Game dev tips

[ritz]

Hi all, apologies if this is the wrong place, but the off-topic board has been inactive for 3 years. I'm a web developer with an interest in making games, but I have no real world experience programming games... just fiddled around with Unity and UE4. I was wondering if anyone had any tips for learning how to do cool stuff like the devs here. I have a CS background, but my C++ skills are lacking. Resources and/or tips appreciated.

[wheybags]

I wouldn't really know, this is the closest I've ever gotten to making a game :p
I'd say just do stuff. I learned c++ (properly, I half knew it from college) by contributing to OpenMW

[RyanFaeScotland]

What made you choose C++?

[wheybags]

Well, I'd been working on OpenMW a bit, which is what mostly taught me c++, and I wanted to learn more. Also most games are written in c++ so it's easier to attract contributors. (Although I would probably have been the best choice for that, but eww).
If I were to start a similar project today, I would probably choose c# or something else with a GC, but I don't regret the decision.

[RyanFaeScotland]

Makes sense.

Alas I'm using C# at work these days so am keen to work on projects that help me learn more about that. Although picking up more C++ can't hurt (like you say, you see so many games using it) it's just not what I'm looking for just now, which bums me out cause it would be cool to be able to help out.