How to Make Your Own Video Games

Whenever I tell people that I design and develop video games, the conversation almost always ends up the same: they think it's incredible, and then they tell me they could never do something like that. I always respond with a single, fun-to-say word: Hogwash! Making video games is actually a whole lot easier than many people realize, thanks to specialized tools available for purchase (and free download) on the internet.

You don't need to be a brilliant mathematician, and you don't need to understand how to build your own PC, and you don't need a college degree in computer science or 3D art. While those things certainly help, of course, many people just like you are making fun video games right now, and the best part is, they aren't spending fortunes to make this happen. Some are simple hobbyists, making games for friends and family, and perhaps giving them out for free on the web. Some others are budding entrepreneurs, with websites and Paypal accounts who sell their games online, some even turning a decent profit in the process. Whatever your ambitions when it comes to making games, this article will point you toward some very useful tools that can help you make your own games.

So what's involved in the process of making games? That depends on your level of seriousness and interest, and what you hope to accomplish with your game development. There's software out there that let's you create entire games without ever writing a single line of source code (computer code), but your games will be extremely similar to other games made with that same software (unless you add code, use a "scripting language," and add unique 3D models and audio). The alternative, of course, requires computer programming. But programming isn't nearly as complex as some make it out to be, and to be honest, it can be quite fun! Let's discuss these two methods of developing games, and point you toward some websites with cool products that can help you out.

Making Games without needed to Write Code
There are quite a few handy tools on the web that let you make your very own video games, without requiring you to be a computer programmer. Probably the best example is software called FPS Creator (www.fpscreator.com/), which sells for $49.99 (and there's a free demo to play with, too). This is a "game engine" which lets you create your very own "First Person Shooter," or "FPS" games. Games of this genre include Halo, Call of Duty, and Battlefield. This software is very easy to learn and use. You choose ground and wall segments, or even entire pre-fab rooms, and place them on a world map wherever you want. Next, drop in some bad guys and some weapons, called "entities." Presto, you have a fun game to play with just a few clicks of your mouse! If you've ever built a house for yourself in The Sims, then you can definitely make an FPS game using FPS Creator. The software comes with 3D models, sound effects, and music files to use in your games, and there's a really handy tool that lets you buy more models and whatnot, built right into the application. If you want to make more unique games in the future, FPS Creator allows you to very easily add your own media (3D models, sky boxes, music and audio, etc.). It comes packaged with an FPI scripting language that lets you write scripts for entities. And best of all, you can download source code for the engine, and with some programming skill, you can alter the engine to suit your own unique needs. We used FPS Creator to make our freeware game Pod 9 (http://pod9.misoftstudios.com/), and we're using it currently, with some modifications, to make the game Redemption 9mm.

There are some other nifty programs out there that let you make games without programming as well. Game Maker (http://www.yoyogames.com/gamemaker/) let's you make 2D games, similar to "old-school" Atari, Nintendo, and Super Nintendo games. RPG Maker (http://tkool.jp/products/rpgxp/eng/) also boasts an "old-school feel," with a focus on developing RPG games, similar to the older Final Fantasy games. Adventure Maker (http://www.adventuremaker.com/) let's you make simple point-and-click games, with tools for making games for your iPhone and PSP, too. Another cool program is Reality Factory (http://www.realityfactory.info/cms/), but make sure you spend an ample amount of time reading up on this one before you use it, because it's slightly more complicated than the other ones I've listed.

Programming Video Games
It can't be denied that making truly unique games requires some computer programming talent. But there are some popular misconceptions about programming, propegated by movies and programmers themselves, that you shouldn't pay attention to. The first myth is that programming requires immense mathematical knowledge. This is only true if you're using complex programming languages like C++, or working with cutting-edge coding techniques. Another myth is that it takes millions of lines of code to create a computer program. While this may be true for some games, like Far Cry 2 for instance, it's a myth that ignores the fact that a wide variety of games, many of which are extremely fun to play, can be made with far fewer lines of code. Depending on the language and tools you're using, you might be able to make a fun, modern game with just a few thousand lines of code. That might seem like a lot, but once you learn the basics of programming, it really is quite simple to hammer out that much code!

So what programming languages are best? C++ is the most widely-used language in the field of game development, but it is by no means the easiest language to write code for, and it isn't necessarily the best, either! You can accomplish making some very fun and modern games using derivatives (versions) of the BASIC language. These are cheap to purchase, easy to learn, and fast to work with. DarkBASIC Professional (http://darkbasicpro.thegamecreators.com/) is made by the same folks who brought us FPS Creator, which was mentioned earlier. In fact, FPS Creator was made using DarkBASIC Professional... quite the testament to how cool this programming language is. My team's been using "DBPro" for many years now, and I very strongly recommend it. Blitz Basic (http://www.blitzbasic.com/) is similar to DarkBASIC Pro, but has a smaller community. PlayBasic is another fabulous programming tool, with a focus on 2D game development.

Go Make Some Games!
Making games is fun, easy, and can be challenging in all the right ways. And your friends will all think it's pretty doggone cool, too! I hope you found this article informative and helpful. I'm always just a comment away if you need some pointers, too. If you make some cool new games, please let me know, I'm always on the look-out for fun new independent games to try!