I'm really eager to learn how to create a complete game from the ground up. I want to understand everything involved, including the core game loop, mechanics, UI design, sound integration, asset creation, and saving game progress. However, I'm feeling a bit lost on where to start. Here are some specific questions I have:
1. What programming language is best for beginners in game development?
2. Should I go for a game engine like Unity, Godot, or Unreal, or start coding everything manually?
3. Are there any open-source game projects that I can study as examples?
4. What key components should I consider when building a complete game?
5. Can anyone recommend some great tutorials, YouTube channels, or online courses to help me get started?
I know the basics of programming like loops and functions, but I really want to level up and create something playable. Thanks for any tips or resources!
2 Answers
Start by checking out the beginner megathread and the FAQ on forums dedicated to game development. Getting involved in a game jam, like GMTK, is a great way to build a complete game and avoid getting lost in endless tutorials. It can really push you to finish something!
I recommend The Cherno on YouTube for C++ game development content. Just a heads up—building everything from scratch is a lot of work! I suggest picking a language like C++ or C# and using a game engine at first to familiarize yourself with the tools. Once you’ve got a couple of projects under your belt, you can transition to just using a framework. SFML is a good choice for C++. Here's a link to his C++ intro series to get you started!
I definitely need to check this out, thanks!