User blog:Aok/Procrastination Station - 2 Weekend Waster!

Okay folks, I got a special episode of Procrastination Station for ya. This is the "Weekend Wasters" edition, a special, once a month episode in which I describe something interesting to waste your weekend with.

So... have you ever sat there wondering, "Could I make a video game?" The answer which you gave yourself was probably yes. Perhaps you did some research, and discovered that making video games requires time and money, both things you don't have.

Turns out, you don't really need much of either. This week, I'm going to show you how to make a video game in a weekend, for free.

First off, ideas. You need an idea for a video game. Dunno why, but apparently thats part of the workflow.

Secondly, you should decide what medium would work better for your game, 2D or 3D. This will probably determine what programs you want to use, although sometimes they cross over, I will tell you when this is so.

If you chose 2D, you should then decide whether or not you actually want to code. Coding often makes for better games, but there are many visual game creators out there. Visual game creators are much simpler, and can often allow you to make small, rewarding games in a short time without much of a headache. On the other hand, coding allows for much more complicated games which are more likely to make money and be satisfying, especially if you play to put more time into it.

Also, you need to identify what type of art you want to use. There are two main camps for 2D game art. Retro, pixel art, which is easy and sometimes amazing if done well, or vector art, which can be re-sized to any size without resolution loss.

If you chose 3D, you are almost certainly going to need to code. There aren't many visual editors for 3D games, not to mention the ones that are there stink very badly. Also, you will need to make models, textures, and have a lot more patience if you want your game to look nice.

So, now that you've made your decision, click on the spoiler which corresponds with your choice.

Assuming you chose, 2D, no coding, pixel art...

Other options coming soon!