Tools for making games
Tags: gamedev, tools
Published: 2022-03-02 23:31:49

---
title: Tools for making games
date: 2022-03-02 00:00:00 UTC
tags: gamedev, tools
canonical_url: https://edeen.dev/blog/tools-for-making-games/
---

This post is a list of the tools I use when I make games. I use most of the things on this list fairly frequently. Tools that are free and/or open source are marked. Most of the games I make are digital. I use Microsoft Windows on my computer, though most of the software tools here are also available for other platforms.

## Code

### [Visual Studio Code](https://code.visualstudio.com/) (free, open source)

Visual Studio Code is a cross-platform editor. It supports developing and debugging in TypeScript and a number of other programming languages. There are also a lot of plugins available for any number of use cases.

### [Excalibur.js](https://excaliburjs.com/) (free, open source)

This web-based game engine was designed for use with TypeScript and JavaScript, and I help develop it with a few of my friends. It's worked well for us over the years!

### [Python HTTP Server](https://docs.python.org/3/library/http.server.html) (free, open source)

If you're making web games, this is a straightforward way to serve your game up on your local computer. Install [Python](https://www.python.org/), type `python -m http.server` into your command line, and you're ready to go!

### [Git](https://git-scm.com/) (free, open source)

Version control is one of the most important tools you can use when you're building a game, analog or digital. I use Git and [Githhub](https://github.com/) to keep track of each game I develop and maintain its change history.

## Art

### [Aseprite](https://www.aseprite.org/)

If you want to draw pixel art, this editor does the job really well; I use it as my primary drawing tool for games, and it's well worth the price.

### [Paint.NET](https://www.getpaint.net/) (free)

If you need something a little more general for making art, this tool provides a suite of features for drawing and photo manipulation.

## Audio

### [Bfxr](https://www.bfxr.net/) (free)

This tool can generate sound effects quickly and easily. Fine tuning is a bit more work, but it's pretty powerful.

### [Audacity](https://www.audacityteam.org/) (free, open source)

If I need to do any editing, I open the audio up in Audacity to cut, paste, level, and mutate it. It's loaded with functionality, most of which I've never even had the chance to use.

## Digital Collaboration

### [Trello](https://trello.com/) (free, subscription available)

Trello is a great way to keep a shared task list, and makes working asynchronously a lot easier.

### [Excalidraw](https://excalidraw.com/) (free, subscription available)

When I'm not able to meet with my team in person, I use Excalidraw as a digital dry-erase board for drawing pictures and diagrams.

## Analog Collaboration

### Pen, pencil, and paper

It can be really useful (and also really fast) to make notes and draw mockups. It's much easier to quickly modify a paper prototype than it is to redesign something written in code.

### Physical components

Prototyping digital game mechanics (or designing board games) became much easier after I borrowed game pieces from games I already owned. Coins, beads, and other similar items also work well.

### Dry-erase board

When I'm working on ideas with a group of people in person, I use a dry-erase board, which I set up on a small collapsible easel.