How to build a game without an engine like RMXP?

[Catherine 0]

Let's say that you want to make a visual novel or an RPG without using an engine that has everything laid out for you--like Ren'Py or RMXP. How would you do it?

 

I get that you have to learn a programming language, but I don't know where you'd go next after learning it. I don't even know any programming languages right now, so I've barely even begun to understanding how to make a game. I've been using RMXP for a while now, and I'm kind of interested in moving on.

 

The kind of game I want to make are pretty varied... there's Phoenix Wright, Professor Layton, and there's also various visual novels like Steins;Gate I want to experiment with. Phoenix Wright is already kind of a visual novel, anywho, or at least heavily reliant on its story. Anywaaaays.

 

How do people make games like that? Were they made with an existing engine? Although I don't think so. I've seen some videos where people have this code editor and nothing else, and they just build their own? At least I think that's how it is?

 

I'm really lost in this topic, I have no idea where to begin! Please help!

[Smoke_wolfpack 0]

I'm still pretty new to coding but there is a lot you can do with it before anything though you need to find out what language you want to use and learn it like you would learn another language there are many code languages out there most are not mix and match if any are idk but you wouldent mix spanish and german so start with the language and go from there good luck hope this was helpfull

Edited December 1, 2014 by Smoke_wolfpack

[Moonpearl 32]

Basically you just need to write code and compile it to make it into an executable program. Then code can do pretty much anything, a video game is just a huge series of commands to display pictures, manage input and play sound. You probably want to use a library like SDL or SFML as a basis (such libraries feature a wide range of multimedia functions, pretty much like what the RGSS library stands for), which spares you the effort to write everything from scratch. Then again, from that point onward you're on your own and you'll have to code everything, menus, tilemaps, battles, whatever. It's nice of you to want to try something else than RPG Maker but even as an experienced programmer it's a long way before a game written from scratch starts to resemble anything like Phoenix Wright or Professor Layton. I personnally recommend you start to experiment with your target language first, until you feel comfortable enough with it to try your hands at something big.

[dolarmak 23]

I feel it should also be pointed out that even big game developers use game engines to help simplify the scripting and layout maps. They're just using different engines that us: Unreal engine, Half-life engine etc...the real trick is finding an engine that suits the style of game play you want. 

[Marked 197]

Depending on what you're building, you wouldn't start from scratch. It may be an engine or a framework (base code that may or may not require its own methodology) that you start with. You may think websites are simple, but no web project, especially not big custom apps, are built from scratch. You start with a whole bunch of back end and front end frameworks as a base. Then you extend them in the same language and just build.