shadowisadog

My opinion and suggestions would be to use either Game Maker Studio, Multimedia Fusion 2, or Construct (1 or 2 if you want to make an HTML5 game). I know you said "No RPG Maker" but I think these tools are worth considering. For instance Game Maker Studio has GML (and JavaScript for HTML5), Construct 1 has support for Python scripts natively, Construct 2 supports Javascript, Multimedia Fusion 2 has many extensions for scripting (although I dont think it supports scripts natively). I typically would use GML for the majority of my game logic whenever I have worked with Game Maker.

If I set out to make a game I would likely consider using the above mentioned tools. I work in C++ 40+ hours a week and so I try to get a break from it whenever possible.

If you want to go with C++ that is fine, but I would advise to take a look at the wide variety of tools out there (try the demos) and see what you like best. There is no "right" answer and so it really comes down to personal preference. There is also Python with PyGame, and even some good java options. The truth is there are a large variety of ways out there so try a bunch and pick the one you like best!

I personally do not wish to have to worry about developing the infrastructure for a game when I create one. You do give up some flexibility when using game creation tools, but you can gain valuable productivity and these tools can be good for rapidly prototyping game ideas.

Keep in mind that there is significantly more involved with game design (and creating an RPG) then just how you display a sprite on the screen or handle scrolling. You have a lot of work to do with regards to asset creation, quest creation, and balance.

Just something to consider .

Thank you for making this course available! I have done some 3d programming in the past but I am definitely going to be checking this course out .

Code Academy should provide a decent start and get you going with some basic programming exercises.

I would recommend to anyone that you start with the basics of programming before trying to write a game. Games are software, and learning the language makes the process of creating a game less stressful.

Then there is How to Think Like a Computer Scientist : Learning With Python

A note is that there is Python 2.x and Python 3.x. Python 3 is the future of the Python language and plenty of packages are available for it. I currently use Python 2.7. Learning Python 3 may be something you wish to consider, but the basics should be fairly similar if not identical. Here is the Python 3 version of How to Think Like a Computer Scientist.

So my advice would be to practice some basic programming and get used to writing programs. Try to build up your programming skills before tackling a game project. If you go into starting to make a game with some knowledge of variables, loops, file IO, object oriented programming, data structures, and possibly even design patterns then you are going to have a much stronger starting point than trying to learn as you go in the context of making a game.

Once you have done all of that then I might recommend Writing a game in Python using Pygame and Invent with Python although keep in mind that these two links are going to delve into some pretty advanced stuff rather quickly. It is ok to feel a bit lost when looking at these references especially if you ignore my advice to learn the basics of Python first!

After you have done ALL of that then you may want to look into Tiled for creating levels for your game.

A final note is that... Be aware that (and this goes for any one in the future reading this) that the journey of game development and learning how to write both games and software is a long one. Don't expect to be good at it overnight. I have been programming for over a decade and I still learn new things on a daily basis!

I would strongly recommend you stay away from Game Maker. It's very much overpriced. If you want something similar to Game Maker you could take a look at Enigma. Which is much more flexible and completely free.

 

I would recommend that you learn a language such as Java or as mentioned above C#. It will take you longer to get set up and start making games, but in the long run (in my opinion) it's the better option. It has infinite amounts of potential applications and isn't just limited to games.

I own Game Maker HTML5 and Game Maker Studio. I do not consider either to be overpriced. I like when I can use free tools, but I feel that Game Maker can be worth the money (I decided to purchase it after all).

There is a free studio version, a $50 standard version, a $100 professional version, and the "master" edition is $500... Not really what I call overpriced when it comes to game development (although I suppose it depends on your budget). You are likely to spend significantly more on art/music though...

It is great that you found a solution yourself, but could you possibly post the solution that you found so that others can benefit from it if they encounter the same problem in the future?

One of my pet peeves is when I search for a problem, find a thread where the problem is discussed, the answer is found, but it is not shared.

Thank you .