Have you ever played - diplomatically speaking - a moderately successful production and throw a line like: "ha, I would have made better myself"? If so, then I have great news for you: now you have the perfect opportunity to live up to this threat, because Game Builder Garage, which debuted on June 11 on the Nintendo Switch console, is definitely one of the easiest ways to start your own game development adventure.
We are dealing here with visual programming, i.e. one that does not require sitting over thousands of lines of code and is much more friendly to complete novices unfamiliar with the basics of this difficult art. The tool is based primarily on a popup menu from which we can select individual objects and then modify them according to our needs, changing their location, size or attributes (e.g. moving, destructibility, etc.). In this way, we place heroes, enemies, platforms and other elements in the game. Of course, there is a lot more depth to it. Thanks to the "Nodons", we create networks of connections that affect how all these elements interact with each other. For example: by combining "Nodon" from the control with the hero, we have the ability to assign appropriate buttons that will allow us to put him in motion. It is a pity, however, that there is no possibility of suspecting the code here, so you could realize what the text looks like in the visual editor.
The great advantage of Game Builder Garage is a pleasant and well-thought-out "campaign", a set of seven lessons that introduce players step by step to the next tools and do it in the best possible way - through practice! Already in the first tutorial, which takes from 20 to about 40 minutes to complete (we have marked the average time needed to complete each stage), we create the first, simple virtual tag game for two people. It is very motivating, because the awareness that we have created something concrete and playable in such a short time raises hopes for what we will do after a few more hours. You also feel that the whole thing is also prepared for completely beginners or younger recipients. A lot of repeating certain actions or formulas here, which may be irritating, but on the other hand, makes us better absorb all the news.
The individual lessons also show how extensive the application is, despite its initial, apparent simplicity. In addition to the aforementioned tag, we will create, among others a simple arcade game that uses motion controls, racing, and even ... a full-fledged action adventure game. As you can see for yourselves, the possibilities are endless. In the breaks between subsequent lessons, we also get tests to check our existing knowledge in the form of several tasks to be performed. This allows you to consolidate the acquired skills even better, without stress, because if we get stuck somewhere, virtual companions will come to our aid and offer tips.
Game Bulder Garage is also full of charm. The colorful setting and nice characters who support us with a good word and advice make learning this simple and fun. It is a pity that the Polish language version is missing here. Of course, this is a standard for Nintendo production, to which many Switch owners are used to it, whether they like it or not, but here it can be felt strongly. I am talking about a game / application that would really do well in introducing children and teenagers to the world of programming, but the language barrier for many of them will be insurmountable.
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