The games industry has grown significantly in recent years. What was long considered a "niche hobby" only pursued by penniless nerds has now developed into a mass phenomenon. The passion to play against each other with friends in competitive online games or to discover foreign worlds on the couch is now part of everyday life for many people. This is also reflected in the numbers. In Germany alone, the games industry is now worth 6.2 billion euros. And the demand for the games is constantly increasing, especially in the mobile games sector.
No wonder, then, that many development studios are desperately looking for programmers to work on new games in the various studios. But a large community of hobby developers has also formed outside of the professional world. But is it even possible to teach yourself how to code games? In this article we want to give you an introduction to the most popular platforms for game development and explain which game engine is suitable for beginners.
Where do you start?
Game engine for beginners: which one is the right one?
How do you start programming?
Tutorials on YouTube
Game Engines for Beginners: Learning on Other Online Platforms
Game development requires patience and dedication
Where do you start?
But before you can think about what you want to program specifically, you should have created some prerequisites and given some thought to it. The central questions that absolute beginners in the field of game development face are: What hardware do I need to be able to program? In which gaming engine should I program? Do I have to be able to program at all? And above all: Where can I find suitable sources to quickly get started with game development?
So let's start with the hardware: In short, an i5 processor or higher is ideal for programming in peace. Because most gaming engines need a lot of processor power to run smoothly. Accordingly, it makes sense to have at least 8 GB of RAM. 16 GB and everything above that is actually better. We have already published an article where you can find all the important specifications and some laptop models that we recommend if you want to develop games yourself.
Game engine for beginners: which one is the right one?
One of the biggest decisions you will have to make when starting your new passion is choosing the game engine. Luckily for all of us, there are now many good engines that are completely free for hobby programmers. The two main representatives are the Unreal Engine and Unity. From Deus Ex to Bioshock or Rainbow Six Siege to Fortnite or The Stanley Parable: Many AAA titles are developed with the Unreal or Unity Engine. More and more developer studios swear by them. But even apart from these two "giants" there are good game engines for beginners.
Unreal Engine
What makes the engine so popular? First of all, it is completely free for beginners. You can simply download the engine from the website, launch it and you're good to go! Unreal has the advantage that it is used by many developers. You can find a corresponding number of tutorials and assistance online. In addition, the engine is incredibly diverse and allows you to create a highly complex game almost from nothing. However, this strength is more of a problem for many beginners.
Because if you're not very familiar with programming, the many functions in Unreal can quickly become confusing and confusing. As a beginner, many of the features are nice-to-have but ultimately not necessary for programming a first game. As a beginner, you can benefit from the free online learning and find a large community that will support you in your process. If you decide to publish a game of yours one day, Epic, the company behind the Unreal Engine, will require you to cede 5% of your sales to them every quarter if you make $3,000 or more.
Unity Engine
The Unity Engine is also one of the most important and widely used engines. Indie developers in particular swear by the software. What makes Unity so special is, on the one hand, the large community that is at your side with advice and action, and, on the other hand, the easy access to the basic functions. This makes the game engine very attractive for beginners. Some extra features can be purchased for money and there are numerous online courses that you can take for free. It doesn't matter whether you're just starting out or you actually want to create a longer project: Unity is easy to understand and still has all the basic functions that you will need.
As a private person you get the engine completely free of charge, as a student there are a few extra features such as dark mode or real-time cloud diagnostics. Either way, you have access to Learn Premium, Unity's learning platform. Here you can get all the information you need, take part in live sessions and enroll in various courses. This increases long-term motivation and can help you to overcome hurdles. As soon as you turn over more than 200,000 US dollars within twelve months, you have to get Unity Plus, which costs 37 euros per “place”, i.e. per person in your team, as a subscription.
INSANE GRAPHICS IN UNITY 2018! | Interior Demo with ArchVizPRO (VR-friendly!)
Watch this video on YouTube
Manu
At the moment this game engine is still in alpha. Nevertheless, you can download it for free with a simple registration. But what can Manu do that Unreal and Unity can't? In short, Manu offers a programming area in which you don't have to use any coding. While you can't get very far with Unreal Engine and Unity without at least understanding the basics of C++, in Manu you can develop entire games without having to work with code once. The platform tries to find a programming approach that is as playful as possible through interactive objects and minimalistic settings. You don't need any prior knowledge and you can get right into the action. This makes Manu the perfect game engine for beginners who might want to get a taste of game development first.
On the website you will also find helpful tutorials for getting started with game development. However, you should be aware that the minimalist functions do not allow as much creativity as is the case in other engines. In addition, there are not that many tutorials at the moment and the community is a bit smaller. However, if you want to get into the topic in a relaxed manner and try it out first, or have never looked at a code before, Manu is a clear platform on which you can simply let off steam.
MANU Video Game Maker - Getting Started Guide
Watch this video on YouTube
GameMaker Studio 2
The full-fledged GameMaker Studio 2 engine has been around for a while. The developer community is correspondingly large and diverse. With a 30-day trial subscription, you can try it out before you decide on a subscription model. The cheapest subscription starts at $39 for one year access to the platform. Within the application, you have the option of choosing from pre-set settings as well as completely free coding. In general, the GameMaker Studio 2 interface is kept minimalistic. At the heart of programming are images and animations, game logic and the ability to interact with objects, as well as creating different rooms and levels. Accordingly, GameMaker Studio 2 is particularly suitable if you plan to primarily create 2D games. Nevertheless, 3D games can also be developed.
GameMaker Studio 2 - Room Editor
Watch this video on YouTube
Godot
Godot got into its third version two years ago and is still widely used today. Particular value is placed here on creating an attractive programming area in which the developers can quickly find their way around and have fun programming. The open source project is relatively flexible and gives you a lot of freedom in how you want to design your game. In addition, there are already many templates in the application that you can use for your projects. If you really want to delve deep into the subject matter of this engine, you can also create your own tools that can then be used by the rest of the community.
The engine is free and can be used for 32 and 64 bit systems. The Godot project is only funded through Patreon. On the website you will find written instructions that introduce you to the basics of the program. Like other competitors, Godot's features are somewhat limited compared to Unity or Unreal. Nevertheless, the engine offers many functions and is very individually adaptable due to the open source aspect. So the game engine might be a bit overwhelming for beginners, but you will always get help from other developers. Cooperation with and within the community is important.
Which engine suits whom?
Think about it: do you want to create video games in 2D or 3D? Do you need great graphics and a lot of different functions above all else, or do you prefer a little help when starting out? Maybe you're not a fan of coding at all. Then we recommend Manu, because you can let off steam here without any prior knowledge. This engine proves that getting started in game development doesn't always have to be difficult. And this application can also be used to program complete games. GameMaker Studio 2 is suitable for those who want to go a little more in the direction of classic programming, because here you can switch between classic coding and the default settings.
Godot, on the other hand, offers you a great environment if you want to shoot completely freely. While the basic features are easy to understand, if you really want to dig deep into programming, you can even develop your own tools and share them with the community. Ultimately, however, the "industry standard" remains with the Unreal Engine and Unity. If you want to work professionally, mastering these two engines is a must. Unity can be even easier to understand and clearer for beginners, whereas the Unreal Engine then has a wider range of features to offer.
How do you start programming?
Once you've decided on an engine and downloaded it, you're faced with the question: Where do I start? As already mentioned, every engine presented has a large forum with many community members and a separate learning area that should make it easier for you to get started. However, not all learning platforms are created equal.
With Unity, for example, the focus is clearly on certain subject areas that are specifically explained. There are few courses that seem helpful as a complete beginner. If you're just getting started and perhaps don't even know what kind of project you want to start with, you'll be overwhelmed here. However, what is very successful about this learning platform from Unity is the opportunity to take part in live courses. You simply register for free and can then see the teacher via live chat and live stream, communicate with him or her and complete the tasks he or she gives you. In addition, you quickly make contact with other programmers and can motivate each other.
A similar problem arises with the Unreal Engine. Even if the online courses are very elaborately produced and above all offer a lot of depth of detail, the many possibilities of the game engine seem a bit "overwhelming" for beginners. Because the engine is often used for 3D animations outside of games, such as for advertising or television productions. Thus, the area of application is much larger and there are many tutorials that are specifically intended for visual artists or marketing experts. If you're not quite sure where you want to go with game programming, other platforms are a better place to learn Unreal Engine.
Godot and Manu are still having the problem that their tutorials for the engine are very sparse. Basics are explained, but there is little in depth. At least the GameMaker Studio 2 manages to pick you up as a beginner. The tutorials offer a good overview of the possibilities of the engine, although the instructions are not particularly numerous.
Tutorials on YouTube
With most developers having a high affinity for tech, it's no wonder that some of the best tutorials for all the engines presented can be found on YouTube. From extensive introductions for beginners, to working on entire projects together, to step-by-step tutorials for extremely specific applications within the engines, you can actually find everything on YouTube. Here is a small list of the best channels for getting started with game development.
Unreal Engine:
Quixel
World of Level Design
Astrum Sensei – Game Dev Tutorials
Unity Engine
bracket
Skyoo
UGuruz
Manu
MANU Video Game Maker
Since the engine is still in alpha at the moment, this is the only YT channel with the basics.
GameMaker: Studio 2
Shaun Spalding
Let's Learn GameMaker: Studio
YoYo Games
Godot
GDQuest
HeartBeast
Code With Tom
Game Engines for Beginners: Learning on Other Online Platforms
While the tutorials on YouTube are all available for free, there is also an opportunity to learn video game programming on a learning platform. We've talked about Skillshare and other online learning tools in the past. Most of them also offer game development courses. At Udemy, for example, you will find numerous Unity courses that cost around twelve euros. You can also find individual courses for the Unreal Engine and other products here. You will also find practical instructions here on how to get by as a freelance game developer and get orders or even a permanent position.
Also at Skillshare, most of the courses cover Unity, but you can also learn other important skills in the sessions, such as how a successful video game should be structured. Aside from the most visited courses, you will also find some units on Godot or the Unreal Engine, as well as some beginner coding courses.
Apart from the two largest platforms for self-sufficient online learning, there are numerous paid courses from other providers, some of which can even be completed with a certificate. However, caution is advised here. Not all courses offered online are of high quality.
Before you pay money for a certificate, you should research beforehand what experiences have been made with the course offered. How good the lecturer is and what the certificate will bring you should of course be clarified in advance. In an article IGN created an overview of the 39 best online courses for getting started with game development that should give you a good start. Ultimately, an advantage of certificate courses is that the course takes place live. In all likelihood, you will be given tasks that have to be completed by a certain deadline. This increases the chance that you will actually stick with it and mostly you have the chance to get to know other people with the same interests.
Game development requires patience and dedication
It is well known that no master has fallen from the sky. And when it comes to video game development, that saying is especially true. Especially at the beginning you will often encounter some difficulties that cannot be solved directly. Game development is time consuming and requires a high tolerance for frustration. But you can also create something that no one else has developed and implement your own ideas without compromise. Game development can also be a very fulfilling hobby, and a great job. The focus should always be on having fun with your project, and if you exchange ideas with other developers, you will learn a lot faster than if you fight the unavoidable error messages alone.
This text is part of the Netzpiloten Creative Tech Season. From October to December, we will be devoting ourselves to the creative possibilities that technologies offer us and give you inspiration, instructions, tips and tricks for your own projects! Here you can find more information about the Creative Tech Season and all the articles it contains.
Image by Gorodenkoff via adobestock
tweet
share
share
Leonie Werner
is interested in everything that has to do with media. She is particularly open to topics in the digital field and always up to date when it comes to gaming.
