PC/Console Game Development
Engine selection and platform-specific principles.
1. Engine Selection
Decision Tree
What are you building?
│
├── 2D Game
│ ├── Open source important? → Godot
│ └── Large team/assets? → Unity
│
├── 3D Game
│ ├── AAA visual quality? → Unreal
│ ├── Cross-platform priority? → Unity
│ └── Indie/open source? → Godot 4
│
└── Specific Needs
├── DOTS performance? → Unity
├── Nanite/Lumen? → Unreal
└── Lightweight? → Godot
Comparison
| Factor | Unity 6 | Godot 4 | Unreal 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2D | Good | Excellent | Limited |
| 3D | Good | Good | Excellent |
| Learning | Medium | Easy | Hard |
| Cost | Revenue share | Free | 5% after $1M |
| Team | Any | Solo-Medium | Medium-Large |
2. Platform Features
Steam Integration
| Feature | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Achievements | Player goals |
| Cloud Saves | Cross-device progress |
| Leaderboards | Competition |
| Workshop | User mods |
| Rich Presence | Show in-game status |
Console Requirements
| Platform | Certification |
|---|---|
| PlayStation | TRC compliance |
| Xbox | XR compliance |
| Nintendo | Lotcheck |
3. Controller Support
Input Abstraction
Map ACTIONS, not buttons:
- "confirm" → A (Xbox), Cross (PS), B (Nintendo)
- "cancel" → B (Xbox), Circle (PS), A (Nintendo)
Haptic Feedback
| Intensity | Use |
|---|---|
| Light | UI feedback |
| Medium | Impacts |
| Heavy | Major events |
4. Performance Optimization
Profiling First
| Engine | Tool |
|---|---|
| Unity | Profiler Window |
| Godot | Debugger → Profiler |
| Unreal | Unreal Insights |
Common Bottlenecks
| Bottleneck | Solution |
|---|---|
| Draw calls | Batching, atlases |
| GC spikes | Object pooling |
| Physics | Simpler colliders |
| Shaders | LOD shaders |
5. Engine-Specific Principles
Unity 6
- DOTS for performance-critical systems
- Burst compiler for hot paths
- Addressables for asset streaming
Godot 4
- GDScript for rapid iteration
- C# for complex logic
- Signals for decoupling
Unreal 5
- Blueprint for designers
- C++ for performance
- Nanite for high-poly environments
- Lumen for dynamic lighting
6. Anti-Patterns
| ❌ Don't | ✅ Do |
|---|---|
| Choose engine by hype | Choose by project needs |
| Ignore platform guidelines | Study certification requirements |
| Hardcode input buttons | Abstract to actions |
| Skip profiling | Profile early and often |
Remember: Engine is a tool. Master the principles, then adapt to any engine.