NM Gameworks #23:What I use

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Hey all! Today I wanted to do something different today, and since it's my Birthday Month, I wanted to give you guys some of the stuff I use! This will cover hardware and software, beside my Laptop, which I need to replace for reasons I can't disclose. I'll also recommend a book that I use for game design.So Let's Begin!

Headset - EasySMX A55 HeadSet

This thing is awesome! I use it mostly for talking with friends or just playing games, the sound quality is loud, I've little to no audio peaks during my call sesstion with friends, and I found that the headset itself is both very flexable and sturdy. However, it only comes in one colour, orange.The headset costs £10 so snag it if you fancy one from Amazon.

Controller: IFYOO ZD-V+ Wired GamePad

This controller is also awesome! I have dropped mine on a few occasions, but it works pretty well!  The controller feel comfortable in my hands, and even with intensive play, I don't get hand cramps. The controller is also in 1 colour scheme: Blue and Back and has the XBOX Face buttons with a PS4 Styled D-Pad. It's £16, so if you fancy one, grab it from Amazon. 

Game Making Software:Unity 3D

Unity has been my Game making software of choice, because it's so easy to use with holding your hand. I believe a good program(at least for me anyways), should have ease of access, but should at least teach you the basics of a generalised workflow. Blueprints is fine, I just don't see the need for it because I'm trying to learn everything that I can. Unity is free, although be warned, they do put out updates VERY frequently, so be warned on that fact if you decide to download it.

3D Software: Blender 3D

If you going to do any sort of free course, get Blender. Maya and 3DS are VERY expensive, and even with the free student edition, after that runs out, you can't use it unless you have an absurd amount of money that you can pay yearly. Blender, on the other hand, is free, open source, adaptable and has just gotten an update that streamslines to make it closer to Maya. I'll talk about that more next week. If you want to get started, download Blender here.

​GFX/Photo Editing Software: GIMP

GIMP is admittly a very flawed program, but I honestly still use it when I want to do photo editing, and with a few work arounds, it's not so bad to use.Like Blender, the program is open source, so you can add some add-on if you want to make the experience more like Photoshop. Again, GIMP is free, so download it here.

Book: The Art of Game Design

I'm not sure if this book is need for students studing game design, but I think it's a great book regardless. It gives multiple perspectives on game design for stories, gameplay and characters. I would recommend getting the first edition or looking on Ebay if you are tight on money, but if you can, get the second editionfrom Amazon.

And that's it! Thanks for reading, and I'll see you guys next time!

Written By Nana Marfo

Follow @Nana__Marfo