How do you learn to develop your own game?

[Kriezz]

Hello to all!

I would like to develop my game without any special knowledge, I have a very good computer with a rtx 2080ti, 32 gb of ram, i7 9700k so I think that for rendering, the computer will be at the top (soon I will move to a 3090 when there will be returns in stock to be able to make more qualitative renders).
But before I do all that I need to know how to manage the basics and how it all works, I'd like to know how to manage Daz in the first place, I've already looked at some Renp'y tutorials all over the internet and I know how to get started but it's still unclear on some aspects.

Of course it's by doing and making many mistakes that you learn, but learning from what tutorial? As I explained I have seen a few tutorials all over the place and I have yet to find a tutorial that actually explains many aspects of development on Renp'y.

For the Daz part, there too it's stuck, I haven't found any tutorials teaching how to make scenes or model characters or how to manage lighting.

It's a pity to have such a good material without using it to make something I would like...

If any kind soul can help me I would be eternally grateful!

I'm sorry for my bad English, it's not my mother tongue and I'm trying to apply myself.

 

[Rafster]

I'll start with the Daz part, at least getting decent renders.

I always wanted to learn Daz...but my PC would explode trying to render a single scene. So it's a big nope for me.

 

[ClarkeDeaper]

I can't speak for the specific tech that you want to use, as I have no experience with Daz nor Ren'Py. I do however have a lot of experience with professional software development and having your own hobby game projects on the side.

The main thing I try to keep in mind is motivation. The initial month is experimental, but I quickly need to set something up, that enables me to have iterations every one or two evenings. If it takes longer you don't get the reward of seeing the next thing completed to keep you going for the next task. It also enables experimentation, which you need in game design. You need to trash 90% of your ideas, so the quicker you can test them, the better.

So I would go for a vertical slice, rather than a horizonal one. Since English isn't your native tongue: a vertical slice is a complete but very small part of your game. Like one scene which shows of all the mechanics. It may look terrible, but then you've proven to yourself that you know how to create your game, and that it's fun. Don't focus on getting Daz perfect of getting Ren'Py perfect. Just good enough, so you get an idea of what your workflow will be like.

 

[Kriezz]

I'll start with the Daz part, at least getting decent renders.

I always wanted to learn Daz...but my PC would explode trying to render a single scene. So it's a big nope for me.

What software do you recommend for rendering in this case? I think my computer will support the rendering load

 

[Kriezz]

I can't speak for the specific tech that you want to use, as I have no experience with Daz nor Ren'Py. I do however have a lot of experience with professional software development and having your own hobby game projects on the side.

The main thing I try to keep in mind is motivation. The initial month is experimental, but I quickly need to set something up, that enables me to have iterations every one or two evenings. If it takes longer you don't get the reward of seeing the next thing completed to keep you going for the next task. It also enables experimentation, which you need in game design. You need to trash 90% of your ideas, so the quicker you can test them, the better.

So I would go for a vertical slice, rather than a horizonal one. Since English isn't your native tongue: a vertical slice is a complete but very small part of your game. Like one scene which shows of all the mechanics. It may look terrible, but then you've proven to yourself that you know how to create your game, and that it's fun. Don't focus on getting Daz perfect of getting Ren'Py perfect. Just good enough, so you get an idea of what your workflow will be like.

Thank you for your answer, before I can create anything I'd like to lay my foundations, already think about the deep history of the game, the history of the characters and then start learning how to manage Daz or other rendering software, as long as I know how to include characters and make a scene or create a character it's already huge, the animations will come later because I think it's much more technical

I also need to learn all the Renp'y basics to be able to start my game because I want to make a first game on Renp'y to be able to gain experience.

For motivation I have a lot, that's why I posted a message here, I intend to learn and do my best to develop something even if it takes me weeks or months to even make a simple render and develop 10 minutes of game.

 

[jamdan]

Here are some tutorial channels on YT.

IT Roy :

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He is also a developer and has an account on here. He has a basic Ren'py tutorial too.

Steven David :

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Generalist tutorials. He has a few videos of making scenes too.

WP Guru :

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He has a lot of stuff, from basics to very technical stuff. I'd watch his "3D Shenanigan's" steams too. He also does streams on the official Daz3d channel.

You must be registered to see the links

Game Dev Training :

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Another developer that has an account on here. He has a fair number of Ren'Py tutorials on his channel.

Rauko :

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Similar to Steven David.

Parmy :

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He goes into a lot of detail, kind of the in-between of WP Guru and the others I have mentioned.

 

[raaSai]

I'm a game designer, let me share my 5 cents

If you're serious about making a game, I wouldn't worry too much about how my renders look in the beginning. Rendering can be extremely time consuming, because if you don't know what you're doing you will end up re-rendering over and over for every detail you change without getting anywhere. Start with basic shading, don't even bother with iray or realism. Block out (draft) your scenes and poses. Use placeholders and generic characters for starters. Even screenshots are enough for your first iteration. You can make that stuff look good later on.

Put your time into getting the story and the interactions right. Have other people test it early. Change stuff that doesn't work.

From the sound of it, you are going into the interactive visual story direction, right? If so, I would look at narrative design and how to best structure branching storylines (stories with choices). The most important difference between a (linear) visual novel and a game is the concept of "agency", which basically means the player has the feeling that their choices have an influence on the story progression and/or the game world. This is also the part that is tricky, because the more freedom the player is supposed to have, the more complex your game system has to be. There are some tricks you can use, for example having different choices that all lead to the same outcome, but there need to be some things that actually have an impact if you want the players to feel like they are actually participants in the story.

So start by creating a story structure, think of things that the player should be able to influence, and see if you can implement it with Ren'py. It might be a good idea to start with a vertical slice, as clarke_daeper has suggested. And let it grow from there. Do the visual stuff last.

I would also suggest to make something small first. Don't start with a big vision and expect to build all of it right away. Being able to do big projects takes a lot of experience and structure, so give yourself some time and do cool small thing first. Maybe make a vertical slice that already works as a very small game on its own. A 5 minute experience. Have people play it, get some feedback (and hopefully some praise as well), and then make another one.

 

[raaSai]

Oh also if you want to learn more about how make a game from start to finish, I can recommend "

You must be registered to see the links

". This is mostly about workflows for professional game development and pretty detailed, so you don't need to know everything in there to start experimenting, but there actually are some basics that should be helpful in the beginning as well.

 

[TDoddery]

Or you could just get stuck in and see where it takes you.

 

[JoGio]

If you want to make a linear game in renpy with choices here and there for different routes then that's relatively easy. You just send the player from one label to the next depending on the choice they make.

If you want to make a sandbox or point-and-click game with a day/night cycle, a world map, and clickable objects then that can take a bit of learning and creativity.

I think a good place to start is to download some renpy games that play the way you want your game to be, then dig around in their rpy files to see how they did it. That's the fastest way to learn. Of course you should play the game a little so you know what to look for in the files.

Don't waste your time looking at renpy's engine code and go straight to the "game" folder. So if you download a renpy game, go to the "game" folder. If you see a bunch of "rpy" and "rpyc" files then those are what you're looking for. If you only see a few folders and some "RPA" files then you'll need to extract the RPA using a tool like RPAExtractor to get your hands on the rpy files.

 

[toolkitxx]

There is a difference between designing a game and learning how to use DAZ /Renpy. The latter are both just tools that make a thing. Making the actual game is a completely different process.

Game design is more or less the top hat before you touch any tools. It lays out the functions and processes of your game, the goals, story, levels etc
Once you have defined that you turn towards what tools to use. If the tool gets a higher importance than your actual game design you might as well rephrase your question

Many believe that knowing how to use a tool is enough to create a game - and they very quickly find out that this is not the case. There is a difference between a coder and a game developer. A game can have horrible graphics but engaging gameplay and will thus keep the user actually entertained while the Xth copy of a visual novel that has top end graphics but a boring or inconsequent storyline will fail to do the same. As a developer you are also responsible for the code and its maintenance. This is another often overlooked part as your users dont give a cent on your wonderful graphics if handling is bad or bugs are not removed quickly.

Especially visual novels often fail to understand this part. The emphasis is in the word 'novel'. Text and story matter a lot here. The graphical elements are supposed to support and not to be the main attraction. Have a look at EvaKiss for example if you need an inspiration from a good product.

 

[PTSdev]

Prepare to fail, but remember that it's the only way to learn. I agree on the vertical approach, especially inexperienced devs have a tendency to add mechanics / features without thinking about the consequences down the road.

I've played lots of Ren'py games and I'm currently developing my own HTML game, here are a few tips:

• Lay out a solid data structure, i.e. try to define objects and variables that are somewhat scalable.
• Develop good habits when it comes to naming things. Names for objects / variables should be both unique and easy to remember. It's about finding a compromise between code readability and convenience.
• Design before you code.
• Make little side projects to learn new things without messing up the main project.
• Use suitable tools like VSCode or sth similar.
• Look at the code of good games to understand how experienced devs are working.
• BUT: Only copy & paste small template bits of code. Never steal big chunks hoping that they'll somehow fit. Copying little things from guides is absolutely fine, but please do not steal large amounts of code. I've seen Ren'py and HTML games on here that basically are blatant ripoffs. You can do better.
• Even if it may not sound fun: Prepare to google and study A LOT. It's normal to encounter a problem, search for a solution, realize that there's a much deeper problem, rinse and repeat.
• Don't get discouraged. Stay disciplined. Don't do it for the dream of earning money, do it for fun.

 

[MilanoMilanesaArg]

Here are some tutorial channels on YT.

IT Roy :

You must be registered to see the links

He is also a developer and has an account on here. He has a basic Ren'py tutorial too.

Steven David :

You must be registered to see the links

Generalist tutorials. He has a few videos of making scenes too.

WP Guru :

You must be registered to see the links

He has a lot of stuff, from basics to very technical stuff. I'd watch his "3D Shenanigan's" steams too. He also does streams on the official Daz3d channel.

You must be registered to see the links

Game Dev Training :

You must be registered to see the links

Another developer that has an account on here. He has a fair number of Ren'Py tutorials on his channel.

Rauko :

You must be registered to see the links

Similar to Steven David.

Parmy :

You must be registered to see the links

He goes into a lot of detail, kind of the in-between of WP Guru and the others I have mentioned.

gracias por estos videos hermano voy a verlos a todos