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This looks like a cry for help (maybe it slightly is - I'll let you judge)

A topic by Danty created Apr 25, 2022 Views: 521 Replies: 8
Viewing posts 1 to 6
(+1)

Hey,
My name is Dan,
I can't lie, I'm 22 and I'm really lonely - I've wanted to create games since I can remember, but I don't really have an idea on coding, I've did some research and I reckon to start Godot is a solid place to start, I just - I'm not sure on HOW to start, like is looking at tutorials the main premise or is there any tips I should be aware of, along with resources to make my life easier etc.

I want this to be a passion project for me so honestly, any help is really appreciated.

Many Thanks,
Dan 

If anyone did want to Dm me any tips too my discord is here (Dan Ranty#3082)

Moderator moved this topic to General Development
Moderator (1 edit) (+1)

Official tutorials sound like a good starting point, otherwise it's hard to say if you're a complete beginner. I started over three decades ago, when things were very different. What kinds of games do you want to make? What kinds of games do you like to play?

I want to make a 2D game similar to one of my fav games of flash times "the last stand" - kind of a goofy premise but it's something I feel might be a great start to chip away at to learn the overall basics. 

Moderator(+1)

I'm not familiar with it, but if you come from Flash, Godot might just be a good fit. Good luck!

You might benefit from learning some basic Python programming before you jump into Godot. Python is quite syntactically similar to GDScript (which is what Godot is programmed in).

Try to break things down into manageable chunks. If you’re trying to program a feature/mechanic, try to figure out what small parts make up that feature, then work on the one that you already know how to do or the one that looks the most fun first, and research as you go. Once you’re fluent in your the tools that you use, this will allow you to program almost any feature.

Thankfully I understand the premise of python (I had to use this to make a car toll booth system in college *exciting times*) 
I really appreciate the tips and advice - it means the world and back x 

(+3)

Think of tutorials as training wheels -- they're nice to have in the beginning, but the sooner you can cast them aside the better. Because there are sometimes so many tutorials to choose from, make sure they meet at least these 2 criteria:

  • The tutorial should be compatible with the version of software you're trying to learn. If you have Godot 3.0 you need to find the tutorials that were made using the same or very similar version.  
  • Only watch the tutorials that show you something you might actually use in your game. It's unlikely you'd find value in a FPS tutorial if you're trying to make a platformer. Once you do find one that's relevant, the end result doesn't have to be the same. For example, yesterday I needed a new shield graphic for my game, but I wasn't sure how to do it myself. I found a tutorial that showed how to do something similar and I was able to tweak it to my personal needs.

As for loneliness, what I've found really helps is getting involved with communities that share the same interests as you. And if you're an introvert like me and don't particularly like social gatherings, there are tons of forums online dedicated to very niche categories. Like if your goal is to make a shmup, you might want to check out a site like this. Or if you really want to get better at Godot, maybe meet others on their forum.

Best wishes on your gamedev journey!

I really appreciate this comment - it means more than you could ever know!
Thanks for the tips and resources! 

(+1)

The best advice I could give for starting programming is learning the mindset before diving into the tools. You need to learn how to explain instructions for a computer to follow, being able to break things out by steps. It's like writing instructions for building furniture, explaining every component along the way, the interactions associated, and writing with consideration for what would be happening to the product that you're describing. This rudimentary-centric approach is why most programming tutorials out there work with tasks that are seemingly inconsequential, since it's mostly just a bunch of seemingly inconsequential tasks that add together.

Once you understand this, you can start next with some very simple projects. Do not start with your "big idea." You think you will be motivated, but pretty much everyone sucks at programming when they start and game making is deceptively time-consuming, so it's not uncommon to burn out before you make any real progress, or you'll have some bug/rewrite that takes a few weeks to solve, and grinds your progress down to a halt. Start out small. Some of the others mentioned looking up Godot tutorials, and I agree. Alternatively, if you want to start out even smaller than that, start working with standalone Python and try to make something like a small text game or a command prompt ascii town that you can navigate (something like this).