Size Doesn't Matter

My first exposure to a game engine was Construct 2. Construct 2 is a very basic GUI-based-programming engine. I made my very first game in that engine. It was simple to learn and it familiarized me with game engine concepts. This game engine was great for beginners, but if you wanted to do something bigger, it was very restrictive.

This is when I started learning Unity. Unity has a learning curve, but I had all sorts of freedom. The engine allowed me to modify and tweak everything to my heart’s desire. I was no longer shackled.

I soon started making my very own project. The game was a stealth game with a first-person view. The character was in a maze and the player had to find its way out. There were guards and different routes to choose from. I wanted the best Artificial Intelligence for the game, so I tried coding the guards to be able to detect footsteps, light and if the player was running or walking. For the player, I had 3 flashlights modes. And for guards to have the best pathfinding I was using Unity’s NavMesh component. I had a lot of mechanics and features planned out for this game. I wanted an electrical panel that would blow out the area’s electricity. I wanted a detection level for guards. I even wanted a combat system. I wanted mechanics that Triple-A games featured.

Soon I lost interest in making the game because I felt I will never finish it. The work never seemed to reduce. Every day I would think of adding a new mechanic which would make the game “better”. I kept adding work to do. After two weeks or so I stopped working on the game and archived the project.

As a beginner always start small. Keep checkpoints, these checkpoints are gratifying and give a morale boost. Even though you might have a small project, when it is done right, and when it is finally finished, the feeling is surreal.