Home >> Internet Games >> Game Boy

How to Make Computer Games for Free

Designing a video game for free may seem an impossibility given the massive budget necessary for mainstream and blockbuster games available on store shelves. But it is entirely possible to use a number of free game-design programs---and your own imagination---to create a game.

Instructions

- 1
  Decide on the basic premise of your video game. What genre of video game will it be? For example, action, adventure, RPG or fighting?
- 2
  Write out the story and its characters. The best way to do this is by writing an outline that details the main plot points.
- 3
  Create a storyboard. A storyboard is a visual representation of the main plot points (pulled from your written outline). Each scene or plot point of the game is represented by a separate box, not unlike a comic book. Use symbols to demonstrate action and movement. This prepares you to design the game.
- 4
  Use a free program to design the game (see Resources). One such program is Game Maker, which, like several other free programs, requires no real coding or programming knowledge. Download the software from the program's website.
- 5
  Drag and drop one of the backgrounds the program offers. With the background in place, animated graphics and designs you upload can be similarly dragged and dropped to create rudimentary levels for your game. An advanced programming language is also available through the program if you have coding experience.
- 6
  Access tutorials that can explain more advanced functions that will allow you to advance from the drag-and-drop controls.

Game Boy