questionable learning topic topic

Nerdzmasterz

Ie, let's pretend we're making a game about a crook. What do we need?

A world

A crook

Obstacles

Cops

Possibly weapons?

The thing to snatch to win the game.

You might want to add lasers, robots, or whatever else, but the things listed are the core of the game. Can you build a product with the core?

The reason I say this is because 3D models, animations, audio, SFX, UI elements- all of these will take up time to make, and/or money to get, and most 3D models, the really nice ones, are not cheap. You have to make something with as small a budget as possible, and it has to be good enough for people to buy/want to play.

newmodels

DaniTD

There really isn't that much needed to make basic logic. This is because most of the work has already been done, that is Godot game engine.

There is more than one way to solve the same problems.

Pixophir

No worries, just start. There is nothing one can damage. Do the first chapters of
https://docs.godotengine.org/en/stable/
with Godot 3.4 to get confident with the editor. That is the first thing, and it is unavoidable.

Once you know what's where in the editor, then people can start doing coding with you, like put a node there, add a script, let the script print "Hello Dani!". Can you do this ? Show us ;-)

But for 3D you will need an understanding of very basic linear algebra, a vector (position, direction), a matrix(transformation, moving things). If that wasn't yet subject in school, you'll either have to dig in and try your own (there's a chapter in the documentation), wait a while (my personal favourite :-)) until knowledge comes to you, or use a framework that allows visual scripting, like for instance Game Maker. But afaik they can't do 3D.

But first, grab the documentation and follow it with actively doing the examples in Godot on the computer. We all have to start there.

Nerdzmasterz

This video here gives you the basic concept of player movement in 3D, similar to the 2D code I just gave you. It's very basic, but it should be enough to get a model moving.

Nerdzmasterz

Ik, it's just a baby step. Once you are comfortable with moving a cube, it will give you enough knowledge to move other objects.

Sometimes, you don't have to understand the how. Ie, in Unity, the code would be something like transform.Translate(Vector3.ZERO); for idling, or something similar. What does all that do? Tbh, it's closed-source, so we'll never know for sure.

newmodels

3d is similar to geometry and trigonometry. If you can plot points on 2d graph paper than you have a basic understanding of it already. 3d is the same as 2d except there is a 3rd graph.

Nerdzmasterz

X is left and right, Y is up and down, and Z is forwards and backwards.

newmodels

yes and you can think of z and x as a 2d grid, with y creating depth. This is specific to godot.

Nerdzmasterz

I suggest just start by moving a cube, learn how to use 3D collision, and advancing to the next level first. The first two should be easy, and if you learn the last one, you'll have learned enough to make a maze game.

A maze is not glamorous, but it covers the basics of game development.

Nerdzmasterz

Show the code, and a description of what isn't working.

Nerdzmasterz

DaniTD What would you say if I told you that frustration with coding is surprisingly common?

Let me tell ya a little story.

I actually programmed with Unity before this. For a while I thought it was amazing. However, after really getting into it, it's safe to say I loathed it. I mean, I was getting nowhere with it, I Uninstaller it, looked for other game engines, came back to Unity, Uninstaller again, and may have even sworn never to go back to it.

I'd say it's a phase. Thomas Brush admitted to sometimes feeling absolutely unmotivated to keep going.

What is the cause for it?

The learning curve for a game engine is shaped like the hump on a camel's back. You start off and get excited, and just want to jump right in. Next is the very steep learning curve, which I feel you might be experiencing now. It's super frustrating, and takes forever to just make things work. However, it slowly will smooth out. After this is the peak. Not that you know everything, but you know enough to do stuff on your own.

But watch out.

After that is the progressive descent. You have trouble finding new things to learn as you come to accept that you're out of the learning phase and into development phase. It eventually gets worse, but will settle again. You have to hang on, it's a roller coaster with a beautiful reward at the end.

Don't give up. If you need help, just post the questions. 😃

Pixophir

Can you make a script that prints "Hi there !" ? Show it, pls., because we have no idea what your problems are.

Nerdzmasterz

What's the code?

Nerdzmasterz

Is it indented in your code? Without indenting properly, it won't work.

Nerdzmasterz

Translation is basically direction.

Example. Envision numbers on a grid. If you need to go left on the grid- if Input.is_action_pressed("LEFT"):, we need to move on the X axis in the negative direction.

Pixophir

@DaniTD , I believe it is simply too early for you. That is not a shame at all !

You said you can add, subtract and multiply, so I think you're at an early stage of school ? If that's the case, just wait a while. There is no way for you to understand this yet (*) if there's nobody constantly at your side and seeing what you're doing. This is impossible over the internet. Your stakes of programming 3D are too high, and you're in for frustration. Everybody would be at that point.

If you absolutely want to dabble with a game engine, don't do own things yet. Download examples and try them out. The code is free to look at, you don't have to understand it yet, but you get a feeling and after some time you may grasp a little bit, what an assignment is, even what an if statement does.

Children learn a language by just listening and trying :-)

(*) Edit: there are already indirections and abstractions in such things as "left" and "right", symbolic things that don't mean anything to an absolute newcomer to programming. This can't work, it wouldn't for me if I came the first time. I'd have to grab a programming book and start to do very basic things. Just sayin', constructive criticism and all that :-)

Nerdzmasterz

@Pixophir is right. We have all been in the beginner stages, and were unable to build the game of our dreams. Heck, I still can't.

Failing to understand is better than saying you never tried. I can also say programming is a huge step, not many can do it, so nice work on understanding the basics.

Another little secret? Messing around on templates might help you understand how codes work as well, as you examine codes that work well and use the game mechanics.

Nerdzmasterz

Learn 2D. I know you don't exactly like it, but it will give you knowledge that you need to know to make 3D games. Make basic games. Ove time, you'll be able to make very nice ones.

Tomcat

DaniTD how do i start

Before you can learn to run, you have to learn to walk. Before you can start in 3D, you have to learn 2D. My dream is to make a game that would make the whole EA die of envy, but I started with a semblance of a visual novel.

In my opinion, the best thing is the step-by-step execution of Godot's documentation.

DaveTheCoder

DaniTD i want to know how do i start learning

I recently saw this course recommended:
CS50: Introduction to Computer Science
https://pll.harvard.edu/course/cs50-introduction-computer-science?delta=0

Apparently it's free to audit.

It will be a lot of work, but if you want to learn programming, that takes a lot of work.

Tomcat

DaveTheCoder It will be a lot of work, but if you want to learn programming, that takes a lot of work.

Gamedev is hard work. A lot of hard work and very difficult. And, yeah, it requires talent.

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