It really depends on the scope and complexity of the engine that you have in mind, your skill level, how fast you learn, how much help you have, how much money you have to throw at books and such, and how much time you have to commit to it.
As a relative beginner if you are looking to create a commercial quality game engine by yourself, then you're probably looking at 4-5 years. Maybe 2-3 years if you are a very quick study and can work at it full time. If you want to develop Unreal you could be at it for 20 years ;)
On the other hand, if you just want something simple to use yourself, without complex material systems, realistic physics systems or advanced AI systems and you're just targeting Windows with DirectX, then you can probably roll something out in a few months if you can put your head down and go at it full-time. Most of the things you would need are well solved problems with plenty of examples to be found in books and online.
Just figure out what you want up front and then do it. If you just want an engine to make some simple games or demos, then you don't need to over-analyze things and try to make the most perfectly elegant game engine framework design of all time. That's how things don't get done
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#2krippy2k8
Posted 19 August 2012 - 10:34 PM
It really depends on the scope and complexity of the engine that you have in mind, your skill level, how fast you learn, how much help you have, how much money you have to throw at books and such, and how much time you have to commit to it.
As a relative beginner if you are looking to create a commercial quality game engine by yourself, then you're probably looking at 4-5 years. Maybe 2-3 years if you are a very quick study and can work at it full time. If you want to develop Unreal you could be at it for 20 years ;)
On the other hand, if you just want something simple to use yourself, without complex material systems, realistic physics systems or advanced AI systems and you're just targeting Windows with DirectX, then you can probably roll something out in a few months if you can put your head down and go at it full-time. Most of the things you would need are well solved problems with plenty of examples to be found in books and online.
As a relative beginner if you are looking to create a commercial quality game engine by yourself, then you're probably looking at 4-5 years. Maybe 2-3 years if you are a very quick study and can work at it full time. If you want to develop Unreal you could be at it for 20 years ;)
On the other hand, if you just want something simple to use yourself, without complex material systems, realistic physics systems or advanced AI systems and you're just targeting Windows with DirectX, then you can probably roll something out in a few months if you can put your head down and go at it full-time. Most of the things you would need are well solved problems with plenty of examples to be found in books and online.
#1krippy2k8
Posted 19 August 2012 - 10:31 PM
It really depends on the scope and complexity of the engine that you have in mind, your skill level, how fast you learn, how much help you have, how much money you have to throw at books and such, and how much time you have to commit to it.
As a relative beginner if you are looking to create a commercial quality game engine by yourself, then you're probably looking at 4-5 years. Maybe 2-3 years if you are a very quick study and can work at it full time. If you want to develop Unreal you could be at it for 20 years ;)
On the other hand, if you just want something simple to use yourself, without complex material systems, realistic physics systems or advanced AI systems and you're just targeting Windows with DirectX, then you can probably roll something out in a few months if you can put your head down and go at it full-time.
As a relative beginner if you are looking to create a commercial quality game engine by yourself, then you're probably looking at 4-5 years. Maybe 2-3 years if you are a very quick study and can work at it full time. If you want to develop Unreal you could be at it for 20 years ;)
On the other hand, if you just want something simple to use yourself, without complex material systems, realistic physics systems or advanced AI systems and you're just targeting Windows with DirectX, then you can probably roll something out in a few months if you can put your head down and go at it full-time.