For someone who starts from zero, that never was into game dev, doesn’t know any coding langage or anything tech-related, zero experience in anything, how many months/years is needed to be decent with the engine?
Considering that the models are already made (3ds max, substance painter, ddo etc.) and the only work left is engine related, how long for a good project to finnish? Not something near the AAA level, more like indie level of production.
Assuming you’re learning ~10 hours a day.
Well, I guess it kind of depends on what sort of game or gameplay mechanics you want to put together. Your models are done so that’s a big step, but what about your animations? Are your models going to do anything?
Anyway, let’s say for instance you are done with your models and animations…for somebody who is completely new to 3D work in general, with 10 hours a day you may get up to speed with the basics in as fast as 2 weeks. When I say basics, I’m talking about following the documentation that Epic provides. Particularly the “Getting Started With UE4”. This will cover the basics of the interface and working with models in the editor. However, anything beyond that and you may start to struggle through the documentation. There will be terminology and concepts you won’t understand.
If you are looking for a fast pass for putting a game together, you won’t get much done without the basic knowledge of all the components that make up a game. The game engine is a system of software where the culmination of your 3D models, textures and animations (just to name a few) come together. If you don’t know the basics of any of that, you won’t get that far. Just a warning. Not to discourage you of course. With 10 hours a day, and some willingness you can get a lot done. Just realize, it takes time and a persistence to learn game development.
Also, for a “good” project to finish, for somebody who has no experience, your looking at least a year. Most likely two years, depending on how much work you put into it. If you work hard at it, and you have some artistic ability you can make a lot of progress in just 6 months.
When i started with ue, i had almost zero knowledge about game dev.
After 1,5 years, learning blueprints,3d modeling, a bit c++, i can do full but trash game. Im learning ~4 hrs/day.
Blueprints are pretty easy, i “mastered” blueprints in 3 months (like i can do any behavior with it), multiplayer cost me additional 3 months to understand how it works.
But c++, i spent like 200 hours learning cpp but i know still nothing. I understand basics and can do little in ue c++ but i think i need next 2 years of learning c++ to be able to do full c++ game and understand/modify engine code.
I think i will need total of 3 to 5 years to be confident with ue4 as i started from zero (im learning 3d modeling and texturing too along with programming)
It look me around 3-4 months to be fully comfortable with the engine (basic/intermediate blueprint scripts, animation and retargeting, material editor, audio), but mastering the engine is something that would take years.
That’s too much at same time to learn.
I’d focus seriously on programming then 3d art on weekends as a hobby… Or no C++ then focus more on art, coding Blueprints only.
If you expect to be proficient at both high quality art and complex programming, you’re looking at over 10 years commitment.
Yeah i completely agree with you. I know im making a mistake when i learning 2 different things, but sometimes when i have hard time with programming, then im relaxing at 3d art. Then if i dont know how to model/paint some details, im going back to programming. Im using each other as “relax” because i found myself that im not able to do nonstop 1 thing for more than 1-2 years.
