So, we see you seem interested in knowing how to build a simple gaming app in 2022. Let’s get one thing straight. Building gaming apps is not that easy. It’s not that simple and takes time, effort, and expertise to get done with tasks and challenges.

Before diving into technicalities and jargon, let’s first know what a game is and how game development actually works. 

What is Game App Development?

Game app development is a process that takes an idea for a game and builds a game around that idea for many mobile platforms. Building mobile gaming app is usually a lengthy process. The game passes through several stages before getting finalized. Only then it’s ready for launch for the targeted audience.

The stages can vary, but generally, mobile gaming app development goes through the below-mentioned steps.

• Planning and need gathering
• Designing of assets and optimization
• Development and other production phases
• Black box and other kinds of testing
• Beta launch for a closed audience
• Optimization and further improvements
• Final launch for public

Do you need to learn coding to build a gaming app?

This goes without saying – yes – you need to know how to code and have a certain level of experience to build a game. Moreover, knowing how to code won’t do any good to you; you have to know the complete process to code an entire mobile game.

Besides that, no game runs on the code. It has many technical aspects that define the path for a game and whether it is going to be a success or flop in the future—usually, gaming engines aid in building mobile games.

But wait, do you know what gaming engines are?

What are gaming engines?

A gaming engine, in simple words, is a software tool kit or a framework used for the development of video games. These engines have all the relevant resources. These can be libraries, shortcodes, and packages required to build an exquisite mobile gaming app.

Gaming engines are or provide the infrastructure to build a game. They also support by offering resources and assets at various points. It not only speeds up the complete process but also maintains its efficacy.

Here are a few of the most used and famous mobile app gaming engines.

• Unity
• Unreal Engine
• Cry Engine
• Corona SDK
• Amazon Lumberyard
• SpritKit and more.

For the changing requirements, these gaming engines and many more details. These help build 2D, 3D, and VR-supported games. This allows users/players to enjoy immersive experiences. Moreover, they complete the games, keeping the fascination alive.

Enough of background information, right? Let’s jump into the main talk now and know all that you need to know mobile gaming app development process.

Mobile App Game Development Process in Simple Words

If you are looking for a standalone game developer – well, it is going to take a lot of your time. Although, the other option is to gather a capable, skilled team of individuals with various skillsets. These include techy programmers, creative artists, story/scriptwriters, and more to reach your goals and ace.

1. Build a comprehensive game plan

The first step and the most essential is to plan a comprehensive “game” plan. What that means is, unless you have a blueprint or vision about what you want to build, you will find it hard to make ends meet.

This phase involves many aspects. 

From devising a strategy to visual assets. From finalizing the storyline to streamlining the near-realistic gameplay. From the entire look and anything else, this document covers everything.

2. Choose your game engine as per requirements

We have mentioned some of the best gaming engines above, and all those differ in one way or another. To choose a game engine, one needs to know where they are going and what they want to do. Precise requirements and goals can help you determine that with ease.

If you are looking to build a simple game, a few gaming templates can sort your worries out. You can also use (not-so) drag and drop engines where you define logic and the asset’s behavior. 

You can also choose scripting-based gaming engines. Or, if you want complete, in-depth control, coding-based gaming engines can be the best.

3. Select the right programming language

No matter which gaming engine you choose, there is always some level of programming language interference that you will have to bear. For that, it is excellent that you or someone in your team knows what the code is and how it works. Furthermore, clarity of requirements is also necessary.

Mobile gaming app development depends on the requirements, the target market, and the type of game one wants to build. It can be a casual or hyper-casual game, a mid-core game, or a hardcore game, and whatever the requirements are, you will be working for it.

4. Kickstart your game app development project

By now, you must have had your project’s idea and developed an understanding of where it is heading. Once you are here, you can begin building the game. Build the game level-wise and track and improve it to streamline things.

Set out the rules that are going to set your game apart from others and add difficulty levels for the players. Check for any issues and work to improve the gameplay. A great way of doing it better is to check for improvements rather than leaving it to the final testing phase.

5. Build your graphical and visual assets

This phase deals with all the visual and graphical assets of any game. This can be anything – from characters to background sceneries to buildings to rocks, guns, cars, and more. All these elements add to the quality of gameplay and help provide a unique, immersive experience to the players.

There are multiple software used to design characters and build aesthetic scenes. Some of the most famous software are Blender, Maya, 3D Max Design and more. Each of these come with somewhat similar tools. It is then up to you to choose and work.

6. Bring everything together and complete your gameplay

As we move ahead in the process, each step starts becoming more complex. Later phases are more about bringing elements and assets together instead of building them. This stage is also about compiling all the aspects of the game together. It also leads to working on refining the gameplay. It can be rechecking the resolution, lags, or any other minute details that might affect the gameplay.

7. Launch your gaming app

Last but not least, the game development project has much more detail into it. But once it meets the goals with the phases discussed above, this is pretty much it. Run multiple tests on your game, resolve any pertinent issues, and you are good for a launch. Follow all the app store requirements, and voila, you can now upload the game and let the world play it.

Conclusion

Building a gaming application for mobile devices is not easy. There is a lot of competition in the market, no matter what genre or category your game belongs to. To build a great game, one needs to follow the process and look after the requirements for the specific launch of the game.

Yet, if the stakes are high, the project must proceed over to any specialized gaming app development company. So that they can take care of each need while you overlook the process and refine it if necessary.