Sefism is free for learners. We are here to help you grow, one step at a time.Join for free
Sefism.

Roadmap · Build products

Game development

Opens with credits

For students and developers who want to make and ship their own games in Unity, Godot or Unreal Engine, starting from small finished projects rather than a dream game. By the end you have programmed games in your engine, understand game maths, feel and design, can make or source art and sound legally, have released games on itch.io, and know what shipping on Steam or mobile and working in a studio involve.

Curated by Tauseef Fayyaz8 stages, 62 topics~10 months at a few hours a week
Start the roadmapSign up to track your progress

By the end, you will be able to

  • Scope, build and finish a small game around one core mechanic, then release it on itch.io as a browser or desktop build
  • Write clean gameplay code in your engine using its lifecycle, components, events, input, physics, UI and audio systems
  • Use vectors, delta time, interpolation and camera tricks to make movement smooth and actions feel responsive
  • Run playtests with real players, find the problems in what they do, and change the design based on evidence
  • Profile and build for PC, web or mobile, and know the steps, fees and rules for Steam, Google Play and the App Store
  • Build a portfolio of small finished games aimed at a studio role, with a realistic view of indie income

The path

8 stages, in the order to learn them. Open one to start.

  1. 1How games are madeWhat a game is under the hood, what an engine does, and how to pick a first project small enough to finish. This stage sets the habits that decide whether you ship: tiny scope, prototypes, jams and version control.7 topics · ~3 weeks
    1. 1The game loopEvery game runs the same loop many times a second.
    2. 2What an engine gives you, and what it costsA game engine is the ready-made software your game runs on.
    3. 3Scope control and prototypesScope is how big a game you commit to making.
    4. 4Cloning a classic to learn the engineCloning classic games is the fastest way to learn an engine.
    5. 52D or 3D for your first gamesChoosing 2D or 3D changes how much work a game takes.
    6. 6Game jamsA game jam is an event where people make a game on a set theme within a fixed time, usually 48 to 96 hours.
    7. 7Version control for game projectsGames break in surprising ways.
    7 in this stageOpen this stage
  2. 2Programming for gamesLearn C# scripting in Unity: MonoBehaviours and their lifecycle, components and references, C# events, exposed fields, state machines and debugging.7 topics · ~2 months
    1. 1C# for UnityUnity scripts are written in C#.
    2. 2MonoBehaviour and its lifecycleA MonoBehaviour is a script you attach to a GameObject (any object in a Unity scene).
    3. 3Components talking: references and C# eventsUnity scripts (MonoBehaviours) talk to each other in three main ways.
    4. 4Small scripts and compositionGood gameplay code is built from small parts with one job each: a health component, a mover, a damage dealer, a pickup.
    5. 5Exposed variables and tuningGame feel is found by tweaking numbers while the game runs: speed, jump height, cooldowns, damage.
    6. 6State machinesA state machine treats an object as being in exactly one state at a time, such as idle, running, jumping, attacking or hurt.
    7. 7Debugging gamesGame bugs are often visual or about timing, so debug by seeing what happens.
    7 in this stageOpen this stage
  3. The engine in depthThe engine systems nearly every game uses: scenes and levels, reusable objects, input, physics and collisions, animation, UI, audio and saving. Build each into one growing project.9 topics · ~2 monthsOpens with credits
  4. Game maths and feelThe maths that turns input into smooth motion, and the feedback that makes a game feel responsive: vectors, transforms, delta time, interpolation, rotations, cameras and juice.8 topics · ~5 weeksOpens with credits
  5. Game design basicsWhat makes a game worth playing: the core loop, mechanics and what they encourage, level design, difficulty, onboarding and learning from real players.7 topics · ~4 weeksOpens with credits
  6. Art and audio for programmersYou do not have to be an artist to ship a good-looking game. Learn to greybox, use free assets legally, pick a simple style you can produce, and add sound that makes actions feel right.7 topics · ~4 weeksOpens with credits
  7. Performance, builds and shippingMake the game run well on real hardware, build it for PC, web or mobile, and release it: itch.io first, then what Steam and the mobile stores require.9 topics · ~7 weeksOpens with credits
  8. Money and careersAn honest view of what games earn, the roles studios hire programmers for, a portfolio of small finished games, and the scams aimed at new developers.8 topics · ~3 weeksOpens with credits
Keep reading

6 more stages, 48 more topics, free with an account.

You have seen the open stages of the Game development roadmap. Every topic it covers is listed above, and an account opens the rest: what each topic means, a question to check yourself, the courses, the practice and Tauseef's advice for every stage. Early access is open: sign up and your account is active shortly after.

Everything here is free to learn from. A few things, like adding a roadmap, keeping a cheat sheet or asking Tauseef a question, use credits. You get 15 when you join, your first roadmap is free, and if you are learning seriously and run out, you can ask for more. Credits only make sure the platform goes to people who are actually learning.

Sign up freeBook a free call

Related on Sefism

Picked from the other libraries by shared topics.

Project structures

See all
Work with me

Stuck on something specific?

Writing only gets you so far. If you want an answer to your situation rather than the general case, book a session and we will work through it together. Sessions are free for approved Sefism members, and a few slots open each week.

  • 1:1 Mentorship
  • Fresh Graduate Mentorship
  • Career Guidance
Book a free sessionSee all services

Brand deals, promos and partnerships: tauseeffayyaz@gmail.com