affected on certain devices. Emulators are effective to get all the game settings perfect, but they don’t always work on every platform. Make sure it works on Android and iOS if it’s a mobile game, and that it is compatible with Windows, Linux, and Mac systems for desktop games.
The next best thing is to ask your friends and families to test the game on their devices. At a push, you can send your game to a professional specialist for testing. This is only a good option if you have extra cash to spend.
When developing a gaming app, you want to give your audience a good time. Invest in these items and you’ll be designing games in no time.