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[Alex N.]

I finally got over my... sensibilities, and decided to learn how to code, so here's where i'll post all my progress. Maybe i'll end up with a cool game idea down the road and THIS TIME be able to make it into a thing. But for now, time to wrinkle my brain

Me TLDR: I'm Alex, mid 30's. Went over my midlife crisis a couple of times or still in it, fk knows anymore. Did my first flash "game" with god awful action script code back in +-2006 ish. Decided that my calling is making games (the artistic part) so I did that till present days. I hated programming, was way too afraid of it, but now I'm wiser and tired of relying on people to help me achieve my dreams.

Let's see where this journey takes me.

_{Some games i failed to finish... I'm not going to look for the rest, it bums me out, plus most of them I can't even open anymore.}

[Alex N.]

20 days in update:





- I have a new level of respect for programmers;
- There is a constant headache since day 1; 
- I can now look at written code and know what's a variable, a function, what get's called first, what's a loop and other basic stuff; 
- I'm a tiny bit familiar with game maker's interface;

It might be early but now I'm trying to make a slingshot "game", that will _(hopefully) grow into this game that I have in mind but no idea on how to actually approach it from a coding aspect....yet.
So I will do ... something first.

[nathy after dark]

I 10/10 admire folks who learn coding a bit later in life! Keep it up and you too can be a wizard 

Something that was cool for me learning coding independently was attending the Recurse Center (recurse.com), a free programming retreat in New York.

[FlyingFreeStudios]

Keep at it, Alex!

Code does seem like some strange black magic from the outside. But once you understand the foundations of what code is, any language is within your reach.

I've been coding for 15+ years now, and the best advice I can give is to get those hands dirty. Don't be shy, jump right in and start writing and running code. What's the worst that could happen? Your code doesn't work? Good! Then you get to learn how to fix it.

I'm looking forward to seeing your progress on your journey.

[Alex N.]

Thank you for the words of encouragement 

Something that was cool for me learning coding...

this sounds like such an awesome initiative. Maybe, one day, who knows.

But once you understand the foundations of what code is, any language is within your reach.

That's what I'm starting to understand nowadays, even if at first sight feels overwhelming. It's not easy, but def not impossible.


An intermediary update (devlog 2):





- I found a fun way to explain variables to myself in Dungeons & Dragons terms (but I might be way off);
- I'm backing up my progress with video devlogs also so this entire journey feels more serious, hopefully birthing a routine in my life.

[Alex N.]

Devlog 3:





27 days in and I'm able to make a "game" without the need of a tutorial. I have to search for functions as I still don't know most of what Game Maker has to offer, but this feels right, especially after close to only a month

- I'm learning how to make music on the side so by the time I'm a code I can also make some bangers.
- Still working on the game I'm trying to make, but it might be wiser for now to attempt making these small 1 to 2 day games instead.
- Not that easy to balance life, work and learning coding and others on the sides, but it's hella fun. All you need is finding your own motivation in this quest.

 


Asteroids "Game" on itch.io:
https://onceisdrawing.itch.io/asteroids-but-civilized

[InfiniteStateMachine]

Congrats!

It can definitely help to do some smaller projects at first so you don't get bored or overwhelmed.

Also you will never stop searching for functions so it's good to get your search skills up