3D GAME DEVELOPMENT

3D game development is the design, development, and release of games with a 3D art. This contrasts with 2D games, which, as the name suggests, have an art style reminiscent of two dimensions. 

3D game development has gained popularity in the past few decades due to game hardware and software advancements. As a result, most of the top games released on console and PC platforms have the 3D technology. 

In addition, 3D games are primarily released in both physical and digital forms, as most of them are released for console and PC platforms, where physical copies are still in demand. 

3D game development involves multiple disciplines. Below, we list some of these roles and explain what each of them does: 

1. Producer 

A game producer is a person responsible for overseeing the overall production. The individual manages the schedule, resources, etc., to ensure the final output is delivered per the vision. Most of the time, a producer is someone who has years of experience in the realm of game development. 

2. Programmer 

A game programmer is a software engineer specializing in games. The expertise of these teams falls into two domains: game module development and game engine development. 

Game modules, in this context, mean features of the game. Things such as gameplay features, network aspects, art integration, etc., come under this category. An individual or a group may develop these. 

Meanwhile, game engine development is a rarer role of game development engineers. This is the creation of a custom game engine for the game’s development. Because some developers prefer to create their internal game engine with tailored features rather than go for third-party solutions. 

3. Game Designer 

Game designers devise the game’s core mechanics and develop the fundamental structural framework that the game relies on. 

Their role involves a lot of responsibilities. For instance, if the game revolves around a storyline, the designers have to craft the story, the characters, the dialogue, etc., and ensure it revolves around the game’s core loop. 

The game designer also creates the in-game economy, balances the gameplay aspects, designs the levels, and does the metrics. 

The data is then compiled into a GDD (Game Design Document) document. This acts as a reference bible for the production team to follow. 

4. UI/UX Designer 

UI/UX designers create the game’s user interface and craft the game’s user experience.  

For this, a lot of things are taken into consideration. For example, navigation within the game, access to relevant information, and the game’s genre are all considered. 

5. Concept Artists 

Concept artists sketch the initial concepts the team will follow in the game. Then, the sketches of the characters, assets, environments, etc., are all explored by concept artists. Many ideas are tried out, and only the best are retained. 

6. 3D Modelers 

3D modelers create the models within the game from an initial mesh. These artists create 3D models for characters, props, and environments. Some of them might be specialized in a specific type of model (for example, character modeling) or a particular style of art (for example: realistic).  

7. Texturing Artists 

3D models are usually colorless, and texturing artists are the ones who add the fur, skin, etc., into these models. Texture artists work hand in hand with the modelers to bring the models to life. 

8. Lighting Artists 

Lighting artists create the overall lighting for all the game scenes in a 3D game. These artists try different lighting modes, such as direct, omni, etc. The team chooses each light based on the mood and tone of the scene. 

9. Animators 

Animators make the models act, giving them movements and facial expressions. The animators have the role of bringing in the sense of reality in the game. Their role also includes bringing an emotional weight into the game by making the models move and express emotions relevant to the scene so the audience can connect with them. 

10. Quality Analysts 

The testers have the role of assessing the work all the other resources have completed. They check for multiple things, such as if the output is according to the quality standards, if it is working as intended, and if it is as per the original requirement.

3D game development has become popular in recent years. Because of this popularity, numerous game engines and development tools are available for aspiring 3D game developers to use. 

Below, we list some of them: 

1. Unreal 

The Unreal Engine is a game engine from the famed gem development company Epic (makers of Fortnite and Unreal Tournament). The engine is renowned in the industry for being an excellent choice for 3D game development because of its extensive feature set that supports the quick and better creation of games with high-fidelity graphics. 

The latest version of the game engine is a developmental masterpiece. With its stunning features such as Lumen (a global illumination system that supports dynamic lighting with low-performance overheads), Nanite (the new virtual geometry system that lets developers import film quality assets into games), and World Partition System (support for the creation of large open-worlds with much more ease), 3D game developers can create games that have more realistic and visually pleasing graphics. 

This is also why many top game development companies are now switching to Unreal Engine. Some have even discarded the custom game engines they have been using for years and completely changed to Unreal. 

2. Unity 

Unity is a game engine that is used widely by game developers. It has an enviable feature set that is easy to learn but difficult to master. As a result, it is one of the most used game engines on the planet. 

The game engine also supports deployment to various platforms, devices, and operating systems, such as Windows, iOS, Android, Switch, Xbox, PS, etc. The creation of a single game can hence result in the deployment of numerous platforms with minimal platform-specific changes required. 

3. PlayCanvas 

PlayCanvas is a web-focused game engine that uses HTML5 and JavaScript. It is one of the best choices for creating 3D games that are cross-browser and cross-platform compatible. 

The game engine has high rendering power, using WebGL 2 for rendering. It can also revert to WebGL 1 if required. 

Moreover, the game engine is open-source, meaning a vibrant and active community behind its development.   

4. Cocos Creator 

Cocos Creator is the successor to Cocos2d-X, a 2D game engine behind many revolutionary 2D games. Cocos Creator, meanwhile, supports both 2D and 3D game development thanks to its feature set. 

The features include editors for 3D scenes, animations, and terrains, a material system, and also an asset manager. In addition, the game engine is open source, so developers can tweak the source code to suit their specific developmental preferences. On the programming side, the engine supports both TypeScript and JavaScript languages. 

 5. Three.JS 

Three.js is a 3D JavaScript library. It is used to create web-based games compatible across numerous platforms and browsers. 

Expert 3D game developers can also revel in the fact that the engine is open-source. Because of this, developers can alter the source code and tailor the engine to their specific requirements. 

As a game engine used in top 3D game development companies, it supports numerous effects, scenes, animations, camera types, etc. 

3D game development usually takes a lot of time because it involves a lot of effort. However, it is impossible to figure out how much this would be. 

Below, however, are some factors that do affect the overall time that it takes to develop a 3D game: 

Number of Resources 

The general rule ‘the more, the better’ applies in this context. Because the more resources someone has available, the faster they can develop their 3D game. 

This is because one can split work among numerous resources. For example, a single person handling the entire development is time-consuming. However, if multiple people are available, the domains can be split, and the development will progress faster. 

If there are specialists from different domains, they can take care of their domain. Since everyone will be an expert, the development can progress faster. Collaboration of different domains will be an added benefit. 

Target Platforms 

The number of target platforms one wants to release their game in is also a predictor of the time required for 3D game development. If, for instance, the development company chooses to develop on a single platform, then the time would be on the lesser side when one compares it with the time required to release the game on multiple platforms. 

Because it would require the team to make platform-specific changes. Mainly if the platforms are different from each other in terms of hardware. Because platforms with lower-end hardware would need more optimization to run the game at the same framerates as platforms with higher-end hardware. 

Scale of the Game 

The overall scale of the game also is a crucial determiner of the time required for the development. Because the bigger the game, the more time it would take for development. 

Consider, for example, an open-world game. The bigger the world, the more assets must be created, integrated, and tested. Each additional asset would require more time and resources for completion. 

Contrast this with a smaller game with limited features. Since the features and assets are on the lesser side, developers could work on them quicker and release them faster. 

Scope Change 

The scope of games does not remain the same throughout time. Instead, as time goes on, there will be additions and changes in the scope. But this can, however, affect the overall time for 3D game development. 

If the scope changes in the beginning stages of development, the effort is less. If the scope changes happen in the latter stages, the effort would be higher. Hence, this can increase the time required. 

3D games come from different genres. Some game genres are even more apt to be made as a 3D game rather than a 2D game. 

Below are some of the most common 3D game genres: 

Puzzle 

Puzzle games are games where solving different puzzles takes center stage in gameplay. It demands the player to invest their cognitive skills and to think deeply about the challenges the game puts in front of them. Most of the time, it also has a great progression system that makes the puzzles more challenging as the player progresses further. 

Puzzle games in 3D are often different from their 2D counterparts. For example, the 2D counterparts are closer to physical puzzle games. The 3D versions, meanwhile, are unique and the result of some innovative game design. 

 Sports 

Sports games come into two forms: reality-based and fictional. 

Reality-based sports games are sports games that are based on real-world sports games. For example, football, rugby, and basketball fall into the same category. In these 3D games, the game follows the exact rules that the real-life sport does.  

Fictional sports games are sports that are designed from scratch. These can sometimes resemble existing sports games, but most of the time are created from scratch. 

RPG 

RPGs (Role Playing Games) revolve around the main story, a character/ set of characters, and a fictional world. The player inhabits the character and explores the world. And the player must fight off opponents and complete various quests. 

Most of the time, the game’s setting is primarily filled with creatures and magic. Other less common settings include cyberpunk, sci-fi, and historical fiction.  

Strategy 

Strategy games are where the game’s core loop is centered around the player devising innovative strategies to overcome gameplay obstacles. Rather than the player taking direct action, the player must think before making each action. Rash decisions have negative consequences. 

These games can be set in any modern, historical, fantasy, or sci-fi setting. 

Racing 

Another familiar 3D game genre. Racing games are virtual renditions of real-life racing. Some are set on race tracks or centered around racing in a city. 

In most games, players have various races to try out, multiple vehicles to collect, and trophies to win. This genre of games has been famous for years and is a staple in most gaming platforms, including mobile. 

Action 

Action games are games where the core mechanic is action-oriented. The player has to combat opponents and become victorious against them. Sometimes the player will have the aid of weapons, and other times the player has to fight without weapons. 

One particular sub-genre of action games that is more prevalent in 3D games is shooters. Shooter games are where players use guns and have to shoot their opponents and emerge victorious. This gameplay mode has gained more acceptance in the 3D than in the 2D sphere. 

Platformers 

Platformers for years have been 2D. So many classic games familiar to us are, in fact, platformer games.  

In 3D as well, this genre of games has demonstrated promise. The movement-based mechanics, where the player has to maneuver the character from one platform to the next and squash enemies in between, have been shown to work well in 3D and 2D. 

Finding the right 3D game development partner is of paramount importance, as identified by most top game developers. Because the right team can elevate the idea and help bring the best vision for the game to life. On the other hand, the wrong team on the other hand can deviate from the core concept and force the team to start over from scratch. 

So, to find the right 3D game development company, one needs to assess each prospective partner based on many important factors. Below, we list some of these factors: 

Experience 

The gaming industry is an industry that is rife with competition. As a result, most companies that are formed do not survive for long. Only the best companies with the best output can stay relevant for a long time. 

As a result, one of the best metrics to assess a prospective 3D game development company is their overall experience in the industry. If the team has stayed on top for years, it means the team is reliable. It also means that the team has adapted to the shifting technological requirements that the gaming industry has had – because the technology keeps changing periodically. 

Portfolio 

The team’s portfolio is another critical factor as it is proof of a team’s capability. 

Because if one takes a look at a team’s portfolio, one can glimpse the work the team has accomplished in the past. It allows one to directly gauge the output of a company based on one’s internal metrics. 

The most obvious of these metrics is quality. So, first, one should check if the output the team has delivered in the past is up to a set quality standard. If not, then the team might not be worth consideration. 

The second is similarity. One must check if the team has executed similar game projects. It might be a similar genre, art style, or feature set. 

There are other metrics as well. But all that depends upon the nature of the 3D game development project.  

Budget 

3D game development can be intensive on the budget. Because it requires a lot of resources and personnel. So, budget management is of paramount importance to avoid going over budget. 

As a result, when one selects a team to partner up with, one must carefully consider whether that team can adhere to the budget allocated to the project. If choosing the team can result in the game project going over budget, the team might not be preferable. It might be better to go for a cheaper option. 

One should note that cheaper options can sometimes backfire. Because cheaper often means lower quality. So, the decision on the budget requires careful deliberation. 

Technical Expertise 

3D games are not just creative work but also technological marvels. The team must have enough technical knowledge to implement the vision one has to its fullest extent. 

One aspect of this is game engine expertise. Make sure the team hired has to have experience with the latest game engines available on the market and is not using some of the outdated ones. Because top game engines have advanced features that help the programmers make the games quicker and better. Using obsolete game engines and other technologies means being behind the rest of the competition. 

Model of Collaboration 

An important factor is how the team would treat one’s requirements and how one would take care of the inputs. 

For instance, consider how often communication happens. If communication from the 3D game development company is rare, then there would be a lot of bottlenecks in progress. There would be no communication of feedback and its timely implementation. 

So, it is essential to understand how the team hired would collaborate.