Development Tools

Here is a list of useful tools and applications that can help you in designing your game:

Project Management & Collaboration:
  • Trello: Team management and project planning
  • Pivotal Tracker: Per Project management, has a task point system and completion velocity tracking. Free for one user
  • Base Camp: Project management and file sharing tool
  • Google Hangout - To discuss designs with a distributed team
  • Evernote: is great to easily write your game idea, code idea .. everything!
  • Podio: low-code business solutions to customize work and communication
  • RealtimeBoard: Digital whiteboard for collaboration and project management
  • Padlet: a free online notice and storyboard tool
Diagram / Graph drawing:
  • MS Visio: highly recommended!
  • Lucidchart: Online program to draw graphs (technology trees or diagalogues)
  • yEd Graph Editor: Free cross platform graph editor
  • Dia: A free program to easily draw graphs (technology trees or diagalogues)
  • - FreeMind - Free Mind Mapping Software. If you don't know what mind mapping is I highly recommend you learn!
  • DrawIO: Online program to draw diagrams, intergrated with cloud services like Dropbox and Google Drive
Writing: Image Editing:
  • Photoshop: Probably the most wide-spread option in the game industry
  • GIMP: Free alternative to photoshop, with plenty of features!
  • Inkscape - To draw mock-ups of UI's in real-time using Google Hangout
  • Paint.Net: Intended as a free replacement to the basic Paint program in Windows
  • XnView: Free program batch process images for file conversion
  • Krita Free painting program
  • Paint tool saï Painting program (windows only, easy to use, great for color blending
3D Modelling:
  • Anim8or: Free Very easy-to-use 3D modeling program.
  • Blender: Free 3D modeling with lots of great features
  • Sketchup: Free 3D modelling tool aimed at architecture. Can be very useful to quickly draw some level designs or layouts!
  • 3ds Max: 3D software for modelling, rigging, animating and rendering
  • Maya: 3D software for modelling, rigging, animating and rendering
Screen Capturing:
  • ScreenPresso - For capturing screen shots, design ideas, gameplay, mockups, errors...
  • Puush: Capture screenshots of active window or a selectable area, automatically copies link
  • CloudShot: Screen capturing addon for dropbox
  • ShareX: Screen capturing software with lots of features
File Sharing:
  • Dropbox: get up to 50GB for free when also installing the app on your smartphone! Also automatically syncs local files between multiple devices (referral link, get 0,5GB extra!)
  • OneDrive: get 15GB for free with your Microsoft account (referral link, get 0,5GB extra!)
  • Google Drive: get 15GB for free with your Google account (but online created documents dont use this free space)
Misc:
  • Articy: Draft: All-in-one game design tool
  • Audacity - Free Audio Editing & Recording Software
  • NormalMap Online: Online free normal mapping tool
  • TeamCity: continuous integration solution
  • TortoiseSVN: Free Source Control for Windows
  • xnormal free, bakes normals maps/AO/curvatures/ etc ... from high poly
  • lazynezumi plugin for lots of apps, smooth lines, perspective drawing tool.
Other Game Design Resources:
  • ArtStation is the new cghub, if anyone needs inspiration/ideas
A nice blog for game design: Youtube channel with many Game Design topics: