Apple makes it easier than ever for beginners to start developing apps. Thanks to the company’s Xcode 8 development environment, Swift programming language, and tools like Metal, now is a great time to start developing iPhone apps and games for iPhone and iPad, and even Apple Watch games.
Coding your own app or game might seem like a monumental challenge, but it’s not as difficult as you think. There is a huge range of resources to help you on your journey to becoming an app developer or indie game developer.
Reading: How to create an apple app game
There is a lot to be said for iPhone and iPad app development. Unlike building a website, you get access to all the features of the iPhone and iPad so you can use their technology to your advantage. More importantly, you can charge money for games. Build a good app and you could strike gold (or at least make a living).
Getting started with app development
The following steps will get you started in app development right from the start. If you already have app development skills, you can continue to get started with game development or read our articles on learning Swift online and our complete Swift guide.
Sign in to Apple to a Developer Connection
The first thing you need to do is go to the Apple Developer Connection and click Member Center and Register. Registering as an Apple developer gives you access to support materials and allows you to register iOS devices with Apple to run your test apps.
You can sign in with your own Apple ID (recommended, if you’re an individual developer), or you can create an Apple ID just for the developer account (recommended if you’re developing for a company).
You don’t have to pay Apple anything to register as a developer . You can sign up and get access to all developer tools for the current retail version of iOS. Basic registration is sufficient to develop and test an app, although you will need to sign up for a membership with Apple (£69 per year) if you wish to sell apps.
An Apple developer membership gives you also access to beta versions of software like iOS 10 and Xcode 8.
Have a plan before you create your app or game
Before you jump into app development, it is important to plan from the app. While there’s no set way to create a roadmap for the app, here are a few things you (and everyone else involved) should write down:
- The goal. What is the purpose of the app? Keep it as simple and to the point as possible. The Camera app captures photos, allows for easy editing, and shares them. The Music app plays music from iTunes Match (or syncs to iTunes). Write a single sentence that describes what the app does.
- The scope. Agree on all the features that the app will include. Beware of feature creep (by bringing in too many new ideas). Decide which features are in and which are out before you begin.
- Theme and strategy. What will the app’s theme and strategy be? Is it a happy, friendly app or a powerful and efficient business tool? Decide on your marketing strategy and make sure the app style fits your strategy from the start.
- Draw the user interface. You must sketch each display and show how each button interacts.
- Collect assets. Apple provides many standard buttons and icons (you should use those), but you’ll need logos, graphics, and possibly audio assets.
Think about the technologies you’ll need. Do you find Xcode and the App Store easy to navigate? Or does the app need servers and other technologies? You need to think this through first.
Here are some good documents on what you need to plan an app:
- Mozilla: Planning your app
- How to Plan a Mobile App Project
- Code Complete: A Practical Software Design Guide
Coding Your Own App
If so If you are in want to get into app development, you may want to code your own app. How easy it is for you depends on your programming experience, but Apple lowered the barriers back in 2014 with iOS 8 and the Swift programming language.
You create apps for iPhone and iPad using a Mac program called Xcode . Xcode is Apple’s own IDE (Integrated Development Environment).
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Here are some useful resources to try:
- A Swift Tour
- Codecademy
- Swift for absolute beginners
- The Swift programming language
Hire an app developer
If you don’t consider yourself a developer , then you can either hire (or work with) a developer.
Hiring professional developers to build apps can be expensive (prices typically start at around £20,000). But if you have an interesting enough project, it can be worth teaming up with a developer looking to hone their skills.
It’s worth using a site like Meetup to find out where programmers are meet up near you and then head over to say hello.You can also use a service like LinkedIn to find developers, although this is more useful if you have financial backing for your project.
Submitting your app to the App Store using iTunes Connect
Once your app is ready, you can send it to Apple via iTunes Connect. You sign up for iTunes Connect separately from the Apple developer membership.
Apple provides this comprehensive guide to submitting apps.
In 2015, it took about a week for an app available was approved, but that has dropped dramatically: Apple now claims it will complete the process in 24 hours. It’s not yet clear how the company achieved this streamlining, or if Apple will review submitted apps less.
Still, it’s worth noting that Apple often rejects apps for one reason or another. Usually because they use undocumented SDK features or are concerned about nudity and pornography. However, there are some technical issues to watch out for. The iMore blog has a good list of rejected apps and reasons for rejecting them.
How to make a game for iPhone or iPad
For the rest of this article we will talk specifically about iOS game development. However, many of the courses and resources we recommend assume a certain level of familiarity with app development in general.
Courses and Training
The good news is, you are far from alone when it comes to learning video game development for iOS. Luckily, there are a number of courses, all designed to help you learn the basics of video game development.
Here are some courses to try.
The complete iOS games course for use with SpriteKit and Swift 3
One of the best selling and highest rated iOS game development courses on Udemy, this course has over 302 reviews that average just under five stars. Also, as of this writing, nearly 2,000 students are enrolled.
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This course includes 18 hours of video, two articles, six supplemental resources, and a certificate of completion, and there is a 30-day money-back guarantee available.
How to Make a Damn Video Game – iOS, SpriteKit, SceneKit
Another popular course is this one, which also has a high rating and has more than 1,000 students enrolled. It contains over eight hours of video, four articles and five supplemental resources, and like the previous course, comes with a certificate of completion and a money-back guarantee.
Introduction to iOS Game Development with SpriteKit & Swift
The last course that we are going to recommend here is this one, in which only a small number of students have enrolled because it is much newer but has an excellent rating and offers more than 10 hours of video with 84 additional resources and an article.
Find Udemy’s full range of development courses here.
Resources for iOS game development
Be sure to check out these resources , if you visit Start learning iOS game development.
SpriteBuilder. This is the best way to create sprites (characters) for your game. It’s free and open source.
Apple Developer. Make sure you get the most out of Apple’s own developer site. Take the time to explore all available support.
In particular, check out Game Center for developers. The Developer Center has a huge selection of videos focused on Game Center but touching on all aspects of game development.
GitHub. If you’re not already a GitHub member, create one now. Connect with other developers and find projects to work on together.
Game Development Stack Exchange. Of course, as a developer, you should subscribe to Stack Exchange, but be sure to spend time in the dedicated game development section. This is where you can post questions and issues, and the community will quickly gather to provide answers. Don’t try to solve problems alone. Make sure you work with other developers.
Check out these for inspiration:
Best iPhone and iPad Games The best Free iPhone Games Best Free iPad Games Games Best Apple Watch Games Best Mac Games
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