Where would one start if one wanted to make games as a side-thing while still in school?
So I'm very new to this forum, so hi all!
I'm still in school (Grade 11) but I love gaming and really really want to move in to it as a career after studying (maybe in AI).
My question is, I want to start with basic stuff now so life will be easier later along the line.
I'd prefer to pretty much do everything myself; music, sounds, story and to a lesser extent artwork I'm fully capable of doing by myself.
My only problem is gameplay :( I can think up exactly how I want it to feel, I just don't really have the skills.
I have a good understand of Java in Netbeans (top of my class) so I know programming logic fine.
I have Blender, Unity and Game Maker Studio installed already. I have a basic understanding of Blender, can follow Unity but can't really use it and I've never used Game Maker Studio.
Any suggestions? Any are welcome.
I'm still in school (Grade 11) but I love gaming and really really want to move in to it as a career after studying (maybe in AI).
My question is, I want to start with basic stuff now so life will be easier later along the line.
I'd prefer to pretty much do everything myself; music, sounds, story and to a lesser extent artwork I'm fully capable of doing by myself.
My only problem is gameplay :( I can think up exactly how I want it to feel, I just don't really have the skills.
I have a good understand of Java in Netbeans (top of my class) so I know programming logic fine.
I have Blender, Unity and Game Maker Studio installed already. I have a basic understanding of Blender, can follow Unity but can't really use it and I've never used Game Maker Studio.
Any suggestions? Any are welcome.
Comments
You say that you feel that gameplay is your weak point, and that you already have an understanding of Java and Netbeans, so it seems to me that gameplay is the thing for you to focus on at the moment.
Given that, have you started making any games of any sort yet? If so, what have you done thus far?
For the moment I'm going to presume, as likely the safest choice, that you've not yet made much -- if I'm mistaken, then I do apologise, and the advice given may change.
That said, the main point, I think, is to start small. The first projects are about getting the hang of the basics: timing, game logic (as opposed to more general programming logic), the basics of gameplay, etc. Pick a project with very, very simple gameplay, something that shouldn't take long, and give it a shot.
To some degree your choice of initial projects might depend on what sort of gameplay you like making: if you like adventure games, then a one-room point-and-click with only five actions might be a start; if you like action games, then perhaps a simple remake of Space Invaders or Asteroids (remember, it's a starting point); if you like puzzle games, perhaps a simple Tetris or Breakout game.
Does Unity have any tutorials? If it does (as I seem to think that it does), then perhaps try going through some of those. Once you've completed one, try tweaking it, changing elements or introducing one or two new ones to see how that affects the game.
Finally, post prototypes -- even before they're done -- for people to give you feedback on. When you get feedback, act on it: try to improve your prototypes, or build new games with your feedback in mind.
Through experience and taking on feedback you may find that you begin to learn how to better implement the gameplay that you have in mind.
Good luck, and have fun! ^_^
Seriously, if you feel you don't understand gameplay, there's no better way to come to grips with the idea than seeing what makes other games tick. Read up on how a simple game loop works, or start out messing with Game Maker and build Tetris. Then build Arkanoid, or SpaceWar, or Asteroids, or whatever. Just make sure your projects all seem laughably simple when you first think of doing them, they never end up that way, but it's the best metric I know of to force people to start small enough.
I'd like to start maybe with GameMaker because I think it's better for 2D stuff? I'm rubbush at 3D modelling - can't use my hands directly :( - so I'd rather start in 2D. I think I'll start with a basic platformer.
@dislekcia That sounds like a good idea. remaking would be better at this stage than having to come up with ideas.
PS: Yesterday was my first meetup, I LOVED your game Desktop Dungeons!!
My first foray into Game Maker was a year ago. I followed its tutorial, then I made some more tiny thing that made things move. Then I added something to it, and added, till I realised what I wanted I couldn't achieve with what I know.
Then I scrapped archived it and started something else. Then I googled some more, and went with it till - again - I couldn't understand it anymore. Then I tried something else.
That's basically the idea - fail fail and keep failing, and every time you do you'll learn more :) The worst you can do is actually to get stuck in "planning" for "that perfect project". Don't bother, just make stuff, and fail, and try again :)
The lower the complexity of stuff you try in the beginning the more you'll learn from them. The more complex the stuff you try the more frustrated you'll get. It all depends on matching your expectations with your skills honestly :)
One day those lines will meet, then we introduce the other lines, money and speed and marketing and fun :P
I know the feeling of being new because we currently share the same boat :P . Wanted to ask which engine is better to start off with (Unity or GameMaker). As I understand Unity can be quite overwhelming in the beginning for newbies (such as myself). Would it be better to start of simple with 2D GameMaker?