The game development process varies depending on the resources available and the type of game being created. However, there are several general models used in the industry to create a game. I will describe the main model used here with appropriate links to more information. Since the games being developed here are being made in a developing countries context, I will skip most of the parts focusing on finding a publisher for your game. To find more information about game development in general, please follow any of the following links.

Tom Sloper's Guide to the Game Industry
Gamedev.net
International Game Developer's Association


Game Development Process

1. Come up with an idea for a game.
- Writing a Game Design Document is a good way to structure your ideas and to make sure that you
are not leaving some major details out. The following links are guides to writing a game design
document from developers.
Tom Sloper's Game Design Outline Guide
Gamasutra's Game Design Document Guide
2. Put together a team
- While you do not necessarily need all of the people in this list, or one person can fill all or some of the roles. It is important to think about these aspects and who is going to take charge of them.
- Designer, Producer, Artist, Programmer, Composer, and Tester
Other references for team development:
Slides from Lee Iverson's talk on Game Planning at the University of British Colombia


3. Prototypes and Level Design Tools

- One of the more important aspects of game design is to develop prototypes and level design tools. Most of the development time is spent doing this task. The prototypes show proof of concept of the major gameplay components of your game. They show functionality and can help reshape the design. The game design document should be constantly revisited and revised. These modules can help with that process. The level design tools are created to help create the whole environment. Most of the development time is spent creating the first level and adding or refining features in the level. Once the first level is created, the others can be quickly fleshed out since the major functions have already been defined. Some development tools may have already been developed for the platform you are using. Using third-party development tools can drastically shorten the development time.

Resources about level design and development tools:

Designing Design Tools

4. Complete game
- Using the level design tools, the rest of the game should be created. Sound and music should be added as well as any other functions necessary. Constant revision of the Game Design Document can organize and focus your efforts in development and design.


5. Testing
- This is perhaps the most important part of the game development process. Insufficient testing can lead to bugs in the game which ruin the developer's reputation. The tester should be someone not familiar with the game's development who tries to explore all of the areas and possible states of the game. The revisions made here allow for the development of a robust program.