Bit of an ambiguous question really but this revolves around using unity with below average intelligence. I am not sure if it’s worth my time or if I am better off using something different to save myself heart ache. I have a history of game development but iv’e tried to keep away from any code where possible due to me being stupid with academic related ventures. I have wanted to make a game for the past 2 years (very clear vision in my head how I want it to work) but I always have to give up due to medical reasons and my lack of understanding of code.
I suffer with bipolar disorder so I am more inclined to start developing my dream idea of a game and cram as much information in as I possibly can. One point I watched 18 hours of programming in C# videos during an episode of mania to make sure I could code it all, unfortunately I ended up crashing into a manic depression and gave up resulting in me forgetting the 18 hours. This cycle has been going on for 2 years… but onto the point!
Basically after 2 years I can’t write any code. C# is impossible for me to learn due to below average intelligence and ends up me being frustrated. I have been reading up on how to get an object to store another objects XYZ so it can walk towards it. 6 hours later I don’t know how to write the code to make object 1 move towards object 2. This is putting me in a position of triggering a mental (bipolar) episode of depression.
So my questions is where should I start learning C# for unity? I can’t understand the manual as it’s too complicated. Are there any videos where everything is very simple? Is there any simplified documents out there on the web?
You’re not stupid enough to not ask for help though, which probably gives you more than a fair chance of making something in Unity.
Have you tried visual scripting, such as playmaker and friends? This is kind of programming but takes the pressure off getting things wrong… so you only need to focus on getting the right behaviour.
You can always try accessing some scripts in the asset store if you would like them to take on some of the functionality of your game, which can be found here: Unity Asset Store - The Best Assets for Game Making
In the event that you wish to try programming, Unity also offers some modules that go into amazing detail for beginners to get started: Unity Learn .
You can also take to hippocoder’s recommendation for Playmaker if this is what you are looking for!
Theoretical knowledge from videos and books won’t stick unless you apply it in practice.
Once you learned something, apply it immediately in practice. This way you’ll be more likely to retain the information. Most of the people, if they watched 18 hours of tutorials straight, will simply forget 99% of what they saw, unless they apply it in practice.
It sounds like you might be spending too much time reading about coding and too little time doing coding. Try not to cram everything you need at once. Start with something small and work from there.
I assure you, there are as many idiots who use Unity as there are Candy Crush and Match 3 clones on the mobile app stores and crappy Greenlit games on Steam.
You definitely won’t be the first, and he definitely won’t be the last.
Try a Udemy class. They are inexpensive and can help you learn to code. My son did a C# one and taught himself, even impressing his college professor later with his knowledge.
Sometimes it is all about how we learn. I have an “above average intelligence” or so they tell me…lol…but in order to learn something, I have to do it. I learned to 3d model by basically opening the modeling program and making a lot of junk. I read books and watched videos, but only actually putting my fingers to the keyboard and jumping in helped.
Coding…I haven’t even tried so I think it is great that you are making an attempt. If Udemy and doing it doesn’t help, then I suggest Playmaker.
I bet you are much less “stupid” than you think you are. Often people with bipolar are very bright but it is the illness that gets in the way. Don’t give up!
Thank you for the advice, I will defiantly have to take a look at the udemy… ended up in the health and fitness courses!! . I have seen digital tutors which offer web based learning in the form of videos which I do find easier to follow than flat out reading. Udemy im guessing you pay for the courses while digital tutors seems to have a one off payment monthly. Something I will have to read into for sure.
I do like learning but it’s something about code that triggers my condition worse than others. I think it’s because instead of seeing the code for what it is my brain decides to mix it all up. It seems the structure of code causes a short in my brain wiring
You should talk with your medical doctor that is treating you for your medical conditions. They know what is and what is not possible for people with your condition that are properly treated.
When you self diagnose or have other non-licensed people attempt to diagnose what you are or are not capable of with your condition, well, they don’t know and can’t treat you can they?
With Udemy, you actually are taking a course, so to speak, with an instructor who will answer questions. It is set up in parts, each part a different video. And yes, it is usually about $25 for the entire course, or sometimes less if they have sales.
With Digital Tutors, you have tons of tutorials and you pay per month. I think the class setup is better for coding as you can get help and you own the class for life.
I have tried both.
My brain is not wired for coding either. lol I get the logic behind it and it makes a little sense, but the thought of writing code for an entire game is “scary” to me.
I say keep trying. Maybe look into some school level computer science learning material that covers basic programming concepts and doesn’t get too hung up on language specifics. I could imagine visual scripting systems can be a good help to understand such concepts. I agree with @hippocoder . Your opening post already looks more intelligent than the average newbie question.
A thing worth keeping in mind is, that gamedev in general is bloody hard, if you want to make something reasonably complex. Even people without mental illness describe the experience as depressing sometimes. Pretty much everyone struggles with the difficulties of making games at times. You will as well, but that doesn’t mean you are stupid. It’s normal and part of the experience. Try not to get too frustrated when you are stuck. Also give rubber ducking a try: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_duck_debugging
I could imagine it being beneficial for you.
While I’d usually take a doctor’s opinion over one from a random stranger on the internet, I wouldn’t advise to let them tell you whether you can be a coder or not. A doctor being wrong is not unheard of.
They stated that have tried for 2 years with no success and it’s quite clear that pointing the OP to another free online or paid resource isn’t going to improve their motivation.
So yes after 2 years of aimless daydreaming and no motivation; the doctor(s) treating the condition can advise much better than you or I can.
And yes, with a medical condition such as bipolar disorder, the patient should ask the doctor about help with motivation and the suitability of game development for someone with their condition and not Unity forum users.
I’ll trust a doctor’s advice on this before a Unity forum member’s. Sorry, game development is rad and makes us cool and all that but we ain’t all that.
I really like the rubber duck idea, that’s the first time iv’e ever heard of that before. Problem is I don’t have a rubber duck so I guess my companion cube will have to be my go to object. I spoke outloud what transform.position is and it did make sense more so when I said it out loud and wrote down in notepad my understanding of it. If this works remains to be seen but can’t be a bad idea to try.
Here is the cube joining me on round 100 with code !
Honestly, even if it is a legitimate correct diagnosis by a doctor (not a mistake, not a self-diagnosis), I’d still expect the person to be able to learn to use unity, except it would take longer.
Long time ago I saw a person with obvious disability taking programming courses (trouble speaking, moving, wheelchair bound). I don’t know how successful they were, though.
It is a formal diagnosis from a clinical setting. I do try tell myself that I can do anything if it takes me 200 times to program something basic then at least I did something that 99% couldn’t. The problem with my bpd is I am one of the rapid cycling types so when in a high state I will cram in as much information as possible (At one point I had 3 videos playing and reading a book) . I get incredibly creative like someone turned on the flood lights and nothing is impossible, the problem seems to be code makes me switch into a low state. During the low state it’s like my brain slammed on the breaks and nothing is possible, even getting out of bed is an achievement.
I guess I am here to look for new learning ideas and styles, maybe there is something out there that I haven’t tried. Things in life sometimes take me a little longer, but for me it’s more about approaching it sideways to avoid a mood trigger instead of head on. It’s incredibly frustrating and debilitating but I do continue to try.
Hmmm, maybe I should go see a doctor. I seem to function like this as well, but on a much slower cycle, and generally not as high or low. The highs though - I wish my brain would do that all of the time - so much productivity.
You’ve mentioned several times that during the high state you cram in as much information as possible. Have you tried “doing” instead of “acquiring info” during the high times? Actually open up Unity and start doing something - even if you’re following a tutorial, actually write the code yourself, don’t just read or listen - do it. And once you’ve done it, muck around with it, change things, break things and fix them. There really is no substitute for learning - you must do eventually or it will never stick with you.
You really can start doing before you have all the knowledge you need. I dare say most of us can’t sit down and crank out a game just with the knowledge we currently have in our heads. There will always be things to learn or figure out.
It might take you a while to figure out the learning style that will work for you, but if you don’t give up I believe you’ll get there eventually.
And for what it’s worth, some would say we’re all a little dumb for spending all of our time in the world of game dev.
I’m on the side of goat… you need to get on a balance, or not matter where to look or what you do, your situation will not change.
It seems like your meds need to be re-evaluated if you’re still getting the extreme high/lows.
I think a lot of people have some degree of BPD, but there are a few (perhaps like the OP), where it is so extreme that the highs are really high, and the lows are like being in a dead zone.
Did you ever watch “Shameless”… good example of it in that show of the childrens mother, and later the son. Meds are required to get a balance.
You wont’ be productive, and have that focus until you find a balance… and the medications now a days may not be necessary for long-term, for some it’s just to get back on balance and some are able to be weened off.
but ya, go back to your medical professional and seek advice.
And it will mean so much to you. I have a son we adopted at age 4 who was placed in special education. He graduated from community college with a 3.98 out 4.00 grade point average and won a state award for his grades. He is now studying software development for his B.S. degree.
Every step he made as a child was a huge deal to me. I couldn’t brag about the same things as other mom’s could but reading his first book at 10 was a bigger deal to me than my friends’ stories about their kids’ achievements. Every small step was a big step for us.
I would follow some of the simple LEARN tutorials for Unity, like Hello World or whatever they call it now. Little achievements will feel good and they will add up to something big.
You need to figure out how to time your cycles so you can use your burst of energy constructively. Try to be doing some programming while you are in the high state. Try to reduce the amount of work you expect to do during each high state so you can manage to complete a task during a single high state.
I have over 30 years of programming experience. What has always worked best for me is to write everything down in plain English comments first, and then convert that into code. If the comments are too broad to easily convert to code, I keep breaking the comments down until the comments detail each simple step. Then I create code.
I would suggest trying to build the comments first. You may need to write the comments during one high cycle and then convert the comments to actual code the next high cycle. You will need to experiment to see what works best for you.
Also, start very small. Focus on building a simple game where you move a single block around on a surface. Don’t try to build your dream project before you learn the basics. Write a list of goals for simple things you want to learn and practice those things in small projects.
Well, think of it like this… television, mobile phones, social media and YouTube has made everyone pretty stupid, as well as lazy, self-centered, delusional and overly sensitive. Your best shot at salvation, at this point, is to unplug for a while and read a goddamn book. Take a high-school reading list and just try. Try Hatchet. Anyone can relate to Hatchet. It’s basically a book about Minecraft, for real. Get away from the world of people with names like Pauly D, Tila Tequila and Halsey and find your way to the world of people with names like “Mike” and “Tom”. I think this thread is one of the most honest I’ve seen in a while. Just get out of this space, get out of your head, go for a walk or something. At least go somewhere that a tree is.
I’ll give you a riddle to think about.
Take any average person and lock them in a room, and shut them out from the outside world and expose them to loud, jarring noises, bullshit, lies, weird corrupted morals and never give them the option to use their brain or solve problems and you’ll turn anyone into an unhealthy nut job with depression, social anxiety and terrible attention span.
So why is it that we don’t believe if you take that same person out of that environment and back into a healthy environment that they will become a healthy, functional human being?
. I have seen digital tutors which offer web based learning in the form of videos which I do find easier to follow than flat out reading. Udemy im guessing you pay for the courses while digital tutors seems to have a one off payment monthly. Something I will have to read into for sure.
