ClipStudioPaint
I do all my 2D illustrations, concept doodling, texture work and refining in CSP.
I own the EX version for the purpose of being able to make longer animations,
but you get a lot out of just the standard version.
It's perpetual license, meaning you pay for it once and keep it forever.
Neat!
ClipStudio website
As a free alternative, I recommend using GIMP, which I used to use
for years before getting CSP. It's handy for image manipulation and
doubles as a decent drawing software.
GIMP website
Blender
I use Blender to model, rig and animate all my 3D assets.
It's an open-source software that is constantly evolving
and has a ton of tutorials available online, and comes with
a bunch of addons you can freely toggle on and off to suit your
workflow and needs.
Blender website
Godot Engine
I discovered Godot back in late 2023 when I had lost trust towards Unity after their
fee fiasco, and a friend suggested
the engine as an open-source alternative. Been in love with it ever since.
It's an easy to pick up and use engine with a node based workflow and scene structure
for making games, other apps, and even movies.
Like Blender, it's constantly evolving and growing and great for indies.
Godot website
Audacity
I use Audacity to do simple recordings and editing for sound effects and dialogue.
Another quick to pick up and use tool that has plenty of options for creating audio.
Audacity website
jsfxr, an 8-bit sound maker
A website that allows you to tinker with a bunch of settings, create
and download old school sound effects for use in games and other projects
without the use of AI.
jsfxr website
It is also a JavaScript port of the original sfxr tool by DrPetter.
Check it out as well !
DrPetter's homepage
Ezgif, online GIF & image editor
A website for creating and editing GIFs, and converting from one
image type to another. Useful when you need to convert webp to png
for moodboard use for example.
Ezgif website