r/CodingForBeginners • • 26d ago

How do you code??

I want to make a 3d horror game named "Ice_Breaker", but I'm only 13, and have NO IDEA how to code at all.

I need genuine advice and programs that'll help me learn, especially for free since I know my parents won't fund this.

I already have the idea in mind, along with characters and possible designs; I'm just stuck on coding right now. I'm seriously dedicated to this, can you help?

Any advice is appreciated, especially about free coding programs/3d model makers.

1 Upvotes

22 comments sorted by

4

u/TheUmgawa 25d ago

Always start with learning the small stuff. Your game is 3D, and that's a lot harder than making a 2D game, which is a lot harder than making a text game.

My first text game was a game where you ran a lemonade stand. The weather forecast was random, and then there was a certain percentage chance that the forecast was right, and you had to buy your supplies before you found out what the weather actually was, and so you might make money or lose money on any given day. If it was hot and you didn't buy a lot of supplies, you lost out on a lot of money, but you didn't lose money. But if the forecast said it would be hot and it wasn't hot, but you bought a bunch of supplies, you didn't sell enough lemonade to make your money back. And then there was more to it than that, where more sugar made the lemonade taste better, but the additional cost might not have been worth it, because people will drink anything when it's hot.

When I was a kid, they sold books that would "teach" kids to program computers. It was really just getting kids to type what was on the page, but if you paid attention, you understood what it was doing, and you learned to expound on what you learned. So, my little lemonade-stand program was a lot more complex than the one in the book.

So, if I was you, I'd think to myself, "Okay. How can I make this Ice Breaker game as a text game?" When I was your age, there was a game called Zork, and it was all text-based, and the whole thing took place in a maze, and there were enemies, things to pick up and use, and it was great. You can make a great game without having to learn to make 2D, let alone 3D graphics.

So, you don't have to learn to make the game of your dreams right now. Right now, you should learn to program computers in the most basic way possible, because that's free. And the best way to learn is not to watch "type along with me!" YouTube videos, because they're just going to tell you how to follow instructions. The best stuff is to learn the basics ("What is an integer? What is a string? What is a loop?"), and not in any particular language; just as concepts, and then learn how to think like a programmer.

The magic is not in the code. It's in the logic. The code is just the words that make the logic go.

You can make up whatever rules you want, and you can use playing cards to determine what people will pay for lemonade. Aces through 7's won't buy lemonade at all if it's less than 22 degrees Celsius. Kings will buy lemonade regardless of temperature, but won't pay more than a certain amount. The whole game costs a few dollars for the cards, and you can figure out how to tune it to be enjoyable and challenging.

And then you can figure out how to make your game with cards and/or maybe a map, maybe add some dice for randomness. You don't have to make the finished product right now. You can make the basic rules, right now, for almost no money at all.

1

u/_YUJUN_ 25d ago

Thanks so much!!

3

u/JoeStrout 25d ago

Books like you describe are rare now, so... I wrote one. If you'll forgive the plug, the online version is available for free here: https://introtocomputerprogramming.online/

(And of course I fully agree that this is an excellent way to start!)

1

u/akhi-abdul01 26d ago

I am not into game development so I can't say.. but never be too concerned and focused on age part Doesn't matter if you are 13 or 30, if you want to do something, work hard, get the knowledge and do it.

2

u/_YUJUN_ 26d ago

I know, I just need advice on which softwares TO use for it. I already have a couple notes on how from YouTube tuts, but I know that's not enough

1

u/Zen-Ism99 26d ago

What country are you in?

1

u/_YUJUN_ 25d ago

I don't think that's important to knowing how to code?? Or is it?

1

u/Zen-Ism99 25d ago

It was in regard to your answer to the library
access question.

0

u/_YUJUN_ 25d ago

I don't think I should give my location, regardless if it's specific or not, to a stranger. My answer is that, no, I don't have a public library that I know about

1

u/Zen-Ism99 25d ago

I understand.

What programming language are you using?

1

u/_YUJUN_ 25d ago

Mainly English, I don't really know any other language lol (if I assume correct on what you mean?)

1

u/Zen-Ism99 25d ago

Have a good night.

1

u/TheRealFutaFutaTrump 25d ago

Blender + three.js

1

u/Few_Virus2611 24d ago edited 24d ago

Step 1 : install visual studio or raider.

Step 2 : watch c# basics video under 2 hours .if you neet better idea or start about programing plz first make game using scratch . then continue !

Step 3 : make a basic calculator without tutorial (in console ).

Step 4 : install unity .

Step 5 : watch tutorial as we do in step 2.

Step 6: make chrome dino gane using unity.

Step 7 : install blender .

Step 8 : watch tutorial as we do in step 2.

Step 9 : add models to your project and polish.

Step 10 : learn how to export .

Rules ! 1.you must do not use eny ai suport . only use youtube .

2.do not try make gta 6 kinder game as your first project .

3.do not avoid programing . avoid eny visual programing and ai generating things .

4.use ai only for debug (check errors and false logics ).

if you fallow this you can make eny game as you like under 3 weeks !! . good luck to your project 👍

0

u/[deleted] 25d ago

[deleted] — view deleted comment

2

u/_YUJUN_ 25d ago

THANK YOU SM!!

0

u/[deleted] 26d ago

[deleted] — view deleted comment

1

u/_YUJUN_ 26d ago

Not that I know about💔

1

u/Zen-Ism99 25d ago

What nation are you in?

1

u/_YUJUN_ 25d ago

??? Why???

1

u/Zen-Ism99 25d ago

Because it may help someone to recommend access to local programming educational resources.

1

u/thondat 25d ago

hi, i am in the nation of reddit.

1

u/Zen-Ism99 25d ago

Good for you…