It’s been my lifelong dream, ever since I could dream, to be a game dev. I used to do my thing on Roblox, it’s where I learned all of what I know today, which is a problem now that Roblox fell off the deep end after a really successful era.
Godot isn’t the kind of engine where you can come in as a beginner and just mess around until you’re suddenly an expert, not like Scratch or Roblox. If it doesn’t have that beginner state, and I consider myself experienced with another engine, how do I start?
I believe I should begin with a project that handles similar concepts to my “dream game”, but in a simpler way, so I can learn what I need to know for the future along the way.
I really want to get into procedural animation. It was a lot easier with Roblox given that a complex part-based physics engine is the foundation of the platform.
How I have done it.
Be comfortable with the documentation. Start with “Getting Started”
Follow the two tutorials in the Godot docs.
Biuild your first little app. Just use Control nodes (UI), no other 2D or 3D nodes.
I have build a little Image database for my “medical” plants. With thumbnail generation, Image viewer, note taking and logging system.
Build your own first little 2D game, just to get a feel for the available nodes. Refer to the docs as much as possible.
Build your first own little 3D game, just with simple primitives (boxes, spheres etc.). Everything more complex 3D, you have to learn a modelling app, too. Like Blender. If you know Blender already, it’s much easier.
Now start with a single game logic that fit to your original idea. And every day choose a topic that you want to know more about, and research this in the docs and tutorials.
Don’t just watch tutorials and follow every step 1:1. IMHO. It’s better to watch a tutorial just as inspiration how Godot handles specific tasks. and try to use the presented concepts from memory. Only when stuck go back to the tutorial and rewatch the related part.
Don’t start with your “dream game” as your first project. Only when you know what you need and how it’s done in Godot start with a “real” project, the “dream game”.
I think conz3D gave pretty sound advice. My advice is more or less the same.
I don’t have Godot experience, so I can’t give a clear recommended “path to success” workflow from idea to game, but I can say the broad-strokes of learning software - especially game engines - is to start small and work your way up.
Lots of people have their idea of their dream game. That’s good! If you want to make the dream game right, the best step you can take towards making that dream game is don’t start making it now.
Learn the tools and build confidence. Build a couple of smaller games to get familiar with the software first.
I won’t preach any more since, like I said, Conz3D advice sounds pretty good.
I can only echo conz3d: follow Godot tutorials and you’ll quickly learn the basics, and get an idea of what Godot can do. Definitely try out Godot’s signature features, like signals, different node types, custom resources, and instantiating / swapping scenes - all fairly easy to work with, and extremely useful.
You can keep a project on the side to play around with, and start building your dream game, but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend starting with tutorials that relate to procedural animation - think of it like learning an instrument; everything you learn is useful, and will help you express yourself better on that instrument
If you are mostly interested in procedural animation, it could be a good idea to focus on that and trying to find someone to collaborate with. It would still be important to have a hang of how the engine works but it wouldn’t require you to learn nearly as much if you can find someone that likes to code or do sound effects or whatever. Just an option to keep in mind if you feel much more interested in procedural animation than the other parts of making games.
