How to Program a Video Game: From Logic to the Final Product 💻🎮

 

When we play a video game, we rarely consider everything that happens behind the scenes to make our character jump, attack, or simply function as expected. Yet, everything displayed on the screen relies on one essential element: programming.

In this blog post, I will focus on that less visible but absolutely crucial aspect: how to program a video game, from the fundamentals to the most common languages and approaches. While creativity and design are also integral to the process, today’s discussion centers on the “brain” of the game.

1. What Does Programming a Video Game Entail? 🧠

Programming a video game involves writing the instructions that tell the system how to respond to player actions. It’s like providing step-by-step directions for the game’s behavior in every scenario:

• What happens when the player presses a key?

• How much damage does an attack inflict?

• What conditions must be met to win a match?

All these rules are codified using programming languages, and the choice of tools varies depending on the type of game (2D, 3D, mobile, PC, online, etc.).

2. Most Common Programming Languages in Game Development 🔧

Although numerous languages exist, some have become industry standards in video game development. Here is an overview of the most widely used:

• C++: A powerful language frequently employed in high-performance (AAA) titles. Engines such as Unreal Engine are built on C++.

• C#: Highly popular alongside Unity, one of the world’s leading engines. C# is more approachable than C++ and ideal for 2D, 3D, mobile, and web-based games.

• JavaScript: Perfect for browser-based games. Often used with engines like Phaser, combined with HTML5 to create games that run directly in web browsers.

• Python: Less common in commercial titles but excellent for learning programming logic and creating simple prototypes. Frequently used with libraries like Pygame.

3. Game Structure at the Code Level 🧩

Behind every game lies a well-defined structure that organizes the code. Key components include:

• Game Engine: The core that handles physics, audio, graphics, collision detection, and more. Developers may use an existing engine (Unity, Unreal, Godot) or build one from scratch.

• Game Logic: Defines the rules of the game, including enemy AI and scoring systems.

• Controls and User Interface: Manages player input, menus, and HUD elements.

• Events and Conditions: Dictates what happens when the player wins, loses, or collects an item. This involves programming conditional statements, loops, functions, and various logical structures.

Code is typically organized into scripts, each responsible for specific functionalities, such as PlayerController.cs or EnemyAI.cpp.

4. Programming Paradigms and Approaches in Game Development 🛠️

Not all games are programmed in the same way. Depending on the project’s scope and chosen engine, developers might adopt:

• Object-Oriented Programming (OOP): Very common. Each game entity (player, enemy, projectile) is represented as a class with its own properties and methods.

• Component-Based Architecture: Widely used in engines like Unity. Game objects are composed of modular components (e.g., movement component, health component).

• Visual Scripting: Ideal for beginners. Allows programming via graphical blocks (as seen in Godot or Unreal’s Blueprints).

5. Creativity and Code: A Symbiotic Relationship 🎨

Programming provides the foundation, but every compelling game requires a strong creative vision. Mastering code alone is insufficient without a clear concept of the player experience you wish to deliver.

Game development merges logical precision with imaginative storytelling. Well-structured code supporting an engaging idea can produce extraordinary games, even without cutting-edge graphics.