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[NuclearTide]

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere's Waldo?!

[ink.inc]

Step One:
Buy a legit copy of Game Maker.

Step Two:
Read the Game Maker Tutorials by Derek Yu, which you can find in the Tutorial Thread.

Step Three:
Copy the shit out of Matt Thorson's Grandma Engine

Step Four:
Learn GML (Game Maker Language)/ Make shitty prototypes

Step Five:
Ask questions.

Step Six:
Make games.

[___]

Step One:
Buy a legit copy of Game Maker.

Step Two:
Read the Game Maker Tutorials by Derek Yu, which you can find in the Tutorial Thread.

Step Three:
Copy the shit out of Matt Thorson's Grandma Engine

Step Four:
Learn GML (Game Maker Language)/ Make shitty prototypes

Step Five:
Ask questions.

Step Six:
Make games.

This is a pretty good path.

I'd also suggest doing game jams, even if it means just by yourself.  A lot of people early on get caught up in "I'm going to make my big dream game!" and then never finish it because it's their giant dream game.  You'll learn a lot just by making small projects and cutting them off at a certain deadline, even if that means they come out kind of crappy sometimes.

[dantheman363]

Step One:
Buy a legit copy of Game Maker.

Step Two:
Read the Game Maker Tutorials by Derek Yu, which you can find in the Tutorial Thread.

Step Three:
Copy the shit out of Matt Thorson's Grandma Engine

Step Four:
Learn GML (Game Maker Language)/ Make shitty prototypes

Step Five:
Ask questions.

Step Six:
Make games.

This is a pretty good path.

I'd also suggest doing game jams, even if it means just by yourself.  A lot of people early on get caught up in "I'm going to make my big dream game!" and then never finish it because it's their giant dream game.  You'll learn a lot just by making small projects and cutting them off at a certain deadline, even if that means they come out kind of crappy sometimes.

Yup that all makes sense, start small at first and work your way up.

[jwk5]

First and foremost, figure out why you want to make a game. Most people seem to be focused on the how but I've learned the hard way that without clearly understanding the why your motivation can really start to dwindle. Giving yourself some kind of personal goal for finishing the game can really help you maintain your morale through the more frustrating aspects of making games (and the goal doesn't have to be geared towards notoriety or money).

Once you know why you want to make a game then to figure out how I recommend looking at some of the more commonly used tools (Game Maker, Scirra Construct, Flixel/Flashpunk, etc.) and experiment a bit with them. Figure out what things you can do (or learn to do) on your own and what things you may need to enlist the help of others for. Before looking for others to help with it try and put together as much of the game's planning as you can on your own. Your odds of getting help is much greater if it looks like you are really motivated and have a solid plan.

Above all else, though, what it is realistically going to come down to is that you have to want it bad enough to see it through. If you don't, you won't. It's as simple as that. If you have doubts that you'll see it through then your first step should be building up your enthusiasm for it.