Games are arguably the biggest entertainment platform of the 21st century. The industry has grown into a multibillion-dollar venture with even more development opportunities in the coming years. The growth prospects inherent in this industry make it an enterprising industry for software engineers to hone their craft and even profit from it. Interestingly, gaming is open-source; hence, the engineer can develop a game and release it for public consumption. Game development is not as simple as it seems, and while a game may be developed and published by a single individual, there is often more than one person involved in the conceptualization and execution of the gaming plan.
Game Development
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Game development involves bringing the gaming concept to life. The concept in itself can be individually or group-based. This is because a game developer could refer to a single individual or a game studio. Game development is the bridge between concept and reality. In the process of game development, the services of experts such as artists, engineers, and coding experts’ specialists may be required. This is because; it is at this stage that the critical activities and efforts needed to produce the game would be ultimately decided.
A video game and a casino are quite similar in the sense that they both require the output of different persons. Just as a casino with only one game is likely to be less appealing and commercially successful compared to one with a variety of games, a video game will be better produced when other persons are involved. A good game must be interesting and aesthetically pleasing, and the judgment of what determines “interesting” should necessarily involve the opinion of several individuals, just like Great Rhino Megaways demo extrudes all these attributes. The question of whether a game is best developed single-handedly or collectively can best be answered by considering the stages of game development. There are 6 stages involved in game development.
- The first stage is the conceptualization stage, where the general idea/theme of the game will be decided. Every game must have a theme and idea; this will serve as a guide during the entirety of its development.
- The second stage is the pitch, and this is the stage where the idea of the game is summarized and pitched out to the other individuals who might be willing to either participate directly in its development or finance it.
- The third stage will involve a more comprehensive explanation of the concept, and this is where the gaming demographics and every other aspect of the game will be established.
- The fourth stage will involve the drafting of the game design document.
- The fifth stage will involve the development of a prototype. Here the game will be trialed and observed for errors.
- The sixth and final stage will involve the production of the game.
Why you need to be a Team Player to Develop a Game
The game development process requires a lot more than just a brilliant concept or idea; it requires the capacity to synergize with others who will be involved in different aspects of game development. The brilliant concepts and ideas presented in the games we play tend to involve different professionals who must work hand in hand to facilitate the release of a unique game that would attract the attention of prospective players. You will need to be able to coordinate the actions and activities of the professionals so they can play their role optimally in developing the game. It is very rare if not impossible for a single individual to be involved in the planning and execution of every aspect of the game. Whether you are a rookie or an expert in game design and development, you are at least likely going to require some level of help in the following areas;
Game Design
Each game comes with its unique features, and a new game is likely to come with its own concept, mechanics, characters, levels, and mechanics. While the game originator can develop the information pertaining to these intrinsic features, they will likely require a measure of help in implementing them accordingly.
Finance
The development of a game involves money, and it may be so costly for an individual to finance it effectively. This could explain why lots of the top games are released by a studio. Depending on the concept of the game, the cost of developing a game can range from a few hundred dollars to millions of dollars. Therefore, the gaming developer may require some level of assistance with funding the game. Rather than heading to a financial institution to borrow funds, the game concept could be pitched out to interested individuals who could lend financial support to the large scale production of the game.
The Process of Game Development
The development of a game involves the infusion of the major elements of the game that makes the game playable and enjoyable. Such elements as sounds and game levels will be developed at this stage. Teamwork can complement game development in the following ways;
- Access to new ideas
- Motivation and morale
- Boosts creativity, innovation, and learning
- Enhance flexibility
- Encourage healthy risk-taking
- Relieves stress
- Ensures quicker resolution of glitches or issues with the game.
Consequent to the stated points above, it is apt to state that YES, you do need to be a team player to develop a game effectively. Conclusively, it takes a team to develop a quality game. This is why the credits of a game tend to involve multiple individuals. Aside from gaming, most entertainment channels require more than a single individual performing different roles. While these roles could range from major to minor, in the end, the input of everyone involved culminates in the quality of the end product. There are aspects of gaming development that the individual can implement single-handedly, and there are aspects the inputs of others may be required. While it is clear that we live in the internet era where access to information is easily achievable, going through all the stages of game development will only create more stress and also diminish the quality of output obtainable from the game. Alternatively, while there may be available tools and software that could simplify the stages of game development, more success can yet be obtained if other professionals are engaged in the process.
