Video games are not easy to create and they never have been, except during one period of time when flash browser games were flooding the internet.

Today, video games are created in various ways, using engines or building your own if the existing engines are not cutting it. Either of the choices require a lot of effort and time, so creating your own game is not a process that you should rush into head first. There are some things that you should know before opting to start developing a game. 

Here are the said things, to prepare better for the process of development.

Have a Clear Idea Of What the Game Should Be

Before you start doing anything, you need to have a very clear idea of what your game will be about. A story is important, but the gameplay and the way that story is implemented is more important. You can always write a story, regardless of whether you are developing a game or not, but you can’t change a game engine overnight and switch to another one, or completely redesign the gameplay after even 30% of it was complete. 

If you know what your game will be doing, how it is going to play, then it will be easier for you to choose the right tools to start working on the game.

Engines and Frameworks Matter

Let’s face it, building your own engine from scratch is hard and will take you a lot more time than it would take you to use an engine that already exists. Engines like Unity and Unreal are very powerful and can help you make anything from simple games to really complex ones, just look at any Unreal 4 title. 

Frameworks can help you by giving you more tools and libraries to work with, however, they are not as complete as engines are, nor are they as limiting. While engines are powerful, they are limiting, in a way. Frameworks leave you with more options, but also more work. Choose one or both, and see if you can’t combine them for the best possible effect.

Choose an Environment

For starters, 2D games are much easier to make than 3D games. Top down, or whichever perspective you choose for your camera, you will have an easier time making the graphics that will be shown in the game. 3D games have more complexity, both in terms of graphics and physics and are a beast of their own.

While you could start with a 3D game, it is recommended to go for a 2D one first, until you get your feet wet. This is especially true for people who are not programmers, but still want to work on a game. Programmers should also go for 2D, because they know how much harder 3D is.

Starting work on your game should not be done prior to you doing some preparation work, of which these tips are a part of. Choose your path wisely, so as not to overwhelm yourself and take away from the creation experience.