ACM JU Magazine | ACM Game

BOSS WORDS

Magazine Director

Dear Readers, Contributors, and Enthusiasts of Technological Innovation,

As a Director of this Magazine, I am thrilled to introduce our latest and extraordinary issue, The ACM Gaming Issue. With this issue, we delve headfirst into the dynamic realm of Game Development. Just as a skilled gamer navigates through intricate levels, we›ve crafted this issue as an immersive experience that encapsulates the essence of a game. Each article is a meticulously designed level, waiting to be explored and conquered by our avid readers.

The canvas of this issue is adorned with captivating visuals and interactive elements that bring the world of gaming to life. Our dedicated team of contributors, editors, and designers have poured their passion into crafting an issue that doesn›t just inform but also engages and entertains.

This bold step into themed issues marks a turning point for us. The ACM JU Magazine is evolving, embracing innovation, and reaching new heights. With every page turned, every level completed, and every article absorbed, I encourage you to embrace the spirit of exploration that drives our magazine.

Thank you for your engagement, feedback, and unwavering support of our aspirations.

With boundless enthusiasm,

Basel Husam

Dear Esteemed Readers and Creative Enthusiasts,

As the designer behind the curtain of this remarkable issue, I stand thrilled to present to you an edition that represents a departure from convention and a leap into a new realm of visual storytelling. Just like a game unfolds through levels of challenges and triumphs, each article in this issue is akin to a unique level, each designed to intrigue and engage.

Visually, we›ve taken cues from the dynamic aesthetics of gaming worlds, infusing every page with vibrant energy and interactive elements. The journey through this issue becomes an adventure in itself, allowing you to navigate through knowledge with the spirit of exploration.

Every color, every layout, and every visual element has been meticulously crafted to enhance your reading experience and stimulate your curiosity. With genuine excitement and a heart full of artistic fervor,

Jumana Abu Ghoush

Step into the spotlight as we unveil the latest chapter of our magazine, where the world of game development takes center stage. It is a realm where imagination and technology collide, and it›s an honor to guide you through it as the new Editor-in-Chief.

In this issue, we›re all about learning—the driving force that moves us forward. These articles showcase the wide range of skills and talents involved in game development, from software kits to artistry behind visual characters. As you flip through these pages, you›re not just looking at letters and pixels; you›re stepping into a world of stories, discoveries, and breakthroughs that shape the game development landscape. This issue is designed to captivate your mind and spark your curiosity.

With gratitude for the dedication of our contributors, and the brilliance of my colleagues, I invite you to embrace, engage, and truly enjoy this journey.

Salma Shakhshir

The evolution of video games

Today’s video game scene is vast, from Candy Crush to Red Dead Redemption 2 and everything in between. Many estimates put the market size of the video game industry at around 200 billion dollars. That is a long way from the early video games of the 50s and 60s, such as the 1952 OXO and 1962 Spacewar, made for mainframe computers in research labs.

Then, the 70s came and took games outside of those labs and into the hands of gamers. Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney created Computer Space in 1971, marking the birth of the first arcade game. This duo went on to co-found Atari. The following year, Magnavox Odyssey hit the market. It was the first home video game console designed by a small team led by Ralph H. Bear. Five years after that, Atari released its console, the Atari 2600

Then came the 80s. Nintendo released the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) alongside video game classics like Super Mario Bros and the legend of Zelda. In 1989 Nintendo released the Game Boy, popularizing handheld consoles. However, they did not maintain market dominance for long, as Sega took on the NES and came out with the Sega Genesis. The 80s witnessed the rise of home computers and the first major video game publishers like Electronic Arts (EA).

The 90s brought us 3D graphics with iconic games like Super Mario Bros 64, first-person shooters like Quake, and fighting games like Mortal Kombat. The creators of Quake, id Software, created the first video game engine, inspiring the creation of the Unreal Engine, developed by Epic Games.

Meanwhile, a new contender in the console war approached. In the year 2000, Sony released the best-selling game console to date, the PlayStation 2. Sega quietly waved the white flag, but Microsoft decided to take on the Japanese giant, releasing the Xbox in 2001. Over 20 years later, Sony and Microsoft continue to battle it out.

BY: Zaid Abu Ghoush

The 2000s and the 2010s marked a period of exponential growth. It was normal to see AAA games with multi-million dollar budgets. Despite that, indie games continued to find great success. Such is the case with Minecraft, the best-selling game of all time. The wide adoption of smartphones marked an explosion in mobile games, eventually taking up half the market size of the entire industry. Large open-world designs, similar to the ones in GTA V, became increasingly popular. Multiplayer online games (MMO), like WoW and Fortnite became a hit, and eventually, more games started supporting cross-platform multiplayer.

The gaming industry is an ever-so-changing landscape, and the direction it will take is hard to predict. Will mobile gaming continue to rise? Will VR finally achieve long-predicted success? Or will PC and console gaming continue to reign supreme? Either way, video games have cemented their place in our society, and they aren’t going away anytime soon.

Sorcery isn’t confined to movies and bedtime stories it might be detected in real life too and today we are going to give you a tour of it, of gaming development aspects. We will provide a detailed exploration of five different aspects of game development, so what›s buried within red eyes, rigorous stakeholders, and deadlines in its literal meaning?

Firstly, the acquisition of what the game is, like diving into its overall scope, and doing what takes us to bring it to life in four components:

1. Game design: Designers do a study that involves concept creation, UIUX(user interface- user experience), and defining the mechanics, objectives, and rules of the game.

2. Artistic requirements: Designers, alongside graphic artists, stakeholders, and multimedia engineers, work on developing the sensory perception of the game. This includes creating and implementing visual elements such as characters, backgrounds, and animations, based on the required dimensions and polygon budget in addition to texture resolution.

3. Technical requirements: Developers then take over and begin working on the technical aspect of game development, considering game engine selection from available ones or creating a new one, keeping in mind the product›s future support.

4. Planning: Finally, the overall planning phase involves setting milestones, needed budget, team, and deadlines while ensuring that it meets stakeholders› expectations as well.

BY: Maha Hayajneh

Secondly, production begins with the game’s actual creation from the ground up. This includes the creation of assets such as characters, environment, beams, rules, pace, and levels considering the difficulty. In this phase, programmers implement software solutions that handle the game logic and enable interactivity, from a prototype

Thirdly, testing and quality assurance come into play. from checking whether the dialogs aren›t boring and stale crossing bugs, renders, and errors till features work seamlessly. Furthermore, the interdisciplinary collaboration among game designers, graphic artists, sound designers, programmers, and testers is crucial for the success of a game project.

Fourthly, we reach releasing stage. During this stage, the game is polished and optimised for performance. Here all the team hover around the game to add the cherry on top touches and be sure it couldn›t be made any better.

Post-release is the fifthly and real final stage, where feedback from gamers is collected to improve user experience and provide updates or expansions.

From Brushes to Code

Game development is a complex process that combines art and design to create engaging experiences for players. The collaboration between artistic creativity and unique design is essential in shaping visuals, gameplay mechanics, and the overall atmosphere of a game. This article explores the importance of art and design in game development and how they interact to craft memorable gaming experiences.

Art Role in Game Development:

Art in game development goes beyond mere visual appeal; it establishes a game›s tone, ambiance, and storytelling elements. Through concept art, character design, environment creation, and animation, artists breathe life into the players of the virtual world. A well-executed art style can evoke specific emotions, immerse players in unique settings, and create a cohesive visual experience. Art direction also plays a pivotal role in maintaining consistency throughout the game, ensuring that all elements harmonize to enhance the narrative and gameplay.

Design Principles in Game Development:

Design principles encompass the mechanics, level layout, user interface, and overall game structure. Game designers focus on creating engaging gameplay loops, intuitive controls, and challenging puzzles or obstacles. They meticulously plan the game›s pacing, progression, and balance to maintain player interest and drive them forward. The iterative process of prototyping and playtesting allows designers to refine their ideas, ensuring that the game›s mechanics are functional and enjoyable.

BY: Dunia Alatoom

The

Integration

of

Art and

Design:

Art and design in game development are intertwined, with each discipline complementing the other to achieve a cohesive vision. The art style can influence gameplay decisions, while design choices can shape the visual direction of a game. For example, the artist may tailor the mechanics of a platformer game to showcase their intricate level design and character animations. Conversely, an innovative gameplay concept may inspire artists to create a unique art style that amplifies the game›s core experience.

The integration of art and design in game development is essential for creating captivating and immersive gaming experiences. The art establishes the game›s visual identity, while design principles shape the gameplay mechanics and overall structure. The synergy between these disciplines leads to memorable and engaging game creation that resonates with players. As game development evolves, a collaboration between artists and designers will remain critical to crafting remarkable gaming experiences.

The Toolkit for Creating Your Own Game!

Over the last decade, game development has become progressively more accessible to individuals, to a point where anyone with a computer, including you, can turn an idea into a full-fledged video game, but what tools would you use to do this?

The primary piece of software you are going to be using is called a Game Engine, which will do a lot of the heavy lifting for you when it comes to low-level tasks such as object physics, graphics rendering, and code compilation so that you can focus on actually creating the core features of the game.

Most large game development companies either create their game engines or purchase a license to use one from a third party; however, over the last decade, freely available game engines have reached a point where they can be, and have been, used to develop big titles such as Epic Games’ Fortnite, and Blizzard’s Hearthstone.

Some of the most notable free game engines are Unity, Unreal, and the open-source Godot, each with its strengths and weaknesses, and depending on the type of game you want to create, one might be more suitable than the others, so you would need to do your research when it comes to choosing one of the available options.

However, it is essential to consider that the choice of programming language is tied closely to the game engine you select. Most game engines only support a specific programming language. For instance, Unity only supports C#, while Unreal only supports C++. On the other hand, Godot has official support for C#, C, C++, and its own Python-like programming language called GDScript.

BY: Safwan Eljadi

Other than game engines and programming languages, you would need a tool to create and animate the visual assets of your game.

There are numerous options for design software, and you can choose whatever fits your budget and skillset. For a 2D game, you can use Adobe Photoshop or the open-source GIMP, and for a 3D game, the open-source Blender seems to be the most popular option, to mention a few

After you are done with the assets and the programming, and you put everything together in your game engine of choice, your game is practically ready, so the next obvious step is to get it out there for people to play.

Publishing a game used to be a long and expensive process, and you needed to outsource it to a third party which would take most of the profits.

Nowadays, thanks to app stores, all you need to do is submit your game to the store of your target platform, pay a small fee, wait for approval, and then everyone can enjoy your game!

GameAI

Over the last decade, game development has become progressively more accessible to individuals, to a point where anyone with a computer, including you, can turn an idea into a full-fledged video game, but what tools would you use to do this?

The primary piece of software you are going to be using is called a Game Engine, which will do a lot of the heavy lifting for you when it comes to low-level tasks such as object physics, graphics rendering, and code compilation so that you can focus on actually creating the core features of the game.

Most large game development companies either create their game engines or purchase a license to use one from a third party; however, over the last decade, freely available game engines have reached a point where they can be, and have been, used to develop big titles such as Epic Games’ Fortnite, and Blizzard’s Hearthstone.

Some of the most notable free game engines are Unity, Unreal, and the open-source Godot, each with its strengths and weaknesses, and depending on the type of game you want to create, one might be more suitable than the others, so you would need to do your research when it comes to choosing one of the available options.

However, it is essential to consider that the choice of programming language is tied closely to the game engine you select. Most game engines only support a specific programming language. For instance, Unity only supports C#, while Unreal only supports C++. On the other hand, Godot has official support for C#, C, C++, and its own Python-like programming language called GDScript.

BY: Basel Husam

Other than game engines and programming languages, you would need a tool to create and animate the visual assets of your game.

There are numerous options for design software, and you can choose whatever fits your budget and skillset. For a 2D game, you can use Adobe Photoshop or the open-source GIMP, and for a 3D game, the open-source Blender seems to be the most popular option, to mention a few

After you are done with the assets and the programming, and you put everything together in your game engine of choice, your game is practically ready, so the next obvious step is to get it out there for people to play.

Publishing a game used to be a long and expensive process, and you needed to outsource it to a third party which would take most of the profits.

Nowadays, thanks to app stores, all you need to do is submit your game to the store of your target platform, pay a small fee, wait for approval, and then everyone can enjoy your game!

Game

development startups in the MENA region

An investment-based company is called a startup. The Gaming industry is the highest, by far, in terms of revenue and profit, and the MENA region is the fastest-growing region in the gaming industry. So everything seems perfect. Is it the dream path? Yes, but only on paper. When you come to reality, we can barely find any successful startups in the region. Where is the missing piece?

Even though it takes a lot of time and money to make a game, many AAA games fail. On the other hand, many simple indie games (produced without any finance or investment by a single individual or small group) succeed and make a high profit. Is it all luck? Do we spend years pursuing our passions and putting our hearts into projects that others will use before they get launched? Of course not. There’s always a reason behind everything, especially in business. We will go over them and talk about what the solutions could be.

Bad management is the main reason behind the failure of most startups worldwide. We get excited, start developing instantly, and never plan it correctly. We don’t study the market thoroughly, failing to make a realistic development plan compared to our resources, and we realize that a bit too late, wasting months of our work.

In any startup, lack of funding is a problem for everyone starting. It is hard to find someone willing to put X number of thousands into something new and risky while our economy is in a rough spot, aside from the fact that most investors would favor more established businesses.

Risk aversion culture, especially for a family-oriented culture like ours, always prefers a low-income but stabilized career path to start a family sooner, taking all of our great talents to big corporations, spending their lives, and leaving no real impact on the industry.

So how do we solve all of these? Management is the key. When you are realistic and honest with yourself and your team, looking at the product/idea from the market’s point of view would save us a lot. We need to separate our emotions from our ideas. You should be very passionate about your ideas, but you should consider others’ opinions, especially your customers.They should decide if it’s a great idea, not you.

BY: Dimensions

Which falls under the ideation phase; however, it might not be enough. There are eight billion human beings on this earth, most with a functional brain like you, so statistically; many people have already thought about your idea, but the winner is the one that will turn it into something physical that you can achieve through good management and realistic planning.

Money is the key to decision-making. However, it should not be your main struggle. You can always freelance at the beginning to fund your daily life, so don’t let it stop you from pursuing your passion. You can have a part-time or a full-time job and work on your idea, or you can get crowdfunding or even sell shares to friends and family. There has got to be a way for you around it. If you are passionate about your idea and want to do something great, you will find your way through it.

Culture and society. The point we talk about in every issue we discuss. Our culture is stunningly beautiful in many aspects, the old habits of generosity and chivalry are absolutely fascinating, but we can’t maintain these habits by repeating the actions attached to them hundreds of years ago. The world has evolved, and it’s time to embrace our culture and traditions with technology and make more use of things that represent them.

All the points lead to the same one, discipline, which is what we need more of. We need to help each other commit to our passion. We need to use what we have in our hands and turn it into something that will turn our lives around. We have the skills, the talents, and the will. The new generation needs the first push to unleash their talents to the world, so believe in yourselves and dream big.