The mistake that most people make is thinking about whether or not they should make a "game engine" when what they really want to do is make a game. If you wan

The mistake that most people make is thinking about whether or not they should make a "game engine" when what they really want to do is make a game. If you want to make a game, make it. If it makes sense to use somebody else's engine to make it, then by all means do so. If you aren't going use someone else's game engine (which is a perfectly valid choice), skip straight to making your game. After you've made a game or two, you'll know whether making a "game engine" out of what you've written previously is a worthwhile effort for your next game.