You want to learn game development online. What’s the best way to get started?

Practice and more practice: Start with small, manageable projects to gain experience and gradually work your way up to more complex games. Communication: Join online communities and forums dedicated to game development, such as Unity Forum, Unreal Engine Forum, or Reddit's r/gamedev. These communities are great places to ask questions, share knowledge, and collaborate with other developers. Structured courses: Websites like Udemy, Coursera, and Khan Academy offer a wide range of courses on game development topics, from beginner to advanced levels.

For me, YouTube has been my go-to platform for learning game development. The vast array of tutorials, walkthroughs, and insights shared by experienced developers have provided an invaluable resource. When choosing a platform to develop games for, I consider the advice and guidance available on YouTube, tailoring my learning to the specific requirements and nuances of my preferred platform. The visual nature of video tutorials enhances my understanding, making YouTube an essential tool in my game development journey.

I'd start from reading a lot about all of the pieces of the gamedev puzzle. You need to make a proper selection of what you wanna do. Try to analyze job placements on various platforms, understand if it's smth that you'd not regret doing in 2-5-7-10 years from. Take a look at the salaries, follow SMEs from well-known companies, reach out to them and ask directly. They have tons of expertise and experience. Visit conferences where you can ask people from gamedev industry on how to better start.

When we consider entering the games industry, we think about these major functions: Art, programming, and game development. It's the foundation of the industry, just like the Initials Pokemons to begin your career. If I could go back in time, I would tell myself that the game development world is vast and that you can accomplish so much more than these areas. If I had this counsel, I believe I would advance in management and business much more quickly. So, before you think about engines, consider the roles that exist in the business, seek for groups where specialists in this field lurk, and pursue the road of becoming a member of the games industry.

The strength of online communities really can't be underestimated. There are hundreds of YouTube video series of people programming every kind of game under the sun for people of every skill level. But a video can only teach so much, some creators go to the next level with their own Discord and these sorts of servers are my favorite. Dozens to Hundreds of people at all different levels of development experience and all looking to share information. Getting active in these sorts of online communities provides endless opportunities for both getting feedback on your work and examining the work of others. Can't recommend enough to aspiring Developers.

Selecting the right game engine is a pivotal choice in your game development journey, akin to picking the right set of tools for your craft. Unity, Unreal Engine, Godot, and GameMaker Studio are like different brushes, each with its own strokes and nuances. Unity is renowned for its flexibility and vast community, Unreal Engine excels in high-end graphics and AAA titles, Godot offers an open-source approach with a user-friendly interface, and GameMaker Studio caters to those seeking a more accessible entry point. Consider your preferences, skill level, and the community support each engine provides as you embark on transforming your game ideas into digital reality.

In the journey of online game development, the next crucial step is selecting a game engine that aligns with your chosen platform. Game engines, such as Unity, Unreal Engine, Godot, and GameMaker Studio, offer diverse tools for graphics, physics, audio, networking, and scripting. The choice should reflect your needs, skills, and budget, considering the active communities and abundant online resources each engine provides for developers.

Choose a game engine to learn and work with. Unity and Unreal Engine are popular choices due to their robust features, extensive documentation, and large communities. Consider factors like ease of use, programming language, and available resources when making your selection.

An important thing you need to do before you pick an engine is to define your first project. What kind of game is it? 3D, 2D, platformer, open world, etc. Each engine has different strengths. If you decide to pick an engine that doesn’t match what your game is, it’s not impossible to do, but it’s much more difficult because the engine is built with a specific type of tools. You will be swimming up stream to finish your product. Make sure to understand each engines strengths and match it to the product you are making. If you’re not interested in making your own project, do some research of what engines companies you’re interested in are using. That way you are tailoring to the companies you’re looking at in the future.

There are numerous tutorials to learn game development for free. Some of them are available on YouTube which are Brackeys, freecodecamp, jimmy vegas, code monkey. Start learning to make basic 2D games with a beginner friendly engines like Unity, then move on creating games with outer worlds and 3D environments slowly when you get hold of the engine.

Start with beginner-friendly tutorials and courses to familiarize yourself with the fundamentals of game development, including game design principles, programming languages (such as C# for Unity or C++ for Unreal Engine), asset creation, and basic game mechanics.

Explore different aspects of game development, such as programming, art and animation, level design, audio engineering, or game production. Experiment with various roles and techniques to discover your interests and strengths within the field.

Continuously expand your knowledge and skills by taking advanced courses, participating in online communities and forums, attending workshops and conferences, and working on personal projects. Stay updated on industry trends and best practices to remain competitive in the ever-evolving game development landscape.

Always be on the lookout for games and features that light the curiosity spark in you trying to replicate those things would give you a deeper understanding of game development and a greater appreciation for those who develop games. Giving you the ability to think in terms of game logic whenever you see something interesting

Embrace creativity and experimentation in your game development journey. Don't be afraid to think outside the box, iterate on your ideas, and push the boundaries of what's possible. Enjoy the process of bringing your imagination to life through games.

It might not seem like the most fun thing when you’re getting your hands dirty with the creative side of game development, but taking stock of some of the business and legal aspects of making a game is extremely beneficial for the long-term health of your game dev journey. There are many pitfalls along the way if you plan to publish your game—if you ever think you might want to take your game to the next level, start thinking about some of the business and legal issues you might run into and prepare for them ahead of time with a game plan. There are a plethora of resources out there—a good starting point is Google, from which you’ll probably find many blog posts and articles from law firms discussing these risks and how to avoid them.

Time Management: Set aside dedicated time for learning and practicing game development regularly. Establish a schedule and stick to it to make consistent progress towards your goals. Collaboration Opportunities: Seek opportunities to collaborate with other aspiring or experienced game developers on projects, hackathons, or game jams. Collaboration can foster creativity, teamwork, and networking within the game development community. Portfolio Development: Build a portfolio showcasing your projects, skills, and achievements to demonstrate your capabilities to potential employers or collaborators. Include both completed games and works-in-progress to showcase your growth and versatility as a game developer.