Lecture
If you often spend time at the games, and for you it is more than just entertainment, then you probably thought about the idea of developing your own game. Maybe you want to do something better in your favorite game, or maybe you had interesting game ideas in your head, or even a completely new game universe, which asks to be realized in the form of a real game.
Creating your own computer game is not so difficult, if you do not start from scratch, but use the work of other, more experienced people. Why engage in programming of standard game elements, if all this is already invented before you, it is better to immediately get into the creative component of the game - to invent levels, enemies, heroes, new interesting events. For this purpose, and created special tools - game engines.
Consider the most popular game engines.
Select a category of game engines:
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Game maker
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The program is designed to create two-dimensional games without the use of programming languages. Instead of lines of code, ready-made actions of game characters are substituted. The user can only create game objects, provide them with two-dimensional sprites or animation, create rules for interaction between objects, arrange objects on levels. You can draw graphics and animations directly in “Game Maker”, without using third-party programs.
In this program, excellent are games with a top view, and platformers with a side view.
"Game Maker" will be interesting and advanced programmers, the ability to add your program code here is also available.
The free version of the program does not limit normal users compared to the paid version of Game Maker Pro. The paid version provides access to complex software modules that are interesting only for real professional programmers.
Construct 2
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Very simple 2D game constructor. Knowledge of programming languages is not required.
Unlike Game Maker, in Construct 2 you can create games for iOS, Android, Facebook, Chrome Web Store, Desktop Windows, Windows 8 Apps, Web (HTML5), Kongregate, and for many other platforms.
This is a better program, but also more money-hungry. Free program until you want to sell your game. In this case, you will need to buy a licensed version. Also on the site of developers there is a special store where you can buy building resources for your game: sets of sounds, music, detailed instructions.
3D Rad
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“3D Rad” is the cheapest option among 3D game engines. The program can be used generally for free, and paying $ 5 you get the latest updates on the day of their release (in the free version, updates appear only after three months). Most often, this engine is used to create racing games.
The program has a simple and intuitive interface, not burdened with trifles.
“3D Rad” supports installation of individual plug-ins, has pre-installed AI models, shadow maps and textures. There is the possibility of creating online games.
NeoAxis Game Engine SDK
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Excellent game engine with a simple interface and high-quality graphics. Designed to create games in almost any genre.
Created on the basis of the engine Ogre3D. C # and C ++ and the .NET platform are used as a programming language, but there is an opportunity to do without programming thanks to special libraries of ready-made actions. For the engine there are various additions and extensions developed by third-party users. You can export for 3dsMax and Maya, Autodesk Softimage and Blender. Shaders, lighting and shadows PSSM (Parallel-Split Shadow Map) are supported.
NeoAxis Engine is distributed under 4 types of licenses: Non-commercial - free of charge for non-commercial projects; Indie-licensed - $ 95/295 (one / team); Commercial - $ 395 / $ 995 (one / team); License for source code - from $ 9,800.
The main advantage of this game engine is maximum convenience and simplicity. In addition, the engine was developed by domestic programmers, so that it has the Russian language by default. When you purchase a licensed version, you get high-quality technical support in your own language.
Unity 3d
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A comprehensive tool that contains everything you need to create a game. The package “Unity 3D” includes a graphics engine that fully utilizes the capabilities of DirectX and OpenGL, a built-in editor of 3D models, separate programs for creating and processing shaders, shadows, landscapes, physics and sounds, as well as rich libraries of scripts. With “Unity 3D” you can forget about third-party programs, or minimize their use.
“Unity 3D” is suitable for creating games of any genre. As a platform, standard computers (Windows XP / Vista / 7, OSX), mobile devices (Android, iOS, Blackberry), game consoles (Wii, Playstation 3, Xbox), Internet browsers (Flash, Web Player) are supported.
There is a special joint development system - Asset Server, which allows you to develop a game as part of an entire team directly via the Internet.
The only drawback is that to use “Unity 3D” you need to know computer programming at least at the middle level. Despite the rich library of ready-made practical software solutions and a powerful scripting engine with instant compilation, you will have to prescribe some of the code yourself in JavaScript or C #.
Unreal Development Kit (UDK)
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One of the most popular game engines in the professional environment of game developers. The Unreal Engine has created such games as: the Unreal Tournament series, the Mass Effect series, XCOM, Borderlands 2, DmC: Devil May Cry, and dozens and hundreds of smaller games.
"UDK" supports the following platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, Android.
This engine was originally sharpened by the creation of 3D-shooters, but there are also opportunities for creating games of related genres: slashers, adventures, MMO games.
The game engine perfectly creates face animations, complex architecture of buildings, processes complex physical objects. UDK has all the necessary tools for creating animations, textures, sounds, levels, models, software scripts. There is a built-in library containing over 1000 structures, other 3D models, standard textures and sounds. There is the possibility of programming in a special language “Unreal Script” (created on the basis of C ++).
You can use the “UDK” for free, until you decide to officially publish your game, created on this engine. In this case, you have to fork out for an expensive license.
CryENGINE 3 Free SDK
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CryENGINE 3 is the pinnacle of modern game engines, providing photo-realistic graphics with support for DirectX 11 and third-generation shaders. The third version of the engine was created in 2009. This engine has created a series of games “Far Cry” and “Crysis”, an online game “Aion”, as well as dozens of lesser-known computer games.
Crytek decided to distribute this already popular game engine free of charge. But free of charge acts exactly until such time as you do not want to officially release the game created on this engine. The licensed version is more expensive than all similar programs, but it is worth the money.
On CryENGINE 3 you can create games for the platforms: PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
You can import textures from graphics programs “3ds max”, “Maya” and also from previous versions of the engine.
The “CryENGINE 3” engine turned out to be very popular, it has a whole Russian-speaking community, thanks to which you can easily find all kinds of educational materials, as well as answers to specific questions.
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Computer games developming
Terms: Computer games developming