I’d like to build a simple game like they used to make flash games.
So, it would be 2D, vector graphics, a bit of animation/deformation. Big shiny on screen buttons that are also mapped to the keyboard.
Unity is so big, I’m not sure where to start. I do have programming and some graphics experience.
Start here! Complete several or more. You will learn to use unity and convert any programming skills to make any game you’d like.
Welcome to Unity and good luck.
I described the game I’d like to make, and I’m not seeing anything on that page that would help me do that.
That’s because you didn’t do the tutorials! Each tutorial teaches you about the unity editor and how to use it properly. It also covers the coding you will need for your project. You can’t make your game until you learn how to do it. Don’t expect to find a tutorial on your exact game, then it wouldn’t be your game, would it? We never do our best work the first time we try. Complete the tutorials, write a few small and simple games, then tackle your project. Despite how it sounds, that the fastest way to get to your goal.
Since you mentioned programming let’s go with a quick analogy. If you are writing a new program in a language you’ve already learned would you have to learn how to implement conditionals and loops all over again for that language?
No, and the exact same concept applies to Unity. Just about every tutorial on that page is beneficial because the concepts for working with the engine, bringing in new assets, working with code APIs, and so on are universal to Unity.