Tools to make games
I had simply linked to the magic tools repo, and though that would suffice for an exhaustive list (exhaustive it sure is), but I think a list curated by GDYU members would be a lot less intimidating, and would allow members to make more informed decisions.
If none of the tools here suit your needs, check out the magic tools repo
Don't see your favorite tool here? Add it!
Generic Learning Resources
Things to teach you general concepts not specific to any one tool or language.
Video Game Programming Patterns
- A great book about data structures, and programming patterns commonly used to build good codebases.
Amit's Game Programming information
- Webpage filled with a collection of other game development resources
20 Games Challenge
- a site with 10 game ideas that increase in complexity. Good list to work through if you're learning a new tool or want to practice making things without following tutorials
Game Engines
Godot
- Free and open source 2D/3D Game Engine.
- Everyone's new best friend, it's the most feature complete open source game engine.
- Language Support: GDScript (it's like python), C#,C++/C or anything sorta?
Learning Resources:
Unity
- Free 2D/3D Game Engine
- Everything is made in this one.
- Well not everything, but if it's an indie game from the last 15 years there's like a 80% chance it was made in Unity (Although their market share might've slipped a bit)
- Language support: C# (or any .NET language)
Learning Resources
2D flappy bird clone 3D first person shooter Then there are just YT channels in general that have lots of good tutorial content. https://www.youtube.com/@CodeMonkeyUnity https://www.youtube.com/@GMTK https://www.youtube.com/@samyam https://www.youtube.com/@Brackeys (Stopped making videos but known as the Unity tutorial god) https://www.youtube.com/@SamHogan https://www.youtube.com/@Blackthornprod
Unreal
- Epic Games' 3d game engine (you can also do 2d in it, but it's not designed for it and it's kinda overkill)
- It's a big boy for big games, you've definitely seen the unreal engine logo in front of some major AAA video games.
- It's huge and demands a beefy computer, but if you're really looking for Big Graphics, this is the engine for that.
Learning Resources
- someone fill this out!
Game Libraries
Bevy
- An open-source ECS (entity component system) Based game library written in rust.
Learning Resources
- someone fill this out!
Genre-specific Game Engines/Libraries
Finding 2d art
OpenGameart.org
- Free and Generally open source art assets.
Making 2d art
Aseprite
- Very good pixel art software
- Not free, but comes with a trial version. (although with a little effort and a C compiler you can build it from the source code.)
- But buy it, it's worth it.
Learning Resources
- someone fill this out!
Finding 3d art
OpenGameart.org
- Free and Generally open source art assets.
Making 3d art
Blender
- Free and open source 3d Modeling software.
- If you're interested in 3d you've certainly heard of it before.
Learning Resources
- someone fill this out!
Finding audio
OpenGameart.org - Free and Generally open source art assets.