How to build a basic game?

Hi guys, I learned unity around 2 weeks but recently knowledge which I collect seem... misleading with target (idea) which I desired initially, I want design a platform game like Mario (maybe not qualified as origin, at least I hope it inherit ... "charm" which Mario do. I followed some tutorials which I seen on Youtube, I can build character, terrain, enemy, control character ... and ... end. When finish last video in series, I feel ... missing, I agree that series author don't promise someone will become guru after watch their videos ... just I slightly disappointed. My target (my dream game) still on paper which I don't know how to implement ideas: record player score, create boss, effects, sound ... I may list features which a game need but I don't know where to get answer, supposed someone hint that other series tutorials have guide how to record score in game (for example), it like as I must read whole book to know anything which hidden in it. This channel hook others, this tutoria follows others... So, I must master unity when I only want design a basic game???

 

YouTube tutorials can be very hit and miss. Some are good quality while some are just bad but in general I'd say most of them are just average. Unity's official learning resources are generally good quality and we actually have a tutorial series covering a 2D platformer.

https://unity3d.com/learn/tutorials/s/2d-game-kit

One major aspect of game development is problem solving. While you learn you need to slowly work your way out of the mindset that you will just look for a tutorial for everything you need because eventually you'll discover that there aren't that many tutorials for what you actually want.

List the features you want in your game, break them down into multiple simple features, break those down into multiple simple steps, and then implement those with what you've learned from watching the simple steps the tutorials go through to implement complex features.

 

Just go one step at a time.

When you are working on one single problem, forget all the other stuff for the time being. Otherwise you will feel overwhelmed.

Just working on small, individual problems in a patient and thorough manner, you will eventually get to a point (perhaps some years from now), where you know enough that you can start working on bigger projects, like entire games, and not feel overwhelmed by the sheer mass of problems you don't know how to solve yet.

You have to be as patient as a tree.

 

It will take years to become deeply familiar with the API and C# in general, but you can get pretty far with just understanding the basics.

Some basic advice would be 'if you want a feature in your game, then create a Class for it'. For example, if you need a score, then create a class called Score (public class Score). It should contain the score variables (public int CurrentScore), and functions for adding/subtracting (public void Add(int amountToAdd)).

The Score class just deals with the score and nothing else.

If you want to add this onto a GameObject, then it needs to inherit from MonoBehaviour, e.g. 'public class Score : MonoBehaviour'. Read about MonoBehaviours to understand what it gives you access to (Awake/Start/Update). Read about C# inheritance and classes in general.

 

You must understand that making a "simple game" is... not simple at all. It may look simple when you compare it to Star Citizen, but I assure you that it takes some skill. Check my article series on GameDev.net: "Make Video Games Like a Pro". It will teach you something about the scope of game making. Link is in my signature.