Choosing Your Game Development Software
Allison Bokone
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Last updated on March 30, 2024
When you’re starting out on your game development journey, there are many decisions that need to be made. Selecting the right software tools is one of those decisions, and choosing tools that are a good fit for your team is critical for efficient and successful game development. Here are some key areas where the right software can make a difference.
Game engines provide the foundation for developing interactive games. A game engine is a software framework that streamlines and simplifies game development by providing tools for many of the more tedious and time consuming activities associated with game creation.
Game engine features can vary widely but usually include support for graphics rendering, physics simulation, input, audio, AI, and animation. Having a framework to handle the aspects of the game that are used over and over enables developers to focus on making the game content. Incredibuild states that, “By providing devs with a singular ecosystem for game creation, game engines bring the level of consistency, interoperability, and modularity needed to create unique and streamlined gaming experiences.”
Popular game engines like Unity, Unreal Engine, and Godot provide developers with powerful and flexible tools to bring their game ideas to life. When choosing a game engine, consider factors such as your target platform, programming language preferences, and available resources. For a more in-depth look at game engines, check out Best Game Engines For 2023 – Which Should You Use? from GameDev Academy.
Sometimes a game engine will meet most of your needs, but fall short in one or two areas. GamesRadar explains that game engines have a modular nature, which allows game devs to improve or adjust the game engine’s functionality by adding software. That additional software is called middleware and typically focuses on a particular area, such as audio, where the original engine underperforms. For a quick intro to common middleware tools watch: A guide to the first 15 seconds of every game from Polygon.
Audio plays a vital role in creating immersive gaming experiences. Wwise and FMOD, along with other types of audio design middleware, enable developers to create and implement high-quality sound effects, music, and voice-overs. Consider the specific audio needs of your game, and choose software that provides the necessary tools and capabilities for your audio design workflow.
AI middleware can be used for pathfinding or to enhance interactions with non-player characters. Kythera AI, Havok AI, and Mercuna are examples of popular navigation toolsets. AI Middleware: Getting Into Character summarizes a series GameDeveloper.com published on character-focused AI middleware and includes overviews of AI.implant, DirectIA, RenderWare AI Middleware (RWAI), and SimBionic.
For games with intense environment interactions or a high number of collisions, computing the physics required to make those scenarios realistic can be expensive in terms of time spent writing performant code. Middleware like Havok Physics offers an SDK that is optimized and proven to be stable so that your team can focus on writing code for your game, and not a physics engine.
Similarly, it can be time-consuming to get every small detail of animation the way you want, and predefined animations can get stale. FaceFX creates realistic facial animation from audio files, making face animation a much simpler process. Euphoria is a 3D human animation middleware that synthesizes character actions and reactions in real-time so that, each time you play, the character experience is unique.
There are several options when it comes to offloading your networking requirements and leveraging existing solutions for features such as lobbies, matchmaking, achievements, and leaderboards. Some options, like Azure Playfab and Demonware, can be used across platforms to unify your player base. There are also solutions that are tied to a particular console or platform and, while not traditionally thought of as middleware, they serve a similar function. The most notable platform-specific multiplayer solutions are Xbox Live (XBL), PlayStation Network (PSN), and Steamworks.
There are many more middleware tools that either fit into several of the above categories (like NVIDIA GameWorks) or they focus on an area outside those core categories, like these examples:
VR continues to be an emerging area where gaming is at the forefront. Unity, Unreal, and CryEngine have partnered with VR/AR companies to ensure there is support for easy porting across development platforms such as Oculus XR, PlayStation VR, SteamVR, ARCore (Android), ARKit (iOS), and Open XR for any device with an OpenXR runtime such as HoloLens. Unity also has a plugin, Mock HMD XR, which simulates an HTC Vive HMD, allowing you to build VR applications without a device.
Creating captivating visuals is essential in game development. 2D and 3D modeling software, such as Adobe Photoshop, Autodesk Maya, and Blender, allow artists and designers to create stunning graphics and 3D models. Consider the art style and requirements of your game and choose software that aligns with your artistic vision and skill set.
Project management tools like the one available in the Assembla platform assist in organizing tasks, tracking progress, and facilitating team communication. Tools like these provide features like task assignment, progress tracking, and issue management. Choose a project management tool that suits your team’s needs and aligns with your preferred workflow.
Version control software, like Git, Subversion (SVN), and Perforce, allows teams to manage and track changes to their game’s source code, assets, and other files. It enables collaboration, facilitates code merging, and helps maintain a history of project revisions. Select version control software that integrates well with your chosen game engine and offers the necessary features for your team’s workflow.
See how Assembla source code management platform integrates with Unreal Engine and Perforce Helix Core to streamline version control for game development.
Continuous integration/continuous delivery software provides tools for automating your build and deployment processes. While some studios choose to create their own, there are several production-ready options such as AWS, Azure DevOps, Jenkins, and Travis CI. The new Assembla and Travis CI integration allows game devs to easily synchronize their P4, SVN, or Git repositories from Assembla into Travis CI. This integration streamlines the process of developing games, testing and deploying in the cloud.
Get fast commit performance, a backup of every commit, and on-demand storage when you move your game development to the cloud. Use your favorite software, like Perforce and SVN, without having to manage on-prem servers.
In the dynamic and competitive world of video game development, following game development best practices and utilizing the right tools is crucial for success. Assembla is an all-in-one platform that combines project management, version control, and collaboration tools specifically designed for cloud based game development.
With features like task tracking, code repository hosting, and team collaboration, Assembla simplifies and streamlines the game development process. By centralizing your development activities on a single cloud platform, you can enhance security, team productivity and deliver high-quality games more efficiently.
If you’re ready to level up your cloud hosted game development, get started with Assembla today and experience the benefits of streamlined project management and collaboration tools tailored for game development.
