Bay 12 Games Forum
Finally... => Creative Projects => Topic started by: Iris on August 20, 2022, 04:04:15 am
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So in a fit of temporary insanity, I have decided to learn Unity. Since I have way too many ideas and I can't figure out which ones to pursue, and because I need someone to hold me accountable in my learning (
and not at all influenced by Delphonso's thread nosiree) I thought "why not make a thread tracking my progress?".
So this is that! I will post whenever I do something interesting - since I don't think the absolute beginner Unity experience is a particularly riveting one - which is hopefully at least once a week.
Context: I am a software engineering major. I have a working knowledge of Python - enough to make simple passion projects in it - though no knowledge of digital content creation or C# and dreadfully little training in algorithmic thinking. It is entirely possible I am biting off far more than I can chew and will crash and burn within two weeks, in which case I apologize for leading you on.
Now to the fun part!
Idea One is a modular crafting system which would eventually be attached to an isometric RPG set in a dark, gothic magitech world that has been taken over by both machines and mysterious disease. Heavily inspired by classical Fallout.
Immediate goals: Implement "parts" and "tags" that affect the final product and a simple menu to combine them. Some "parts" synergize, yet others are mutually exclusive. The final use of the tool is determined by all the "tags" it holds.
Idea Two is a spaceship creator that would be used for a 4X/grand strategy game. While I intend to eventually go into enough detail to make Rule the Waves or Aurora blush, for now, it is simple.
Immediate goals: Create a ship creator utilizing a set of "modules" that can attach to each other. It would be strongly preferable not to use a grid system. Calculate ship stats from these parts.
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I really like the sound of idea one.
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Welcome to hell, Iris.
I also think option one sounds quite interesting. Reminds me vaguely of Vagrant Story, just on the surface.
I found learning in public (the term for this style of like...posting about what you're learning about and getting constant feedback and advice) to be really successful in my own learning process. Happy to read along.
Obligatory "How about Godot" comment here, too.
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Idea One it is! Now if only I could get the UI Builder working...
Obligatory "How about Godot" comment here, too.
Unity was what I was recommended, so that's what I decided to learn, though I'm not so attached to it so as to not abandon ship if something better comes along.
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Godot is FOSS and uses Python's syntax if that helps. It has good documentation, but can't really compete with Unity's 3D capabilities. In 2D, I think Godot is a clear winner.
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Interesting ideas!
Good luck!
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The saying "Bay12 is a gateway drug into coding" becomes truer by the day.
One more poor soul joins the pit of torment.
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Doing light research to find out what goes into a game makes me realize that, wow, I have no idea how to do any of this. I am a passable programmer, but game design? Artwork? Putting it all together with the engine? Totally beyond me. It's a little overwhelming and quite frankly I don't know where to start.
So, to keep things moving, I'll just work on mechanics. One thing at a time. I don't need to know it all at once.
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You can get art packs online. In reality though, you should probably aim lower. Like way, way lower for first Unity project.
Something like: focus on making a game with just UI only, like an idle game.
Then a simple platformer. Etc.
You want to basically have projects to learn each little aspect of both how Unity works and how to actually design a game.
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If making a 3D game seems hard what about making a 2D game with ASCII graphics?
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The issue I have been trying to avoid is that simple projects bore me to tears. Doing the "microgames" and the Unity Essentials Pathway made me want to throw myself out of a window.
That's why I've set immediate goals that are much simpler, so I can say to myself "this is going to be cool someday!" For the crafting project, for instance, my immediate goals are programming UI and reading "parts" and "tags" from JSON within the Unity/C# environment. The game is going to be an RPG one day, but for now, I just want to get the crafting and inventory menu working.
Speaking of: I ran into a small problem yesterday. Specifically, I realized I didn't know what the results of the crafting system were going to be used for, which meant I had a hard time making parts or envisioning what they would be combined with to make.
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So your currently trying to make part of a game right now rather than a whole game, will the whole game your planing on making be full 3D?
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So your currently trying to make part of a game right now rather than a whole game, will the whole game your planing on making be full 3D?
VR obviously
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So your currently trying to make part of a game right now rather than a whole game, will the whole game your planing on making be full 3D?
Yes. Each component of the game will be roughly self-contained so I don't go overboard. Then I can hopefully combine them and (eventually) I'll have something cool!
Idea 2 was planned to be full 3D, yes, though Idea 1 will likely stay isometric for the time being.
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Isometric sounds cool, doesn't seem like it's used that much anymore and that's a shame.
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Isometric does bring back fond memories of younger years, when many games were isometric.
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Assuming Unity is flexible enough, why not do a bit of both? My first game has a (barely) 3D world and 2D combat.
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Project Zomboid has 3D characters, enemies, and vehicles and 2D sprites for everything else, and it looks pretty good so it could work on this as well.
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Assuming Unity is flexible enough, why not do a bit of both? My first game has a (barely) 3D world and 2D combat.
The primary barrier to that would be my totally-nonexistent art skills. I figure by simplifying it I can minimize the things that go wrong at the sharp end.
Today's update: I haven't worked on either idea much because I've been burnt out with programming lately and learning Unity is something that would be nice to do, instead of something I want to do as a career. I considered giving up and trying to make the menus in Python as a mockup, but I decided that would defeat the purpose of trying to learn a game engine.
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Something fun I did with my younger brother in Unity is make a keyboard-controlled helicopter with realistic helicopter physics and spinning rotors. I would suggest something similar. It seems it would be more instructive and fun to start with something light on UI, instead making use of visual game objects and their interactions, which is what Unity greatly facilitates.
A 3D platformer could be a nice example.
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Yeah, if you're learning the engine, don't worry about art and design yet. A function UI only needs to be buttons and blurry numbers. You can get away with just using perfect spheres or any other placeholder until the mechanics work, then start the content creation process of making assets.
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If your just learning why not a simpler type of game like a side scrolling thing or a platformer?
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Something fun I did with my younger brother in Unity is make a keyboard-controlled helicopter with realistic helicopter physics and spinning rotors. I would suggest something similar. It seems it would be more instructive and fun to start with something light on UI, instead making use of visual game objects and their interactions, which is what Unity greatly facilitates.
Damn, you just described my Dream Game. I LOVED me SimCopter!
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The primary barrier to that would be my totally-nonexistent art skills. I figure by simplifying it I can minimize the things that go wrong at the sharp end.
Today's update: I haven't worked on either idea much because I've been burnt out with programming lately and learning Unity is something that would be nice to do, instead of something I want to do as a career. I considered giving up and trying to make the menus in Python as a mockup, but I decided that would defeat the purpose of trying to learn a game engine.
One major barrier i found in all my projects, was that I always tried to do hard stuff, when the basics are actually an obstacle themselves.
Also, the best indie games generally milk a small handful of quality code. Aka if your goal is to pump out content, you should be re-using stuff you already worked on, more commonly, than programming something new. The dev of Undertale focused on reusable and easy stuff, while also investing in content from his best skills, music and drama.
Of course now he makes an rpg like final fantasy which in my opinion stretches his skills to their limit, but to each his own.
Speaking of: I ran into a small problem yesterday. Specifically, I realized I didn't know what the results of the crafting system were going to be used for, which meant I had a hard time making parts or envisioning what they would be combined with to make.
Maybe a level editor would be more suitable?
The very basics are actually a fair amount of work, and you could then use that in your future projects. Also, a level editor is (slightly) more modular than a crafting system.
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Apologies for not keeping this updated. After some time, I have decided to reevaluate my goals and start on something simpler - the shape of which I am not sure of, but will hopefully come soon.
In addition, due to the fact that I am getting nowhere fast with Unity, I have decided to look into Godot and see if it serves my needs.