Game Development Software

So you want to create your own games, but you need to find game development software to get you started. There are lots of game development software available for you to use. Some free, some very expensive, others under a hundred dollars but are very easy to use. This article will discuss the traits you should look for when finding the perfect game development software for your next project.

Finding the perfect Game Development Software

The first step in finding the perfect game development software is to learn what traits you will want to look for. The five main traits you should be looking for are: usability, cost, feature-set, community, and Customization. Let's quickly discuss what each of these traits mean.

Usability

Usability is how easy the game development software is to use. This is really the most important trait if you are new to making games. You do not need to have software with a step learning curve. You should be able to jump in and start making your game without much learning.

Cost

Cost is how expensive it is to use the game development software. Expensive game development software is a huge setback if you are developing games for a hobby. Only you can decide what is too expensive for you, but it is not unreasonable to spend up to $100 USD to get great game development software.

Feature Set

The feature set is what kind of game the game development software can make. If you want to make the next best Role Playing Game (RPG) then you will want to find game development software that has a feature set that allows you to do so. Examples of features include: 2D maps, turn based battles, eventing, skills/spells, etc.

Community

By community, I mean if the game development software has a large, active community that supports it and so you can reach out and get help when you need to. This also applies to finding additional graphics and other resources to make your game even more unique. If there is no community using the game development software, then it will be more difficult for a new game developer to use.

Customization

Finally, customization is how easy it is to customize the games you make with the game development software. If you can't change almost every aspect of your game, then that game development software will limit your creativity.

All of these traits need to be compared when looking for the perfect game development software. It will be hard to find a single game development platform that is great in all traits. So you will need to balance each to what is most important to you. Finding game development software that does three of these traits perfectly and is alright on the other is a good start. But we are always on the look for that software that is perfect in all traits.

Comparing popular Game Development Software Platforms

With the traits in mind, it is now time to compare the popular game development software platforms currently available. There are more than just these available, so do check out our game engines section to find more.

Rpg Maker

The Rpg Maker game development software platforms are great software to get you started making your own 2D role playing games. They are extremely easy to use, have a full feature set to create role playing games, a large community, and if you feel like it, you can fully customize every aspect of the games you make with it. The only downside is the cost. The cost ranges between $30 USD to $90 USD, depending on if you get the latest version or not. Learn more about the Rpg Maker platform here.

Game Maker

The Game Maker platform is great software to create other types of games that aren't role playing games. You can create platformers, action games, and if you are up to it, you can even create some 3D games with it. It may not be extremely easy to use, but it does have a large feature set, a large community, and full customization. There is a free version to get you started, but more features are available if you pay. Learn more about Game Maker here.

Join gMaker.org

Our site is a great place to share your work and to get help with your game development. Join us and start shraing your games and recieve valuable feedback. We are also here to help you with any questions or problems you may encounter.

We are excited to meet you and learn more about your ideas and help you with your games. We are very friendly to new members of the game development community.