Programming when starting out as a Game Designer

Development Programming & Scripting C++
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I’m a computer science student, i’ve learned a lot of programming languages: python, haskell, Java, C, C#, C++… i have to say that among them i think C++ is the most confusing language, C++ is a language that tries to give too many features, most of them, are considered by some as “bad practices” like using multiple inheritance and pointers, i would say that C++ is not for begginers, it’s for developers that have some experience and need a specific feature that isn’t present in other language, or in case you need better performance (since C++ is a very “efficient” language).

it’s good for a game design to understand logic, and the basic of how to create code, but you don’t need to know specific syntax details of every language, blueprints is a language with easier syntax, you will learn it much faster, and you will be able to do basically anything you want with it. In my project most of the code is in blueprint but there’s some code in C++, but i actually regret starting with c++ in unreal since you can’t migrate C++ classes to other projects and you can’t migrate blueprints that inherits from these C++ class.

my recomendation is, try to do what you want with blueprints, as a game designer knowing blueprint may be enough knowledge to help your team in further projects, if for some reason you find something that can’t be done in Blueprint (you probably won’t), then you can start learning C++, and it will be easier to learn C++ if you know blueprints.

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I know there are a few opinions on this subject, but I’m trying to get more specific insight. I think finding some insightful answers here will help a lot of other upcoming game designers in addition to myself.

Should an aspiring game designer learn how to program and more specifically, learn to program unreal engine specific c++? The reason I made this post is because of how much time its taking me to pick up any of it. It’s definitely going to be a long term investment and I don’t know where the breaking point is. How long will it take a slow learner attempting to learn unreal specific c++ to become efficient enough where all his time isn’t focused on it?

Let me first state that I am have attempted to pick up some c++ programming for about a month.
I find it very confusing. I find it very draining and tedious. I’ve been doing an unreal engine specific c++ tutorial and it’s getting into intermediate concepts. I don’t retain much of it at all and I don’t understand syntax rules at all. I feel very lost. For someone like me to grasp a decent level of c++, I suspect it will take a few years.

This is about time limitations and whether the benefits are worth the time investment. The point of learning c++ would to be able to do things yourself while your dedicated programmer is focused on other issues. To add on features as you think of them. To tinker and see results quickly. To gain the cognitive benefits that programming uses. To have a deeper understanding of the game. The end goal is to be as good of a game designer as possible.

Will the massive attention to detail in programming take away from the game designers focus on things he is responsible for?

Here are points to keep in mind for someone like me

  1. I am not naturally good at picking up programming and I find it very frustrating

  2. I want to be self reliant, I want to be able to rapidly prototype by myself

  3. I want to make my first commercial game by myself so I understand the whole process before recruiting a team

  4. What can be done with c++ that cannot be done with blueprints?

  5. Where is the breaking point - how good do you have to be at c++ before is it superior to blueprint? and how long will that take someone who learns slow if they practice everyday.

  6. Once getting decent at c++, how much time will a game designer spend actually in the code versus everything else. Is it feasible to bounce around between all the other aspects of game design and code?

  7. With some mediocre programming skills can you actually implement the foundations of a game fast with c++?

I’m scared even if I do invest the time to get decent, I will have to spend way too much time head deep in the code without being able to spend time focusing on the other vast amount of things in game design, especially when I want to lead a team one day/market etc.

My issue is implementing anything and everything takes me so long I feel like I’m not making progress in any of the overarching ideas. I feel like I have to micro focus on issues and it’s preventing me from getting anywhere. Sometimes I spend a few hours on what I would expect to be very simple bugs for an experienced programmer. I only wonder what other ideas and experiments I could do with that time if I didn’t struggle so much. The time sink and the difficulty of the learning curve makes it hard for me.

If natural talent does exist in programming, I do not possess it. With that being said, I like being self reliant. I have talents in higher level abstraction, but when it comes to breaking it down I lose track of where I am. Developing this skill set could prove very beneficial for personal cognition. I have already noticed myself naturally problem solving other life issues by breaking things down in a more organized fashion with more emotional control. I think gaining a deeper understanding of how games work will help make me a better game designer too.

I’m afraid of how much time it will take to become proficient when there are so many other things to do as an indie. I want to be a good game designer, not necessarily a good programmer. I want to be able to rapid prototype on my own. Where are the advantages for someone who is focused on things other than the code? How good do you have to be to surpass what can be done with blueprint?

Sorry for the super long post, just wanted to get all my points across

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You don’t need to know cpp. Blueprint is enough to learn programming skill, and you do not need to learn the cpp syntax.

You will have some difficulties to do some specific things in your game, but you should find a way to make the game you want using blueprint only.

A game is not code and design, you will need graphic and Fx skills too …

As a programmer in video game industry i wish my Game Designer knows how to code. It is a really good way to learn logic and to structure your way of thinking.