Now I learned something new! I didn't know there was a new Construct out. That's really cool. It could be the right fit for your game project.

However, when I talk about HTML and JavaScript, I'm talking about coding from scratch. Just a browser and your favorite text editor. I recommend Notepad++... https://notepad-plus-plus.org/  and start with W3Schools... https://www.w3schools.com/

The layout and control you have with webpages in regards to text and images is phenomenal. Use HTML and CSS to create your UI layout. Then start making buttons that populate and calculate stuff with JavaScript. Browsers have debuggers built in that will tell you which line any JavaScript errors occur in.

There is a neat program called Twine... https://twinery.org/ ...and it let's you make text adventures with clickable options to proceed. It's a web application that is both online and downloadable. It will quickly let you map out a story (or areas of your game). With Twine, you can use it's native language (default is Harlowe format) to set variables and do simple calculations. You can include custom JavaScript within your Twine game. Try adding a graphic by coding in a basic HTML <IMG> tag. Customize the CSS that controls the look and feel of the game. At the very least, it might be a great tool to help prototype your game with.

Good luck!

Awesome, thanks again!!

For the kind of game you want to make, my recommendation is Ren'Py. It's primarily a visual novel engine, but I've seen several management games on it as well.

8 hours ago, Lendrigan Games said:

For the kind of game you want to make, my recommendation is Ren'Py. It's primarily a visual novel engine, but I've seen several management games on it as well.

Thanks Stephan, I'm looking into Ren'Py again based on your recommendation. Yesterday I was doing some HTML & CSS tutorials and wondering about what software to use to simplify or streamline affairs, but if a product like Ren'Py can support all my game elements, that would be awesome.

There is already so much design work creating the specifics of the game mechanics (character abilities and stats, items, combat system, staff hiring, economy, political and news events with modifiers, faction relations, etc.) that still coding everything as a total beginner would mean I'll be done in maybe 2050 Anything to speed things up. Truthfully though, I probably just have to reign in my ambitions and scope unless others collaborate at some point.

9 hours ago, fields.of.elysium said:

There is already so much design work creating the specifics of the game mechanics (character abilities and stats, items, combat system, staff hiring, economy, political and news events with modifiers, faction relations, etc.) that still coding everything as a total beginner would mean I'll be done in maybe 2050 Anything to speed things up. Truthfully though, I probably just have to reign in my ambitions and scope unless others collaborate at some point.

Kind of related...

When dealing with complex game ideas, I recommend using mind mapping software. It's the only way I can dive deep into complex concepts and still keep my head on my shoulders. If you haven't tried mind mapping before, check out Free Mind... http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

The nice thing about mind mapping software, and there is a lot to choose from, is the ability to collapse (hide) branches that are interfering with your current thoughts, yet everything is still there at your finger tips.

I never heard of Ren'Py before, but it looks really awesome. I'm going to check it out too!

Maybe that will be an unpopular opinion, but I strongly recommend you to start with C and SDL 2.0.

That is a simple imperative language that everybody can learn within weeks. The tough part will be about managing memory allocation by yourself, but it will learn you a lot about your computer (where GC based languages like to hide those things). You'll be able to learn C++ easily after that (being essentially a solution to most C problems). Then OpenGL, D3D, Vulkan.. The industry standards become available.

From my personal experience, huge frameworks are a real threat for a total beginner that just wants to learn programming. You don't actually understand what you are doing and your knowledge will be worth nothing if you wanna switch on another thing.

C will require a bit of work, effort and dedication but that's totally a nice first language. You'll be able to learn everything you want on this solid base.

My advice is to start simply, by learning JavaScript and just enough HTML to use it in a web page. I wrote an introductory course which starts very simply and builds up to advanced stuff: https://www.grelf.net/jscourse/

Don't complicate things by also trying to learrn one of the frameworks or libraries at the same time. Master HTML5/JavaScript first.

To see what can be done with a little JavaScript and HTML5, take a look at https://myforest.uk/

I can't recommend Godot enough. I've been trying to get into game making for quite some time 10 years but never found something that I quite liked. And once I hit the free wall on Game Maker Studio 2, I luckily found Godot Engine and up until now I finished my first mini game and am already working on my second, more complex game.

I've learned programming concepts that I've never been able to learn before, and I feel confident enought to tackle areas that I never felt confidence enough to tackle, like audio design.

Really godot is a different world when it comes to learning. At least from my point of view.

I simply love it.

Ps.: Godot supports C#, and Python and it has it's own language called GDScript(the one I use), that is based on both(C# and Python), and the community at Discord is the best that there is to be!