Taking the first step

News & General Discussion
1

Hi!

I’m finally trying myself at making a (small) game. I don’t have a big experience in programming (a little more than 1 year in C++). And I’m basically a novice in Unity/C#, and I’m making a game mostly to learn it, and also for fun.

Thing is, as many before me I think, I have no idea where to start. Well, I have a clear idea of the type of game I want to make. It’s mostly text-based because I don’t have any art skills. I know what I want and don’t want to make, how the different functionalities should work, how they shouldn’t… In short, I know what I want my final product to look like (more or less).

I know the basics of Unity, I followed some tutorials to make different types of small games. But now, I’m in front of a “white page” and don’t really know how to proceed.

What should I code first? Items? Characters? Designing the UI?
Should I focus on functionalities? Like making the “inventory system”, then the “combat system”…?
Or is it better to just start somewhere I’m comfortable with and let my inspiration take me where it wants?

2

Start with your gameplay loop. Expand how that works until it can encompass/deliver a plot point.

Develop your story, and structure that as a sequence of plot points.

3

Did you expand yourself on tutorial projects?, modify the code to suite what you think is right and try and expand the system?
If you didn’t I suggest you do, it’ll teach you a lot.

You should describe the game(to yourself), break it down into systems and then structuring it will most likely become obvious.

4

I’d second expanding upon those tutorial games you already made. Sort of like modding, see what you can do to build new games or styles of gameplay from the framework you already built. This way you’re learning in more manageable increments, and probably have more fun too than if you try to do too much all at once.

Good luck! And sharing your work in feedback friday is a good idea too. Dont work in a vacuum.

5

Skim through documentation, namely manual and script reference.

Then start making whatever. The first project most likely will fail, but you’ll learn plenty from it.

6

Fixed it for you. :wink:

no but really don’t expect the first project to be what you think, put the game you want to make on a low fire, start thinking about the design, start with what you can make and build up to you dream game.

better keep it alive as a fantasy in your head rather then trying with out a clue and seeing it die before your eyes.
atleast that’s my view.

7

I really like this quote. Keep building sh!t and build upon it.

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