This is definitely a great time in history to be a fan of video games. We have many different ways to enjoy our favorite games, new and old. Making a game consists of various phases, both inside and outside computers.
It all starts with a game idea which may or may not be very simple, but once implemented if done correctly can become a successful product. All accompanied by the right marketing campaign and a huge amount of luck, in many cases.
Running games from browsers is something that has been around for decades. All of those who ever worked in offices with restricted computer profiles know what we are talking about (wink wink).
This has evolved greatly from the rudimentary flash games with cartoony graphics. It has become a very profitable business and even some of those old games transgressed the platform and were ported into consoles, such as Super Meat Boy.
Then another kind of game has been increasing in popularity during the last decade such as slots which, while it’s a completely different kind of business model the core gameplay is still achieved with the same tools. You can play online slots that replicate their hardware counterpart and let you do that from any phone, tablet or PC at any time from the comfort of your home, for instance, this can be experienced at regulated websites such as wink slots.
So, how are these games made? There are many available tools for you to get started.
Pick the Right Tools
There are many options nowadays which will make programming a game much easier than it may have been 30 years ago.
LimeJS
This is a good starting point as LimeJS is a very basic tool to create HTML5 games. One of the selling points of this framework is that the games developed with LimeJS can be played in browsers, as well as on touch screens. Some background knowledge is required to deal with this tool such as Python, as well as Java and Closure.
Construct 3
This tool is pretty impressive. With a little practice, you can end up doing big projects in a short time and with very professional results. It is an Open Source that is capable of making games in a very simple way, being able to export both in HTML5, running in browsers and mobiles, as long as it is configured correctly for these outputs, as well as for Windows. It’s perfect if you want to escalate your project along the road and place it on one of the well-known video game platforms already existing. With this tool, you can edit sound effects by including your own sound library as well as using third-party ones. Same with sprites. You can upload your own or just use one of the vast libraries available. An advantage is that it has many updates that mean that you are constantly creating with the latest trends.
GameMaker Studio 2
Perhaps one of the few issues that we find in this tool is that it’s not free, however, it stands out among the rest of the free options when it comes to creating games for both HTML5 and other platforms, being able to even make games for consoles like Nintendo Switch, just to name one.
The development of the games is simple, with everything necessary to make a quality title. It is true that it requires some dedication and practice to navigate between its menus and options as in many of these programs, but you have to keep in mind that, if what you are looking for is a professional tool for top-notch results, it may be worth paying for GameMaker Studio. Every now and then you’ll find it on sale on Humble Bundle when they bundle up the tool with its different libraries for dirty cheap.
Impact JS
Like the previous one, you will have to pay to use all its functions, however, it has its own strong points such as a Level Editor, in which you can build different levels for your game, as well as other types of tools, providing endless resources to create HTML5 games that will run on both browsers and mobile phones. Apart from this, and to help you in the creation, you will have at your disposal a series of documents and guides to take advantage of.
Of course, there are many other software available but sticking to the most popular options will mostly guarantee a solid community you can go to when you face problems or have doubts.
AI has evolved greatly, as well, and it could make a big difference in your games so make sure you pick the tool that fits your game interaction properly.
Future Trends
The games market has found a new peak in 2020, of course, due to more people staying at home and investing time in catching up with games.
Mobile gaming keeps growing and growing of course. Given that almost everyone has a phone these days, and they are more than capable of running from basic to more complex games, this is the starting point to introduce young generations to the gaming world.
Cloud gaming is starting to become a real thing also. After some improvements over the last couple of years, you can really take advantage of this new technology, and this is just the beginning.
It is estimated to be 177.7 million gamers in the US this year meaning that half of the US population will be part of the gaming community by the end of the year.
Conclusion
Making a game is not easy, but it’s easier than ever before. We have tools available, and they are very affordable. We don’t need development kits as much as we used to.
If you have an idea, you can make it a reality. It will take time, dedication and a lot of effort but in the end, it will be rewarding. It may be a hit or not, but creating something that we are proud of is always rewarding.