So, I decided one day I wanted a new game. I started coming up with ideas but I have no idea how to make a game. I am willing to wait until I can learn all the skills necessary for making the game, but I have some questions:
1) What software do I need? The game is going to be a side scrolling shooter, and I am not sure what software to use.
2) What programming language do I need? It's going to be uploaded to a site, so it must be compatible.
3) What do you recommend I should do? Should I start making a few minor games to practice my coding, or should I jump straight into the game?
I really want to make this game, and I want to be able to complete this achievement myself, without hiring anyone to do it for me. This really means a lot could me. Could any of you give me some tips?

Thanks.

You want to find a Game Engine that will do what you want to do in a language you think you can do it.

Since you want it to be web based an easy way to start would be by looking at JavaScript and HTML5. They are not the best places to learn how to program, but you should be able to see if you like writing games. Try www.w3schools.com and http://www.tutorials...t.com/index.htm for learning the languages.

Once you are ready to go beyond clicking on smiley faces and putting up messages boxes then search the web for Javascript game engines, first one I got back was craftjs.com, there seems to be an upwards scrolling shooting game as a demo on there, but I haven't looked at it in any depth.

Good luck

(Oh you'll need an editor, try Notepad++ from www.portableapps.com)

I would look into a Flash game engine to start, like Flixel but do a few searches to find what you like.

And yes, make a few smaller games to start. It will teach you to appreciate that even small games are way more challenging than you would ever guess. And hopefully the value of thorough planning.

It comes down to what YOU want to do. Do you want to use an existing engine? Do you want to write your own engine? etc.
The first programming language I learned was C++ and I've always been a fan of PRGs, so I gathered up the information I needed in order to create my own engine. Now, I am a very creative problemsolver so learning C++ as my first programming language was not really that hard for me, it just took me some time. The thing that I want to get across to people who want to start making their own engines for their games is that you have to start off simple. I didn't listen to people who said that, so I started to make an RPG as my first game, this RPG was not just a really simple game, It was actually quite complicated.

I stated with an idea and it just grew bigger and bigger as I started to put it together, after about a year of work, the project was so big and I started to notice that my code was really, really bad, basically really overcooked spaghetticode
You HAVE to start off simple with something that doesn't take too much time to make, the programming skills I had when I first started my RPG was just a fraction of the programming skills that I have now when that game is starting to head for release.