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Actually as someone who also did mostly web development professionally before starting games as a hobby, I think it's better to start by coding a small game wit

Actually as someone who also did mostly web development professionally before starting games as a hobby, I think it's better to start by coding a small game without any engine (like a shooter or a platformer) to fully understand the concepts like game loop, FPS, sprites, etc. Then only you can move to using an engine and you'll understand better what's going on. That's especially true for someone who already knows programming, the answer would be different for someone who had no programming experience.

krapp 12y ago
I'm taking tutorials for game making in SDL2 to expand my knowledge of C++, and because i've had an interest in game design for a while. I'm certainly learning a lot more than I ever did playing around with Game Maker..
- girvo 12y ago
  Hey, don't knock it. I learnt to program in GML; to the point where I built a 3D game out of Game Maker, pretty much using the UI as a glorified level editor, rather than using its proper actions. Taught me heaps :) Nowadays, I'm a web dev, but I build games in my spare time, and have lately been doing it with Canvas/Javascript. Just like SDL it takes some of the finicky bits out of your way, but is still pretty low level somewhat.
  - krapp 12y ago
    Game Maker is actually pretty nice now that it comes with a physics engine (although I was annoyed when it took me like an hour to reimplement a project it took me weeks to do in an older version because everything was just there) ... I just wish it used something other than GML for its scripting language.
benihana 12y ago
I'm working through Unity tutorials now and this is what I did, and I'd agree. Being a web developer and knowing JavaScript is awesome for this - HTML5 games are really fun and easy. I started with a Galaga clone[1] that taught me about game loops, input, rendering, and the state of the game world and how they interact and are separate. I think this has made working through Unity, where things are kind of magical, much easier. 1. https://github.com/hoorayimhelping/Galaga5 https://github.com/hoorayimhelping/Galaga5

krapp 12y ago

I'm taking tutorials for game making in SDL2 to expand my knowledge of C++, and because i've had an interest in game design for a while. I'm certainly learning a lot more than I ever did playing around with Game Maker..

girvo 12y ago
Hey, don't knock it. I learnt to program in GML; to the point where I built a 3D game out of Game Maker, pretty much using the UI as a glorified level editor, rather than using its proper actions. Taught me heaps :) Nowadays, I'm a web dev, but I build games in my spare time, and have lately been doing it with Canvas/Javascript. Just like SDL it takes some of the finicky bits out of your way, but is still pretty low level somewhat.
- krapp 12y ago
  Game Maker is actually pretty nice now that it comes with a physics engine (although I was annoyed when it took me like an hour to reimplement a project it took me weeks to do in an older version because everything was just there) ... I just wish it used something other than GML for its scripting language.

benihana 12y ago

I'm working through Unity tutorials now and this is what I did, and I'd agree. Being a web developer and knowing JavaScript is awesome for this - HTML5 games are really fun and easy. I started with a Galaga clone[1] that taught me about game loops, input, rendering, and the state of the game world and how they interact and are separate. I think this has made working through Unity, where things are kind of magical, much easier. 1. https://github.com/hoorayimhelping/Galaga5 https://github.com/hoorayimhelping/Galaga5