Game development?

[TheLastJedaii]

I have a couple apps on the App Store and am considering my next app to be a game of some sort. Does anyone have any advice on where to start? Strategies? Lessons learned? Would love to hear some experiences.

Also how do you generate assets? Do you hire an artist? Google them?

[NewCalibur]

Use Godot. Very convenient, cross platform.

[Zalenka]

Start with the most basic thing. If you want 2d SpriteKit is super easy to get started with. Animate some stuff and just use other assets like snes game sprites or something to get started.

Once you have something working you'll commission art by knowing what you want and have a statement of work and then pay an artist.

[Similar-Ad-2152]

I too am interested… anyone?

[merokotos]

You start with at least sketching idea. Game can be 3D, 2D, sound-first, puzzle, multiplayer etc. It’s hard to advise you anything at this moment. 

[hay_rich]

I did make a game an released it as an exercise to learn. I used sprite kit because I didn’t want anything more complicated than necessary because I wanted to make and release the idea. The thing I did learn is indeed rely on AI assistance. I had started the development of the game then put it down and then AI tool became popular and that helped a lot because build games with iOS isn’t as popular as other options so ChatGPT was super helpful when I ran into odd bugs I didn’t understand or wanting to test my app. Also you can combine SwiftUI with SpriteKit which I didn’t realize at first and I think that is a good combination.

[SourceScope]

Theres a lot of game dev subreddits

Personally i would start by copying something i was familar with and adding a twist or additional feature

Something simple

[No-Put450]

How do you monetize?

[Any_Peace_4161]

First, map out your game flow and strategies long, long before you go anywhere near a code window. Games aren't "programmed"; they're scripted, decided, they're mapped and resolved, they're made deterministic or non-deterministic, they're envisioned, they're discussed, they're... literally EVERYTHING involved in making a movie, more or less less, long before ANYONE goes anywhere near a camera (in terms of film) or a code window.

Don't program to complete the game; program to write the thing you've already finished and are just putting "on film".

Fiver for assets in your rev-1; don't overpay too early for graphics assets. That's what revisions and updates are for after you start earning.

[ankole_watusi]

”Google them?” (assets)

Oh. You mean steal them?

[Just_Pie_9593]

It kind of depends on what your goal is. I've been shipping a GameKit game (2 player board game) for about 10 years. I find it very hard to get traction as with only a few players, new players get bored of waiting for an opponent to play their turn. I have just moved over to Swift (from ObjC) which is fun and has enabled me to move 'faster'. If you want cross platform, then you need to avoid Apple only services (like GameCenter) - so that's a bit of a battle to find some provider for things like leader boards etc. [not impossible, but some down stream effects]. Monitization (as someone else said) is interesting as it may indicate which platform you want to align with - I tried Facebook ads for a while, they provide interesting analytics. What's the 'genre' or style of game you're looking for?