Nagorik Editorial Team

Posted on

January 6, 2025

How to Make a Game- A Complete Guideline

how to make a game

These days, creating your own game has become easier than ever before. If you’re a beginner and want to make a game from scratch, there are plenty of tools and resources to help you easily create one.

You can make games for free, and you don’t even need coding skills. There are platforms like Unity, Unreal Engine, and GameMaker with many free options for beginners. With drag-and-drop features, you can create fun, interactive games without writing a single line of code. 

In this blog, you’ll find a complete step-by-step guide to making your own game. From choosing the right tools to designing, testing, and sharing your game, we’ll walk you through the entire process.

So, let’s get started.

Step 1: Plan Your Game

When planning your game, the first and most important is to decide what type of game you want to create. And, your game’s theme sets the foundation for its design and mechanics, so take the time to brainstorm. 

Often, the best games are born from a creator’s passion for a genre. Though each genre offers unique possibilities, it’s also important to think about your skills and the experience you want your game players to enjoy.

Again, you also need to consider what your target audience would enjoy. Is it kids looking for fun adventures or adults who enjoy complex challenges? So, if you want to make a game from scratch, start with a solid game plan, target audience, and your game theme.

Step 2: Choose the Right Game Development Tools

Once you plan your game strategy, you’ve to decide the gaming platform you want to make the game.
When choosing tools and technology for a game, consider the type of game, and of course the audience you want to reach. For example, if you’re creating a game for kids, prioritize simplicity, fun, and bright visuals. 

If you want to create a game without any coding, there are several tools like Scratch or Roblox Studio designed for beginners and non-programmers to easily make a game. These tools offer simple drag-and-drop interfaces or pre-built templates that allow you to focus on designing your game without writing a single line of code.

So, let’s find some feature-specific gaming platforms to choose the right platform for your game:

Best Gaming Platforms to build a Game

For more advanced game developers, platforms like Unity and Unreal Engine provide unparalleled flexibility and power. While these require some coding knowledge, their vast ecosystems of plugins, tutorials, and communities make them worth the effort:

  • Unity: Renowned for its versatility, Unity is great for 3D games and supports various platforms, including mobile, PC, and VR.
  • Unreal Engine: Offers cutting-edge graphics capabilities and is often used for AAA games and high-fidelity experiences.
  • Roblox Studio: Focuses on multiplayer games with extensive pre-built assets and a user-friendly interface.

These platforms give you the flexibility to develop any type of 2D, 3D, or even more complex VR games with high-end gaming performance. Not only that, when you use such tools, it lets you choose or alter the devices for which you will develop the game.

Beginner-Friendly Gaming Platforms

Now, if you don’t have any coding skills and you want to make a very basic entry-level game just for yourself or without any business purpose, tools like GameMaker, and Construct 3 can help. These tools are specially designed for beginners:

  • GameMaker Studio: Perfect for 2D games, offering drag-and-drop features alongside scripting options for those ready to dive deeper.
  • Construct 3: A web-based platform ideal for creating 2D games with ease.
  • Thunkable: For app-based games in Android and iOS with no code.

However, no code game with simple drag-and-drop featured gaming platforms will help you to build less than a simple game. For that, you have to go with such gaming tools that allow you to build games with customizable codes to give a more complex and real-time experience to your customers.

Simple Visual Design Platforms for Games:

  • Canva: Useful for designing simple board games or game assets like cards and visuals.
  • Tynker: Great for kids and educational games without requiring programming skills.

Game Development Tool Comparison Table

Let’s now compare some best gaming platforms to help you to choose the right tool to make a game:

ToolBest ForStrengthsLimitations
GameMaker Studio2D gamesIntuitive interface, versatile scriptingLimited 3D support
Construct 32D gamesNo installation, real-time collaborationRequires subscription for advanced features
Unity3D and multi-platform gamesLarge asset store, community supportA bit hard for beginners & most features in paid version.
Unreal EngineHigh-end 3D and cinematic gamesAdvanced rendering, photorealistic graphicsComplex interface, high configuration required.
GDevelopFree and open-source 2D gamesMultiplatform support, beginner-friendlyLimited advanced features compared to Unity.

Step 3: Design Your Game Elements

Now, you’ve to design all the elements like gaming characters, background, etc according to your game plan. In general, an online game requires the basic elements:

  • Characters of your game
  • Game environment/world
  • Game Mechanics
  • Audio Design
  • User Interface (UI)
  • Visual Style/Graphics
  • Player Interactions
  • Game Challenges/Obstacles
  • Game Economy

However, if it’s a platformer game, the focus is on simple actions like jumping or running, so the design will be clean and easy. On the other hand, if you’re planning for an RPG (role-playing game), things need to get more detailed. You’ll also need complex designs and UI for characters, maps, and a deeper story. The sound in an RPG has to set the mood for different places in the game, and there might even be a need for voice acting for characters.

And, if you want to make multiplayer games, it requires a different focus, with network features, matchmaking systems, and a more complex UI. It’s because in such games they need to handle things like player stats and leaderboards. Even, in multiplayer games, the game layout and sound also demand real-time interactions, like in-game chat and action feedback. Again, the game design also depends on your budget for making the game. A small indie game might be affordable, but a high-quality game for multiple platforms can increase your costs.

Generally, it costs $5,000-$20,000 in the USA to create simpler games like 2D puzzles where free or low-cost gaming software might work just fine. However, for more complex games like RPG multiplayer games, or even AAA titles, the gaming cost can be more than millions.So, think about your budget and then plan your game design document (GDD) accordingly.

Step 4: Start Building Your Game

Now that your game elements and design are ready, it’s time to bring everything together and start building your game. You’ll need to set up your workspace, import all the assets you’ve created, and piece them together into scenes or levels for your game world. Whether you’re coding interactions or using visual tools, every detail counts.
Now, to build a simple game, simply go to your preferred game engine like GameMaker or Construct. Then, just use drag and drop to place all the elements and the game layout and basic mechanics such as character movement and collision detection. And, finally integrate the elements, animations, and sound effects to make your game live without writing code.

Even, If coding is needed, you can write simple scripts to make your game interactive (like moving characters or opening doors). 

Now, when you’re creating an advanced game with coding, you’ll need a powerful engine like Unity or Unreal Engine. So, first, start with your game’s structure and set up your workspace. 

You’ll then write code to control character movements, design interactions, and create features like AI behaviors or multiplayer modes. Advanced games often need special effects, physics, and detailed environments using code or integration with plugins. 

Step 5: Optimize your game

Once you build your game, now you’ve to optimize it for better performance and a smoother experience. First, you need to optimize the graphics settings in your game engine to ensure it runs well, even on devices with lower specs. 
Again, to make a game for the App Store, you’ve to ensure the game size and load times are according to the App Store’s guidelines. So, adjust the game visuals to reduce any lags. You can test your game using Xcode to fix bugs. You can even compress large assets, like images and sounds, to make your game load faster without losing quality. 

In case you use your GPU instead of the CPU to make your game, you need to add the game to the list of apps and set it to “High Performance”  in your computer’s graphics settings. Again, make sure your drivers are updated.

Step 6: Integrate your game with AI

Now, to create smarter, more engaging experiences, integrating AI into your game is a must. AI can handle repetitive tasks and add dynamic elements to your players’ actions. 

For example, you can use AI to create non-player characters (NPCs) to offer a more realistic and immersive experience. Again, to make the game challenging yet fun for all players, AI can also adjust difficulty levels automatically. To integrate AI with your game, you can easily start with tools like Unity ML agents. You can also add AI chatbots to assist players in real time or create conversational interactions using tools like OpenAI. 

Step 7: Alpha and Beta Game Testing

Now, your game is completely ready to play. But, before launching your game, you need to test your game to ensure it’s polished and ready for players. First, go with alpha testing, which involves testing the game internally. This is your chance to find and fix major bugs, the core gameplay mechanics, and check performance across devices. 

Once the game is stable, move to beta testing by sharing it with a limited group of external players. Here, you’ll gather feedback on the overall experience, difficulty levels, and usability. Ensure you check how well the game runs on different platforms, its load times, and whether it aligns with player expectations.

Finally, test your game on multiple platforms such as mobile devices, PCs, and tablets to ensure it works effectively across all of them. This step helps you identify and fix any platform-specific issues and make sure your game is ready for all devices to enjoy.

Step 8: Publish the game

Publishing your game is the final step to bringing your creation to players worldwide. You can publish your games for free on some free game hosting websites like Newgrounds. However, if you make your games on Steam or Roblox, then you need to create an account and pay on a subscription basis to publish.

So, to publish your game, first, you have popular options like Google Play Store and Apple App Store for mobile games, Steam for PC games, or platforms like Itch.io and Epic Games Store for indie projects. 

Depending on your game’s target platform, you might choose:

  • Google Play Store or Apple App Store for mobile games
  • Steam for PC games
  • Itch.io for indie projects

If your game targets specific consoles like PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch, you’ll need to follow their developer guidelines. Even, to launch your game on a different monitor, set the desired monitor as your primary display in your computer’s display settings. Then, open the game. If it still launches on the wrong monitor, you can simply drag it to the desired screen to select the monitor.

Finally, decide on a monetization strategy for free, freemium, or paid and promote your game on social media and other gaming communities to reach a wider audience.

How Nagorik Helps You Make A game?

If you want to create advanced or intermediate-level games, coding becomes a necessity. Simple drag-and-drop options are sufficient for entry-level or basic games, but that’s not enough for more complex gaming projects with unlimited customizations.So, what if you have an excellent game idea but lack the technical skills to develop your own game? That’s where Nagorik comes in.

Nagorik empowers you to turn your game ideas into reality without requiring any gaming expertise. Even when coding a single character feels impossible, Nagorik’s expert game developers handle all the complex coding tasks for you. Their all-in-one service ensures you get a ready-to-launch game for your customers at an affordable price.

Why Choose Nagorik?

Nagorik is known for its expertise in building:

  • Mobile Apps and Games: Create user-friendly and innovative applications for Android and iOS platforms.
  • Multiplayer Online Games: Design immersive multiplayer experiences that foster social interaction.
  • Educational and Simulation Games: Develop games that are both engaging and educational, catering to learners of all ages.
  • Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) Games: Craft next-gen experiences that leverage cutting-edge technologies.

Nagorik Games has an impressive portfolio of successful projects that highlight their expertise in developing engaging and diverse gaming experiences. These games span various genres, including hyper-casual, arcade, puzzles, and board games, catering to a wide range of audiences. Such as:

  • Ludo Games
  • Rummy Games
  • Card & Poker Games
  • Play to Earn Games
  • HTML5 & Web3 Games

FAQs on Game Development

Can I create a game with my phone?

You can use apps like GameMaker, Scratch, or Pocket Code to create a game with a mobile phone. These apps let you design simple games using drag-and-drop tools. While limited compared to PCs, they’re perfect for beginners to start.

How much time is needed to create a game?

The time to make a game depends on how big and detailed it is. Small games usually take 1 to 2 months based on design and basic features. Advanced games can take 2 to 3 years because they need more work, like creating detailed graphics and advanced gameplay.

Do free games get paid?

Yes, free games can still make money. Many free games like Fortnite use methods like in-app purchases, ads, or premium features to generate revenue. These games are free to play but make money from in-game purchases for cosmetics, battle passes, and other items. Players can enjoy the game for free, but they’re encouraged to spend money on additional content.

Some of the games include Surfing Majnu, Tomb Runner, HoopHop Bounce, Sweet Candy, and Ludo Legend. These games have garnered significant downloads and positive reviews. By collaborating with Nagorik, you gain access to a team of experienced developers who ensure your game meets high-quality standards. From initial concept to final deployment, Nagorik takes care of every detail, allowing you to focus on your vision and goals.

Visit our website to learn more about their services and start your game development journey today.

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