New to Creating Games Questions

Hi all

Over the past few years I have been playing around with learning how to create custom content for Neverwinter Nights 1, but there is a lot of the code for NWN1 is hard coded and can't be changed. So I have started looking into Unity.

I have learnt how to us Gmax (I have also played around with Blender a little) to create custom models and I have really enjoyed creating landscapes/structures, but I haven't really tried my hand at creatures or npc's yet.

Even though I have looked over some scripts in NWN1 and even added a line here or their to a few of them. I really don't know how to create a script from scratch at all. I would like to learn how to create scripts at some point but I know that will take me a very long time to learn.

I had seen where Unity and Unreal game engines had some kind of easy to use plug and play script systems that could be used. So I was wondering if I might be able to use something like that help me get started until I'm able to learn how to create scripts.

I have also found some packages like
https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/13867
https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/53542
https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/19644

That I was wondering if the code was totally open with nothing hard coded, so that over time I could make changes and add to any part of it that I wanted unlike NWN1. I was also thinking if I started off with something like one of these that I would be able to use it as a starting points and then create my own custom models for for addons or to totally replace things.

I would like to be able to add new classes, races, spells, and so on.

I would love to be able to slowly build a game one area / zone at a time so that I could also play it from time to time to enjoy what I'm doing.

I really enjoy open sandbox worlds/mmo's.

EveryQuest
World of Warcraft
Guild Wars 2
Skyrim
Neverwinter Nights 1

I like some of the things these games do, while at the same time I don't like other things about these games.

I'm posting here in hopes that someone could help me to know if I would be able to do what I want to using Unity and only knowing what I do now , but be willing to learn as I go.

I also would like to know what you all think about some of these premade packages for Unity. Is there one that would really work well for what I want?

I would be very grateful for any and all insight anyone might have for me.

Thanks for your time

 

Well, first, understand that all those games you mention above cost many millions of dollars to develop, with teams of 100 or so people working for several years. That's roughly equivalent to one person working for several hundred years, assuming the same skill level as the pros who made those games.

So that just means you will need to adjust your expectations accordingly.

I haven't used any of those assets, so I can't comment on how well they can do what you want. However, most assets include source code, so you would be able to adjust them and build on them when you have built the skill to do so.

One of the other forum members put together this Getting Started FAQ, which I think would be a good place for you to begin.

Good luck!