Vapourware How do I get here?

[Conan]

I want to start making a game that looks like this.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1026420/WARSAW/

It will be a solo venture. I have zero experience in working with any engine. I can code but mostly do so in Python. Can anyone guide me where I should begin?

Operating parameters:

1. Preferably python coded
2. 2.5 D game visuals like in the example above. Better visuals like warlock of the fire mountain would be nice too.





Calling: zwanzig_zwoelf , PompiPompi

 

[Wysardry]

If it were me, I'd try to narrow the final requirements down some more and prioritise them, so you can choose a suitable engine to use as your learning journey will heavily depend on that.

For example, which platforms you want to support, which programming language(s) you would feel comfortable with and how much money would you be able to spend.

It looks like that particular game was made with Unity, so you might want to explore that engine. Godot would likely also work well and that has more options in terms of scripting languages (including GDScript which is Python-like).

GameFromScratch has loads of articles and videos to help you choose an engine and get started.

 

[ChaDargo]

This can teach you basic use of Pygame, the most common module set for making games in Python: https://inventwithpython.com/pygame/ The games it teaches won't take you directly into making something with flashy graphics or 2.5D/3D stuff, but it will help for learning the basics of making games.

Here's code for a 2.5D game that looks similar to Into the Breach: https://github.com/kwoolter/Nimrod It uses Pygame. You could use it as a basis for some ideas. Combined with the book above (which is free), you'd be able to do a lot.

I second the suggestion for using GoDot. It has much better tools for game development and tons of guides for making all sorts of things. It seems to get even better each year. Python doesn't have the greatest libraries and you'll mostly have to use an external engine with Python for scripting, but, as you can see here, a nice looking, full-fledged game can still be done in Python:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/218090/Unity_of_Command_Stalingrad_Campaign/

That's written entirely in Python using a mixture of libraries like Pygame and Cairo (https://www.cairographics.org/).

The game you linked didn't really seem to be 2.5D, but more in the style of Darkest Dungeon. Another option could be to use an engine called Ren'Py and tweak it to do more than visual novels (which is what it's for, but it can be tweaked to do more). It might be more in the visual style you're thinking and is really easy to use.

But really consider GoDot. It's super simple to use, has great resources and tutorials, uses GDScript as stated above which is a lot like Python, and is capable of making games like this "out of the box" so to speak: https://godotengine.org/showcase Ultimately it's up to you and what you're enjoy and what you find most comfortable! Good luck!

 

[Ysaye]

I'll also recommend Godot if Darkest Dungeon / Warsaw is the kind of game you want to make; not only with the GDScript looking like python but the animation techniques used in that game is standard and generally well implemented within Godot. Additionally there are a lot of good tutorials on Youtube which cover all the kinds of elements that occur in those games.

The more difficult challenge for you is that those games lean heavily on good (and lots of) art assets - are you good at creating good 2D assets?

 

[zwanzig_zwoelf]

I don't use Python (except for Blender scripts), but I suggest grabbing whatever engine suits you (preferably something popular and with tutorials/community so you don't get stuck) and just start doing it, you'll learn everything you need to know along the way.

As for the game part, get the basics up and running as soon as possible and make sure the base game is fun before you start creating any content / assets / etc.

It looks like you'll need a lot of 2D artwork for a game like this -- do you have the skill to draw all that, or money to hire someone to do all of it?

 

[Krice]

You'll get there if you want it. Some people don't know what they want, so they think it will be easy ride to do some development stuff to get money, and then they slowly realize it's much harder than they thought and you will probably spend years on a single project without a guarantee for it to become the best selling hit game.

 

[Adrian Scheff]

Godot is incredible! Much simpler to use IMO than Unity for 2d. But beware of a rather nasty limitation: if our game is over 2gb your game won't work when exported. You can make it work by loading resources at runtime (I'm having some issues with that, not 100% functional) or by exporting scenes and then importing them by hand.

 

[bionicman]

(...)
Operating parameters:

1. Preferably python coded
2. 2.5 D game visuals like in the example above. Better visuals like warlock of the fire mountain would be nice too.
(...)

For Python-scripting engines, I would recommend Panda3d since I've used it for a long while. However, it sucks when it comes the 2d side of things. There's Pygame, but I think it's kind of shit (I've never used it but steered clear of it cause it didn't have proper shader-scripting support).

On the other hand, a really good 2d engine (with shader-scripting) is Love2d (https://love2d.org/). I've made a few projects in it, was even working on a 2d RPG once, a similar style to that Steam game you linked. The negatives with Love2d is that there is no editor and it's all scripted. The positive is that its scripting language is Lua, which is very similar to Python. Dynamic and simple to learn (most non-programming scripters in the game industry learn Lua). It used to be commonly used for game jams since one can quickly get a prototype/game running, although times have changed and it's been forever since I've participated in a ludum dare or something like that, so everyone is now probably using proprietary game engines instead. But there's definitely a community behind it, just like with Godot and Unity and there are commercially successful indie titles made in it, e.g. https://store.steampowered.com/app/323850/Move_or_Die/

edit: Added an example of a game made in love2d