Iâm addinâ to this post because lowering the barrier to entry for making games is super important to me!!!! If yâall have any questions about making games, youâre welcome to come and ask! I made this list a while back with some friends, so it has some of the programs John already mentioned.
GameMaker : Potential for pure drag-and-drop âprogrammingâ. It is recommended to read-up on the programâs functions to make good use of it. Good for prototyping. Uses its own language called Game Maker Language (GML) that is similar to a C language (e.g. C++ or C#). For both Mac and PC; free version available.
Construct2 : Drag and drop level editor that uses an âIf-Thenâ event sheet structure for programming. Good for prototyping and for beginners. For PC; free version available.
GameSalad : Drag and drop with no code requirement. Good for programming. For both Mac and PC; free version available.
Solpeo : HTML5 based game engine for 2D and isometric game development. Some programming knowledge needed. Platforms supported: Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer 9+. Free version available.
Stencyl : Drag and Drop âprogramming,â templates you can edit the variables/values for.
Scratch : Lego-block-style coding platform by MIT; totally free and a great intro to thinking in code. Very kid-friendly and comes with a community site. Browser version available.
Unity : 3D editor that creates 3D games. Can build games for browser, as an app, or for mobile devices (iOS and Android). For both Mac and PC; free version available.
UDK (Unreal Development Kit) : Full-fledged, highly advanced editor. Features a complete set of tools that go from level design to visual scripting to cut-scene creation. Uses itâs own programming language called Unreal Script that can be arranged with Kismet, a visual code editor. For Mac and PC; free.
2D Art/Animation Software:
GIMP : Free photo editing and digital painting software.
Easy Paint Tool SAI : Free digital painting software with a UI similar to Photoshop.
Mischief : Free digital painting software with an endless canvas.
3D Art/Animation Software:
Sculptris : From the company that created Zbrush, this free software is ideal for beginning 3D sculptors.
Maya : Animation, VFX, lighting, and rendering software.
Magical Voxel : Voxel Art (3D Pixel Art). Very intuitive and quick to pick up.
SketchUp : Â Architectural modeling software, great for creating 3D environments and buildings. Free version available.
Twine : Create interactive text stories using Twineâs visual map system that links your game together. Easy to learn and use. End result is browser-based. For Mac and PC; free.
Quest : Interactive text stories that you can build in-browser.
RenâPy : Create visual novels using a modified version of Python that reads like a combination of stage directions and a CYOA novel. For PC, Mac, and Linux; free.
Indie Game Music : This site offers free indie music with no need to worry about royalties or licenses.
Audacity : A free, open-source, cross-platform sound editor that allows you to record and arrange sound.
Super Flash Bros. : This site allows you to record theremin-like (8bit) sounds and export them as .wav files for your games.
FL Studio : Free music composition software.
Donjon RPG Tools : Randomly generates maps, items, XP, etc.
W3Schools : Web-code tutorial database: HTML, CSS, Javascript+.
Debut Video Capture : Video screen capture to record Letâs Play videos, showcase your game on Youtube, etc.
Korsakow : Free tool for creating interactive and database films.
Processing : Flexible programming language used for visual and interactive artworks and simulations.
From Student to Designer, Part 2 : Tips for making a well-rounded, solid portfolio
Itch.io : Platform for self-publishing games
Philome.la : Place to share Twine Games
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