Which language should I learn first for building a 3D game engine: Lua or Rust?

Between the two, I'd definitely vote for Lua. It's more accessible for beginners, especially in game development, where it’s often used for scripting rather than full engine development. Rust is great and all, but it has a steep learning curve. If you want to work on game engines later on, learning C++ could also be a significant advantage since it's the industry standard for performance. Don't rush into making a whole engine right away; start with smaller projects to build your skills!

I think Lua would be a better starting point for your game development journey. It's lightweight and has engines like LOVE that let you dive right into making games without getting too bogged down in complexity. Once you get comfortable with creating smaller games, you can gradually transition to more complex programming in Rust or even C++. Just remember to keep your ambitions in check; it might take time to build the comprehensive features you have in mind!

Lua is a good language for getting started with game programming, but I think you might want to evaluate your ultimate goals. If you’re looking at making a full engine, Rust is a viable option, but it does increase complexity and might not be beginner-friendly. It might be more beneficial to start simple and create basic games using Lua first, and then slowly work your way up to more ambitious projects.

If you're a total beginner, I'd say start with Lua to get a feel for game mechanics and programming principles. It's much easier and allows for rapid prototyping. Rust is more suited for low-level system programming and game engines, but it may not be the best choice as the first language to learn given its complexity. Build your foundational skills first with Lua, and consider tackling Rust in the future once you have more programming experience!

Honestly, both Lua and Rust are unusual choices for building a game engine. If you're struggling with C++, which is widely used in this field, starting with that might be more productive. Lua is often used for scripting in games rather than for developing the core engine itself. If you did want a bit of experience before diving into C++, you might consider using something like Godot to get a grasp of game concepts without feeling overwhelmed. It has a solid community and is beginner-friendly.