So i want to achieve many types of hobbies. For the longest time ive wanted to make games but im honestly unsure where to start, what tools to pick up, and what to learn especially sense i want to attempt to learn for free without having to pay for anything.
Ive been told gamedev is like learning a new language in a way. I could use a point in a starting direction if possible.
I also have a dumb question but i cant really make out a different between the definitions of coding and programming, what is the difference if any?
The only “wrong” way to start something is to not actually start.
Some people might toss you at whatever pet interest they have in the broad skillset which is gamedev. Tell you it’s fundamental.
I won’t.
Take The Frizz approach. Take chances, make mistakes, get messy!
You can download a FOSS game engine RIGHT NOW (Godot). Start small. Fuck with it until your questions become specific. Once you know what you don’t know, but need to know, that’s what you should learn.
This is my strategy whenever I learn a new language. Start easy, escalate in complexity.
Etc.
The basic game itself doesnt matter - make it hangman if you want. The idea is to get used to a language.
Keep doing that sort of thing, experimenting and learning, find ways to break things, find weird ways to solve problems, figure out ways to write even less lines of code. Find elements that you can make a function instead. Sanitize inputs excessively. Whatever.
Play around, and keep playing around. You’ll learn in no time.
For the record, this is how I learn, by doing. I have a really hard time sticking to tutorials, and I find examples far more helpful than a manual entry explanation of what something does. YMMV.