I want to know the limitations of Blueprint, as to how far I can go with it.(?) It would be great to develop while learning. So I know (or at least I think (so) ) that it is not even close to possible to being able to develop a game like Batman Arkham Series entirely with Blueprints but seriously, from the developers who are experienced and have experimented, is it possible to make a game like Counter Strike or perhaps better (more like Serious Sam) with Blueprints ?
I may not be getting all so clear but that is the reason I provided a few names there. So please, do help me out.
And also, what books & Tutorials would you people suggest for Game Development with C++ ? And what all is it that I can do with C++ is what I want to know from those books or tutorials as well. I know it’s a lot more like “it’s endless” but still, how do I know what to do and what all I can do by learning to make games with C++ and also, if I drop out of College or School to focus on what I particularly want to do or say that I get poor grades or something, do chances stand for me to get a Nice, Decent, Good Job at Any of Industrial Giants’ Place ? What are the odds.
The most painfull limitation that comes to my mind, instantly, is:
You cant modify variables and settings of a Blueprint if it is created as a child component within the construction script of another Blueprint.
Technically speaking, Blueprints can achieve anything in terms of game logic as the Blueprint system is Turing complete.
So, every computable function can be evaluated.
In comparison to C++ its a bit more verbose and convoluted.
The “golden path” seems to lie n the middle.
Lets say I have a game with a pickup item that changes some player values in a very “sophisticated” way.
Then I would deal on Blueprint level with the pickup action like:trigger event, call the function to do the new stats, remove the pickup.
The convoluted and maybe extensive number magic to get the new stats, that would be a C++ function as a Blueprint node.
For example here: https://forums.unrealengine.com/showthread.php?68957-How-can-i-make-a-health-system-and-bar-in-the-fps-blueprint&highlight=pickup
If the “ApplyValue” function would be just a tid bit more complex than it is (simply adding the value), I would make it a C++ function, but the rest in BP as is.
That would be quite some gambling. For some companies a diploma is everything. They see that as a “foundation”, or formal proof that the guy is not likely to be a complete idiot and was exposed to the/a educational system in general.
Other industries do that as well. You cant be an astronaut without a college degree. NASA simply wont consider you…
Now, game development sometimes appears like rocket science too, but your chances with a formal academic degree are generally higher here too.
As in the game industry needs expirienced people, they would rather put something like “… has shipped at least 3 successfull titles”, or “… has at least 5 years expirience in a comparable position” in their job descriptions. So then there is the question of how to bootstrap that. How to get the first job that will get you your second, etc. For that you need a good portfolio that is above average.
If programming is your thing, then you would need to show them some really good projects.
Third option: hire yourself.
Be like Tim Sweeny, John Carmack or Bill gates. Instead of going to college, do all the learning for yourself and start everything on your own.
Then you dont need any diploma or other qualification. The crux with that is however: You need to be better than good.
For every successfull Tim Sweeny, there are hundrets of people trying to put a 3D engine together in their garage … and failed.
Now they ask you if you want fries with that order…
Thank You Kvogler & Chariots for your help. Well, I am not really going to make a Game Engine on my own as for now at least, but I want to have the knowledge. Thanks again.