How to Build a game for iOS and Android with Corona

So, you decided to make your first game for iOS or Android and you will use Corona? Great choice, let’s see what you need to know to get the things started. We will divide this article in 3 sections; setting up, getting started and final touches.

These steps will be more than enough to figure out the basics of game development on Corona. Don’t forget, some of the most popular games for Smartphones (such as Blast Monkeys and Bubble Ball) were developed using Corona SDK.

Setting up the whole thing

To develop another iTunes hit is not that hard, but first thing you have to do is to download the Corona SDK from the official site. They offer UNLIMITED free trial version where you can play as much as you want until you decide to publish the app. Only at that moment you will need to subscribe. So, sign up for your free membership and start creating eBooks, Games and much more…Corona is one of a kind and you must (at least) try this software.

I was totally clueless about programming and app development but I decided to sign up and give it a try. I will try to go with the eBook and if this goes well- Gaming world here I come!

Getting Started

Corona is great for those physics games where you have to figure out how to jump, push, slice or move in order to reach the goal. You know those 2D popular games; there are thousands of those in the app stores.

First thing you need is a simple text editor such as Notepad; everybody has this, right? Next thing you should do is to write some basic code, so you can see what is going to happen. If you don’t have a clue about it, search a bit on YouTube or download the codes from Corona website, there are tons of these there waiting free of charge.

The Corona application is based on main.lua files, and this is the starting point of the application. Beside this basic file you will see that there are build.settings andconfig.lua parameters.

So, when you write your first code in the Notepad, copy and paste this intobuild.settings file; save it and close. Once you finished this one, go to Notepad again and type another set of codes which will tell the application what to do with the codes that you copied in the build.settings. This set of codes goes to config.lua.

Now there is much more to game building on Corona but this is pretty much the very basic that you need to get started. Now, one article can’t teach you how to make the next big hit for iPhone but we can tell you some basic things that you can use over and over again.

Some basic codes to help you out

For example, if you need to create physics game (these games are so popular) you need just one little line of the code: local physics = require(“physics”); and voila! You have the physics based game.

If you want to make some comment while working on the game you can always insert the comment in the code so you can know what does this code stands for. Just type double dashes and a comment before your code and that’s it. Example — Generate Physics Engine.

If you want to create a text that will be displayed for the player (for example, when he/she is waiting the page to load) write this line of code:

– Create a new text field using native device font

local screenText = display.newText(“…Loading Screen…”, 0, 0, native.systemFont, 16*2);

screenText.xScale = 0.6

screenText.yScale = 0.6;

Instead of a conclusion

If you want to learn more please visit Corona website because this is the best place to learn everything you need about game development using Corona. They even have Corona for dummies kind of books.

Author Bio: The article is written by Jason Phillips. He is a professional writer as well as senior editor at some gaming sites. Click here to know about his sites.