A Beginner's Guide To Game Development

Game development is an exciting field where creativity meets technology. Whether you're aiming to build the next blockbuster game or a simple mobile app, understanding the coding aspect is crucial. This blog will introduce you to the most popular coding languages used in game development and guide you through a basic game rendering demonstration using C# and Unity's game engine and editor.

Popular Coding Languages for Game Development

C++

• Usage: Widely used in game engines like Unreal Engine.
• Advantages: Offers high performance and precise control over hardware.
• Disadvantages: Steeper learning curve and more complex syntax.

C#

• Usage: Predominantly used in Unity, a popular game development platform.
• Advantages: Easier to learn, especially for beginners, and integrates well with Unity.
• Disadvantages: Slightly less control over hardware compared to C++.

JavaScript

• Usage: Often used in web-based games and simple 2D games.
• Advantages: Easy to learn and widely supported across different platforms.
• Disadvantages: Not suitable for high-performance games.

Python

• Usage: Used in game prototyping and development of educational games.
• Advantages: Very beginner-friendly with simple syntax.
• Disadvantages: Not ideal for performance-intensive games.

Java

• Usage: Commonly used in mobile game development, particularly for Android.
• Advantages: Good performance and a large standard library.
• Disadvantages: Can be verbose and less intuitive than some other languages.

C# Unity Demonstration: Rendering a Basic FPS Game

For this demonstration, we'll use C# with Unity to render a basic fps game. Unity is a powerful game engine that simplifies the game development process.

Setting Up Unity

• Download and install ** Unity Hub.
• Follow installation instructions

Create a New Unity Project:

• Open Unity Hub.
• Click on the New Project button.
• Choose the 3D template for this tutorial (the FPS template is included within this setup).
• Name your project (e.g., "FPS_Tutorial").
• Select a location to save your project.
• Click on Create.

Opening the FPS Template

• Access Unity Asset Store:
• In the Unity Editor, go to Window > Asset Store. (This will open your browser window and send you to their website as the Asset Store has moved.)
• Search for the FPS Microgame:
• In the Asset Store window, use the search bar to search for "FPS Microgame".
• Find the official FPS Microgame by Unity Technologies.

Download and Import the Template:

• Click on the FPS Microgame package.
• Click the Add to My Assets button if you haven't added it before.
• Click the Open in Unity button.
• This will open the Package Manager in Unity.
• Click the Download button (if necessary) and then Import to add the FPS template to your project.

Exploring the FPS Template

Open the FPS Scene:

• Once the import is complete, you'll see new folders in your Project window.
• Navigate to Assets > FPS Microgame > Scenes.
• Double-click on the Main scene to open it.

Play the Scene:

• Click the Play button at the top of the Unity Editor to run the FPS game.
• Use the standard FPS controls (WASD to move, mouse to look around, and space to jump) to explore the template.

Customizing the FPS Template

Understanding the Hierarchy:

• In the Hierarchy window, you will see a list of all GameObjects in the scene.
• Key GameObjects include the Player, Enemies, Environment, and UI elements.

Editing GameObjects:

• Select any GameObject in the Hierarchy to view and edit its components in the Inspector window.
• For example, select the Player GameObject to see components like the Character Controller, Camera, and Player script.

Modifying the Environment:

• You can add, remove, or modify the environment elements.
• Use the GameObject > 3D Object menu to add new objects like cubes, spheres, or planes to the scene.
• Adjust their positions, rotations, and scales using the tools in the toolbar.

Adding New Enemies:

• To add a new enemy, we need to add a new prefab; this can be done by clicking into the assets folder in the project window.
• Then open the fps folder, followed by the prefabs folder, and finally open the enemies folder inside.
• Customize their behavior by modifying their scripts in the Inspector.

Changing Player Settings:

• Select the Player GameObject.
• In the Inspector, you can modify settings such as movement speed, jump height, and health.

Building and Testing Your Game

Build Settings:

• Go to File > Build Settings.
• Ensure that the current scene (Main) is added to the build.
• Click on Build and select a location to save the executable.

Testing the Build:

Once the build is complete, navigate to the build folder and run the executable to test your game outside of the Unity Editor. Once you do, you should open the build with the "template data" folder. When you do this page will open in your browser.

The FPS Microgame template is a powerful tool for getting started with FPS game development in Unity. By following these detailed steps, you can set up the template, explore its components, customize it to your liking, and build your own FPS game.

Unity's comprehensive environment and community support make it an excellent choice for both beginners and experienced developers.
It is at this point that you have a fully functioning and running game to share with your friends or continue editing. So with that in mind...
Happy game developing!

Here is the link for my own current example game on Unity.

For a more visual and interactive guide, check out this YouTube tutorial on the FPS Microgame template.

Sources For more in-depth reading:

• Unity Official Documentation: Unity Hub
• Unity Asset Store: FPS Microgame
• Unity Learn: FPS Microgame Tutorial