When we were kids and played computer games, we all thought about how they were created and how great it would be to design a game of our own. Then it would indeed load faster, and there would be fewer bugs. Surely, many Computer Science students recalled those times and thought: “Who knew that creating games doesn’t involve playing them? If only someone could do my C++ homework, and I play NFS for a while.” If you’re one of those people who want to learn how to create computer games, we’ve put together the best online courses for you.
A complete course for 2D game developers in Unity using C#: Learn to program while making games
The course is constantly refreshed and kept up to date. There’s also a Facebook group run by the instructor where students discuss challenges and share their work.
In the course, you will learn by doing. You will learn the basics as well as some advanced stuff that will allow you to create several games. This is an in-depth and lengthy course. Whether you are a beginner or a professional, you will find material to learn in it. The course does not delve into C# programming.
You need to have at least some programming knowledge to take this course. Prospective students, if they are not at all familiar with this area, are advised to take additional courses.
Complete Blender Creator: Learn 3D Modelling for Beginners
This is one of the most highly rated Blender courses available online. It teaches you how to use Blender to create 3D models for video games, in addition to 3D printing, house design, and other aspects. You can enroll in this course even if you are an absolute beginner and have no knowledge of 3D computer graphics.
The main advantages include:
- The comprehensive, in-depth course is 51.5 hours long and includes 18 additional resources as well as access to a community of students;
- More than 100,000 students have enrolled in this course, making it one of the most popular online tutorials on Blender;
- You’ll learn a variety of things, including understanding modeling principles, creating 3D models with simple colors, learning the basics of animation, and working with particle effects;
- You’ll also understand how to create your own materials, deploy models, and export them to external packages;
- The course content is practical, so you can immediately apply everything you’ve learned to work on real projects.
The Ultimate Guide to Game Development with Unity
In the course, you will learn C# and how to develop 2D and 3D games. The course starts with entry-level C#, progresses to intermediate level, and touches on some advanced concepts.
The instructor has been programming for over a decade. He has been developing games and augmented reality applications for Cartoon Network, GE, Coca-Cola, and ThyssenKrupp for many years.
The main advantages include:
- This is one of the few Unity-authorized courses available online;
- You’ll learn concepts such as creating bonuses, including triple shots, laser beams, and shields;
- Learn how to work with sound effects, background music, and particle effects;
- A clear 13-hour course that includes advanced content;
- Everything is available online with lifetime access.
C# Programming for Unity Game Development
You don’t need any programming experience to start learning this program. The specialization is divided into five courses, each of which includes 10-20 exercises to help you consolidate in practice the material you’ve learned and get a better grasp of C# and Unity. The culmination of the program is the final project, on which you will be able to apply all the knowledge you acquired in the course.
The main advantages include:
- A well-structured course that gives a sense of offline learning;
- It starts with basic concepts and progresses to intermediate and advanced level topics;
- Supported by the University of Colorado, the only university in the world with a bachelor’s degree in innovation in game design and development;
- Includes classes on data structure and design patterns for game developers.
Game Design and Development with Unity
The course is an introduction to Unity, one of the best guides for beginners. If you don’t know anything about Unity, this is a good option, as its tutor explains all the concepts in a very casual and simple manner, using examples. Another plus of the course is that it also introduces you to C# programming. Although you will still have to take an advanced C# course to use it in practice, the concepts explained in this guide will help with further learning.
Key Benefits:
- A complete introduction to Unity3D development;
- An introduction to programming concepts.
Introduction to video game development with Unity
The course is developed by Valencia Polytechnic University and will help you learn the basics of Unity in a short time and create your first game. The training program is very compact and includes an introduction to the engine’s interface, its basic elements, scripts, the interaction of Unity with other platforms. The course is ideal for students with a basic knowledge of programming, as well as for beginners without any experience, as it includes a brief introduction to the C# language.
Main advantages:
- The comfortable pace of learning;
- Your instructor will be an advanced degree programmer from Valencia Polytechnic University;
- Course content is available free of charge. It is possible to get a certificate (it costs about $50).
