My Game Dev Toolbox: The Essentials Behind the Scenes

Choosing the right tools is like picking your adventuring gear-it shapes the entire journey. Here’s a quick look at what I’m using to build my game.

Engine: Godot 4

I settled on Godot 4 (godotengine.org) because it strikes a great balance between power and ease of use. It’s open source, free even for commercial projects, and its node-based design fits well with how I architect systems. Perfect for building complex dungeon mechanics without getting bogged down.

Pixel Art: Aseprite & Pixquare

For pixel art, Aseprite (aseprite.org) is my go-to. It’s packed with features and has tons of tutorials, making sprite animation straightforward. When inspiration hits away from my desk, I sketch on my iPad with Pixquare (pixquare.art), which feels like a mobile version of Aseprite-great for quick drafts.

Other Art: Affinity Designer

For logos, splash screens, and blog visuals, I use Affinity Designer (affinity.serif.com). It’s a powerful vector tool with a one-time purchase-no subscriptions-and handles everything from small icons to large banners smoothly.

Sound: Audacity

Sound editing isn’t my strongest suit, but Audacity (audacityteam.org) helps me tweak and layer effects to create dungeon atmospheres and weapon sounds. Simple but effective.

Music: GarageBand

For music, I rely on GarageBand (apple.com/mac/garageband) on my Mac. Its loops and MIDI support make composing dungeon themes and battle tracks accessible-even for a non-musician like me.

Each tool shapes the game in its own way, turning constraints into creative fuel. The adventure continues!