- My goal is to have released a "full game" before I have graduated university. I'm not yet sure if I will choose this game for this.
- This is far from my first game. I think it's rather my.. 30th game? :D However most of them were really unfinished and even smaller prototypes than this game. So I consider Seal Breaker to be the "first big game / prototype" I have developed. And it's the first game I released to the public. I struggled a lot with createing a game like Seal Breaker over the years (I always wanted to). I started out like 5 times and surrendered soon after (I lacked a plan, knowledge and motivation to pull it off).
- I started to study computer science 4-5 years ago. Since then I have coded in several languages (e.g. C, C++, C#, Java, Python, Javascript). I have worked mostly at university in non-gaming areas and in a small company that created Augmented Reality applications with Unity (first contact with the engine). I also attended some courses at university to learn making games.
- I would really recommend getting familiar with (OOP) programming in general before jumping on a big game engine. Pick a language you like and pick up a simple framework to render stuff to the screen and getting keyboard / mouse input from user (e.g. SFML, XNA / MonoGame). It's easy to think that an engine like Unity will make stuff magically work, but having a solid understanding of what Unity (and other engines) do in the background really help to create a game and it will reduce the frustration that might arrive working with them.
Some recommendations to start with:
- Start small, make simple games like Pong, Tetris, Break Out, Space Shooter and FINISH them. It's really easy to abandon projects and to start over and over again. It's really hard to finish them. Show them to friends and family get some feedback or upload them to platforms like itch.io. Improve from there. Make bigger / more complex games, but keep it yet simple. After some time you will find youself to re-use some code over and over again for a lot of different games. And thats the time you might want to jump onto an engine.
- Try to surround yourself with people that develop games aswell. Make games together with them if possible. Find blogs / YouTube channels / Facebook groups that create games to keep you motivated.
- Attend Game Jams (like Global Game Jam, Ludum Dare). You will learn a lot of stuff in a very short amount of time. Try to find Game James nearby and attend as a real person if possible.
- Make it a habit to create games. E.g. set yourself some goals for a week / month and work on them a little bit every day.
- Be patient. Developing a game is a very time consuming thing and it will frustrate you over and over again. Don't give up. It gets easier and easier.
Okay I will stop here. It's already a lot of text and I don't want to bore you. :D All of the above is just my experience / opinion. People might disagree and for some people other things worked aswell.
I hope it helps you a little. :)