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Video game development is becoming more streamlined with new advancements in technology. In the past, most video games were developed from scratch with most of the work being required from the programmer’s part to develop the code. This is where game engines and frameworks come into play. Game engines extinguish the necessity to be an expert in coding and allow developers to focus more on the creative part.
Making Use of Existing Code
Many games require a modified version of a particular engine to make sure that the developers can bring their vision to life. For example, developers at the now-closed Irrational Games were using a modified version of the Unreal Engine 2.5 to develop the first Bioshock. The game was made in 2007, a year when the next version of Unreal became popular, known as Unreal Engine 3. Modifying an existing game engine to suit a particular type of game is much simpler than developing everything from scratch, as the existing templates and assets offered by the platform can be reused, which results in having a deep knowledge of programming less necessary.
During the development of Starcraft, a similar tactic was employed. The positive reviews of Warcraft 1 led to the creators to develop a similar game but in a sci-fi setting. At first, the plan was to use the Warcraft 1 engine completely and develop new assets. However, the game felt too similar which led to the creation of a new engine for Starcraft using the existing platform from Warcraft 1.
A game engine consists of some of the following:
– rendering engine which is used to generate the graphics
– an audio engine which as the name suggests handles a games’ sound
– a physics engine to simulate real-life physics
– artificial intelligence
– networking code which allows the possibility of multiplayer as well as downloading updates and new content.
– memory management, because the amount of memory on each device is different
Mobile and Online Games
Because mobile games are becoming very popular, game engines had to be made in such a way to be able to deliver a playable experience on these platforms. While the Unreal Engine 4 is a viable option in mobile game development, there is also Unity, another well-known game development platform. For casino game developers the Unity Engine provides a real-time gaming development platform. It can be used for land-based and online casinos, as well as mobile game development. The Unity Middleware platform is used by online game developers as well as slot game manufacturers. The platform is becoming adopted very quickly in the development of online casino gaming in the gambling industry.
Besides a fully-fledged game engine, many online casino development companies such as GreenTube utilize well-known programming languages such as HTML5, Java, and Flash. These scripting languages are used for online games, building the necessary websites, and with the right skills, they can reduce the number of resources needed to build the game. GreenTube has an impressive portfolio of casino games under its wing which include slot games, table games, and video poker games. An example of well-known games provided by GreenTube would be Lucky Lady’s Charm, From Dusk Till Dawn and Sizzling Hot. Also, their games are available on many social casino platforms such as Slotpark Casino.
Developing From Scratch
While there are many games which can be developed by using an engine, some companies prefer to use their developed software and code. Developing the tools required to build the game can be a major challenge. Everything must be done from scratch. Write the code that renders the graphics, collision algorithms, audio code, asset libraries and so on. Even knowing to make it a reality will still require a lot of time. A time which can be spent developing the game itself. When it comes to mobile games, things are much easier than a fully developed triple-A title. Fewer resources are needed and the frameworks required to develop the game are there and one can just start creating the game.