How to make

your first game

In ten easy steps

By: Aaron Charcoal Styles

About

Me

1.Tafe student for 2 years2 games2.Pro for 1 year

3 games3.Indie for 1 year1 game4.Uni student for 1.5 years6 games

Step 1The Idea

Ste

p 1

: The Idea

Ste

p 1

: The Idea

Ste

p 1

: The Idea

Ste

p 1

: The Idea

Step 2Go Away

Ste

p 2

: G

o A

way

Ste

p 2

: G

o A

way

Ste

p 2

: G

o A

way

Ste

p 2

: G

oAw

ay

Step 3Write It

Ste

p 3

: W

rite

It

Ste

p 3

: W

rite

It

Ste

p 3

: W

rite

It

Ste

p 3

: W

rite

It

http://gamestorm.tumblr.com/

Step 4Ignore It

Ste

p 4

: Ig

nore

It

Ste

p 4

: Ig

nore

It

Ste

p 4

: Ig

nore

It

Step 5It’s a homage

Ste

p 5

: It

’s a

hom

age

Ste

p 5

: It

’s a

hom

age

Ste

p 5

: It’s a

hom

age

Step 6Analysis

Ste

p 6

: Analysis

Pick out the actors

Ste

p 6

: Analysis

Pick out the actions

Alien Movement

UFO

Movement

Player

Movement

Player ShootBullet

Movement

Ste

p 6

: Analysis

Pick out the interactions

Bullet vs

Invader

Both die

Addition to

score

Bullet vs

player

Both die

Subtract life

Bullet vs cover

Bullet dies

Cover crumbles

Bullet vs UFO

Both die

Addition to score

Invader vs

player

Both die

Subtract life

Invader vs cover

Cover crumbles

Ste

p 6

: Analysis

Pick out the polish

SFX

On Bullet

spawn

On Invader

move

On Invader

killed

On UFO spawn

On Player killed

VFX

Invaders

animate on

move

Cover crumbles

Invader Bullet

animates

Explosion when

Invader, UFO or

Player dies

Step 7Pick a Tech

Ste

p 7

: Pi

ck a

Te

ch

Ste

p 7

: Pi

ck a

Te

ch

Stencylhttp://www.stencyl.com/

Ste

p 7

: Pi

ck a

Te

ch

Game Maker

http://www.yoyogames.com/gamemaker/windows

Ste

p 7

: Pi

ck a

Te

ch

Flixelhttp://www.flixel.org/

Ste

p 7

: Pi

ck a

Te

ch

Unityhttp://unity3d.com/

Ste

p 7

: Pi

ck a

Te

ch

XNAhttp://create.msdn.com/en-US/

Step 8Join a Community (or ten)

Ste

p 8

: Join

a

Com

munity

TIGSource Forums

http://forums.tigsource.com/

Ste

p 8

: Join

a

Com

munity

Super Friendship Club

http://superfriendshipclub.com/

Ste

p 8

: Join

a

Com

munity

IGDA Melbourne

http://igdamelbourne.org/

Step 9Make the Game

Ste

p 9

: M

ake

the

Gam

e

Ste

p 9

: M

ake

the

Gam

e

Ste

p 9

: M

ake

the

Gam

e

Step 10Show it Off

Ste

p 1

0:

Show

it

Off

Ste

p 1

0:

Show

it

Off

Ste

p 1

0:

Show

it

Off

Conclusion

Concl

usi

on

Steps 4 to 10 for the

first gameSteps 1 to 3 and 6 to

10 for future games

Conta

ct http://charcoalstyles.com

aaron@charcoalstyles.com

Twitter: @Charcoal