Development ... this is the actual reason why we are doing all this. We want to get a deeper understanding of how mobile software really works. We want to get to know to the whole process of forming an application from scratch.
At the very beginning we set our own a timeline of one month to get to know to the development as a whole casual. Later we just started developing and learning, maybe the best and only way of software development. Trial and error!
We have splitted our team of five in 2 groups. Graphics and Programming. Three of us are focusing on modeling gameobjects, creating animations and designing graphics. In the first weeks we realized, that the graphics are at least as important as programming. There ist no game without some graphics. Even the developers of simple games like Radiant, Doodle Jump oder Flappy Bird probably had to deal a lot with graphics. We don't want to keep this division. Later everyone should get to know to every area.
Graphics
Graphics are essential for us. Every good game needs at least a few skins and backgrounds, but actually there is a lot more to do. We need textures for every interface and for every website we have. We are using Blender for the gameobjects and animations. Gimp for simple graphical work.
Programming
Concerning we just founded a few months ago, we have no routine in developing a game. We use Unity as an IDE. Everyone who has gained some experience with programming knows the therme. It stands for Integrated development environment. It's a set of programming tools for writing applications (source code editor, compiler, debugger, etc.), all activated from a common user interface and menus. There are a lot IDEs out there, but there is a special reason why we use Unity for developing. An application designed in Unity can easily be published for different mobile operation systems like Android and iOS. That will save us a lot work in future. Furthermore Unity is specially created for this purpose, the game development.
There are actually more parts of programming than in the application itselfs. For the highscores we have set up our own server with a database and we have to manage all the communctations therefore.
What we have learned
When we started we were total noobs on this area. We had no idea of how game developmet worked.
There was a roughly idea. We planned and planned, but nothing was set in stone. At the beginning we had a complete different idea of the gameplay. While developing total new areas and problems popped up, we haven't even thought about.
It was impossible to foresee all the problematics!
Maybe the important thing we've learned is "to plan". PLAN PLAN PLAN ! Even if it gets boring. Take your time and plan.