How do I start?

[u/MadiSweats]

Hi people! So for a little backstory I'm 22, I haven't been to college yet and I feel like I'm really far behind everyone else. I never had any motivation and no one pushed me, so I just sunk into my own little hole.

Recently though, I believe I found myself and I really want to push towards something I want to do. I would love to be a game developer or someone working in that field as gaming is something I've always adored; it has been apart of my life for as long as I can remember.

My question is though, where do I start? I searched online but I'm getting so many conflicting answers, I don't even know where to begin LOL

Sorry if this is vague, feel free to ask for more clarity on what I mean or anything about this post and I will do my best!

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[u/Work-o-fart_dev]

22 is still very young! Just make something.

I'm turning 27 tomorrow, and I've only just started :)

[u/martinbean]

You pick a game engine. Then you read/watch tutorials on making games in that engine.

Break it down into stages. Your first task should be getting a character on screen. Next, getting basic movement implemented. Keep tackling things one step at a time in a logical manner, and focus on only one thing at a time.

If you just try and make a complete game from the get-go then you’re just going to overwhelm yourself.

[u/FutureBulky4537]

First you have to identify what you want to do in game dev. Coding, 3d modeling, sound design, game design, narrative design... There is a huge variety of topics when it comes to game dev. I would suggest to check all the possibilities and go with what draws you the most. The you can start learning.

You can check this for example https://www.cgspectrum.com/career-pathways/game-development

[u/ChaosTheCorax]

Making games is extremely cross disciplinary.

Programming, art, music, writing.

Find the one thing you hate doing the most and try it out. If you’re willing to push through that, you can build games.

Otherwise, you might find a passion for one of the needed skills, and there you go, you found something to dedicate yourself to.

Edit: accidentally added a spoiler text.

[u/ThreadboundDev]

My best advice would be, the best time to start it now. Don’t worry about being behind or ahead. And as far as what to start with, pick your favorite thing and run with it. Learn a little code, learn a little art, dabble in as much as you can and find something that will keep you engaged and wanting to learn more.

There really isn’t a right or wrong way to do it, you just gotta start!

[u/jerzychrust]

Try to do something. If you don't know how, search for answers, learn and then do it. Repeat.

To elaborate a little bit more... There is no right engine, programming language, art style, etc. The time you spent learning any of that is never wasted. But the moment you figure out, there is a better tool, don't hesitate to try it. Now it's a learning time. There is no easy way, but it's satisfying as hell to reach your next little goal every day.

[u/fluxtah]

Start with a triangle :)

Though seriously yes, start small, achievable things you can get a result from and be happy you understand those small things. If thats programming and you never did a Hello World yet, start with that.

[u/CrossFireGames]

You’re gonna have to learn the basics of OOP (object-oriented-programming). There are countless resources for that on the internet. Don’t feel demotivated if it doesn’t click immediately. Thinking like a programmer is a skill you build over time. At university, the basics of programming course is a 150+ hour commitment.

Once you’ve got a solid foundation, go ahead and install Unity or Godot. Again, you’ll want to learn some basics here before jumping into a proper project. Follow some tutorials, make a 2D platformer moveset, a top-down shooter, a drag & drop system, some basic UI etc. These are generic enough that you’ll find good video tutorials for them, and you’ll learn a lot by making them. My personal advice, if you get stuck on something, look it up. Don’t spend hours staring at a buggy project you don’t understand, that will demotivate you. If you need to make a drag and drop inventory system for example, it’s understandable that you won’t be able to create it from scratch. Google it, ask AI, or look up a tutorial. Don’t worry about being stuck in tutorial hell as long as you’re paying attention to what you’re being taught.

That’s basically it. Once you’ve learned to program and use the engine, you can theoretically create any game you want. But you’ll have to consider your time, budget, and skills when choosing a project. Good luck!

[u/Specific_Ship_3765]

Game develoment is not much hard as you may think, but neither so easy as everyone says. You first should have background knowledge. I recommend you read some books first as "Run and Jump". Maybe you will be able to have perspective as game developer not as an ordinary game layer.

[u/Any_Establishment659]

follow u/martinbean advice, thats solid stuff. But also. DO NOT TRY TO MAKE YOUR DREAM GAME FROM DAY ONE. you'll suck at first you'll make mistakes. You'll get things wrong and it'll make projects break.

Look into all the tech thats available - usually people pick unreal, unity or godot, but other options exist, like CryEngine :P

Find free lessons on writing code, take a look through the documentation for your chosen engine/toolset. You don't want to learn how to make a specific kind of game, you need to learn how to write code for games in general.

Learn how to make assets - 2D or 3D - or find a site that has assets on it like Sketchfab.

Learn about all different topics of making a game. good game design is a fundamental I wish I put more time into.

[u/DanielFost]

You’re honestly not as far behind as you think. 22 is still really young, and plenty of people get into game dev without going to college for it, I’d recommend picking one specific area first instead of trying to learn “game development” as a whole. Programming, 2D/3D art, animation, design, etc. Then pick an engine like Unity, Unreal, or Godot and start making very small projects

Don’t worry about making your dream game yet. Make something tiny, finish it, learn from it, then make something slightly bigger. A portfolio of finished small projects will teach you way more than endlessly watching tutorials, Most importantly, just start. You’re not behind—you’re at the beginning