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I want to make a game! BUT I have a lot in my plate

A topic by oninjutsu created 81 days ago Views: 231 Replies: 8
Viewing posts 1 to 9

Hi! I am new to this community. Just want to let you know I have been trying to create a game but not good at anything. Where to start. I tried learning in different platform but seems to just copying what they do and didn't have any impact on me or maybe I just can't decide what to do.

Moderator

What kind of game?

What I want is low on graphics but will make you think logically.

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Just want to let you know I have been trying to create a game but not good at anything.

Well, that game is your start. Resume the progress and complete the game!

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You gotta crawl before you walk. Keep going and going, gain XP, and soon you will level up. Start making tiny but finished games.

I suggest using Gdevelop and have chatgpt help you learn, and start your game there.

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What kind of game do you want to make?

Let’s start by documenting that first!
Choosing a game engine can come afterward.
Even in the actual game industry, everything begins with a proposal document.

That's a good start: low on graphics + make you think logically = puzzle game !

What type of challenges do you want the player to overcome?

When it comes to "copying from others", well most people hate the "monkey-see-monkey-do", but the reason this was named after monkeys is because monkeys copy each other in order to learn. So especially in experimental work it can sometimes be the way to go in order to discover what suits you best and to have a bit of practice in coding ("The only way to learn a new programming language is by writing programs in it" -- Dennis Ritchie). All that can be important before you actually start a serious project. 

My advice is always:

  • Lean from the masters. They faced the same problems you did before they became great
  • Expect your first production to be crap, but don't let that let you down as what may be crap to other can be a good school for you to learn.
  • When it comes to engines/programming languages. I know when I began, all we had was BASIC (and it cannot be compared to BASIC today). These days we got an overload of stuff. Nobody can advice what is "the best". You'll have to discover that for yourself. 
  • "Debugging is twice as hard as writing the code in the first place, therefore if you write your code as cleverly as possible, you are by default not clever enough to debug it". You're gonna hate Brian Kerninghan's word but  unfortunately they are true, and it doesn't matter if you use low level languages such as C and C++, or high level stuff such as Game Maker or Godot or even codeless engines such as ClickTeam fusion. Debugging will always be the least satisfying part of the job. That is something you will have to learn to deal with. Although debugging has become easier thanks to many debugging tools and loads of engines/languages even offering those by default, but it can still be a chore. I don't want to discourage you, but it's part of the job.If you can get up a good way for yourself to handle debugging, then you are well on the way.