Tips & advice for making a small beginner project?

[SwoffleTheGreat]

Hi!

I'd like to learn to use the LOVE2D engine as a spare time thing, and I don't want to start off very ambitious, so I was wondering if anyone had good advice on how to start off once I've gotten through the basics of the engine?

I think it'd be interesting to work towards a small project among the likes of 'Faith' (link included below). The movement and gameplay seems somewhat simple to make, but I could be wrong.

Would this be a good place to start & work towards or should I tone my expectations down some more?

I'm by no means a programming expert, but I'm also no stranger to LUA.

Thanks!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Up1otP8 ... el=Airdorf

[Bobble68]

I personally would suggest going for something even simpler - I haven't played faith, but from what I can tell it looks a little complicated for a first project. You're right, the movement and gameplay looks pretty simple, but it's everything else that makes it more complex, such as scene management, collisions and interactions with the environment, plus a focus on scripted events.

If you haven't seen it already, https://sheepolution.com/learn/book/contents is a great place to start learning - however once you've done that, I'd recommend trying to make direct clones of classic games, like pong or asteroids, and slowly improve the complexity as your confidence improves.

[knorke]

I do not know that game but it seems to be some 2D RPG/puzzle game.
Depending on how unique each room/puzzle is, you are basically making multiple games within one game. There may be mechanics that only get used for one scripted event and so on.
Also for such game you need many different graphics. Even simple retro styled graphics take time to create. On the other hand, for "Pong" or "Breakout" you only need a circle for the ball and some colored bricks. That leaves more time for the programming part.

[RNavega]

I'd like to learn to use the LOVE2D engine as a spare time thing, and I don't want to start off very ambitious, so I was wondering if anyone had good advice on how to start off once I've gotten through the basics of the engine?
(...)
Would this be a good place to start & work towards or should I tone my expectations down some more?

Besides what the others have said, if I were in your situation, I'd start off by making small projects, with each project representing a separate feature from the full game.
So you have one project that's just a character moving around a 2D screen. Build that, make it simple and functional and great.
Another project is a map built with tiles that you can scroll around with the mouse or keys. Just the map, no props or characters.
Another project is some dialogue boxes that appear, show some text, and you can click or press a key to hide them.
Another project is special effects, like particles, screen shakes etc.

If you're able to make each separate part, then you can piece them together later to make a game, and if you're not able to make them, then you at least found the limit of your (current) skillset, where you need to improve.

[SwoffleTheGreat]

Thanks for the useful advice, everyone! It'll help me out alot

[BrotSagtMist]

Your first post here was years ago.
How come you still see yourself as a beginner?

[Bobble68]

"Pong" or "Breakout"

Oh yeah I would highly recommend breakout after you've done pong, it teaches ways tables can be used.