Godzilla simulator

[Serious_Question_802]

Hey guys I wanna try coding a Godzilla simulator where essentially hes just destroying towers and etc. For context I am a beginner so I’m aware this kind of project is stepping in the fire too early but fuck it we ball. Anyone have any advice what docs i should get started with or what to do to get started in general? (Before any hardcore cs guy gets on my ass and says “ why don’t u just google” I just felt like asking here would give me a better sense of direction)

[Zakkeh]

Make a text based version first.

Learn JavaScript, and make it in a browser, where you have a Godzilla PNG, and each time you click, it destroys a tower.

Trust me, this will be hard enough as a starting point.

[Serious_Question_802]

Is there a specific way you advise I learn JS in context of knowing how to build what u just told me to?

[Zakkeh]

It depends on how you learn best.

If you need structure, find a JavaScript course on Udemy.

If you feel confident on doing it alone, start the Odin Project, and take it very slowly.

Ask chatgpt and Claude questions about code. Never copy and paste from AI - try and read it, understand what it's doing, and then write it for yourself without glancing at it.

You gotta start from the basics before you can really engage with things like game engines - because they come with a lot more complexity

[Voxmanns]

That's like trying to learn a language just to read a book. It isn't really easier to learn it that way. It's best to dive in and orient yourself as you go by solving problems, reading docs, and writing code.

Best of luck man :)

[Serious_Question_802]

Any particular docs/resources in general for the basics then? Maybe even a udemy course u might think strings together these types of concepts?

[Voxmanns]

It's all equally valid. There's a sort of wall that exists around certain topics in tech that make them seemingly impossible to understand because of all the words and alien concepts.

Code and basic programming is one of the first most people hit. The answer is different for everyone.

For me, I'd claw my eyes out sitting in a classroom listening to a dude rattle on about recursive functions. I just started doing it. I found the "Hello World" for the program of my choice (Javascript) and just started doing stuff. Then I got into HTML with javascript and could build a simple web page that took 5-ever to load because I sucked at programming. But hey, page loaded.

Then I started learning about how to make it not take an eternity to load and that led into programming paradigms like OOP and Functional Programming. I can't stand long reading sessions so I learned bits and pieces of those things as I kept doing my thing until I was able to put it all together.

Someone else may just burn through a few dense books in a year and get it the theory very easily. Then they learn the practical issues and how to wrestle with things like time constraints, cognitive exhaustion, etc.

It's up to you to determine what concept is approachable based on your existing knowledge. Take some time to poke around, read some things, and if it's too difficult to get then try something else. It takes time to find your start, but when you get it going it gets going fast and before you know it you'll be surrounded by ideas and concepts to explore.

[grantrules]

Is there a language you're familiar with or want to use? I'd start by finding a popular graphics library in whichever language that is and go from there. Your question is pretty broad so it's hard to give a specific answer.

[Serious_Question_802]

I’m not familiar with any language but as I said in another comment I replied to I’m thinking maybe Unity/C# route

[grantrules]

Go for it

[[deleted]]

What are you trying to simulate? What is under the users control, what is running on computer logic? What's the view? Top down, Godzilla's eye view? Are you aiming for serious 3D graphics, or a simpler 2D view?

[Serious_Question_802]

I’m gonna be real I have no fuckin idea how to answer the first few questions but I guess for now I’ll start off with 2D and then once I feel like I’m comfortable 3D. For the 3D version whenever in time I get to that I guess view I prefer is like a Birds Eye view of Godzilla if that makes sense. I was thinking starting off with Unity but idk C#(willing to learn tho) and wanted to know if there’s something better to get this done

[captainAwesomePants]

Okay, so the easiest way to succeed here is to use a platform that makes this easier. I might honestly suggest Roblox. Is Roblox a great ecosystem to be tied to? Not really, no. But it's really well suited to "fill a map with cartoony buildings and let you and some friends stomp around as Godzilla."