i've been eyeing godot for a while but i have no idea on how i would learn it without just copying from youtube tutorials, so how did you guys learn how to use your preffered engine?

I would say, put yourself an objective, for example creating a simple platformer game, and then learn the necessary things to reach that objective. So for example go to godot and experiment with the different options etc and if you don't know how do to something (for example player movement) you search on google or youtube (and maybe chatgpt too but don't use it to generate code)

This is the way I usually learn things, but I don't actually think of a method when i'm learning it's something kinda organic. I will say try to think of a good idea for a videogame that you are passionate about, and then try to create a videogame based on it, it will keep you motivated and you will learn a lot of things in the way. And if your game results being trash or bad it doesn't matter because it's guaranteed that you learned a lot of useful stuff for your next game/project!

Hoped it helps :D and sorry for my bad english im ESL

Edit: sorry Maybe my advice is a bit advanced lol if you don't know anything about godot first watch a youtube video about the UI and the basics, it's okay if you copy things from youtube videos to start getting used with the engine i think

Tutorials are a fine way to learn at first. But I’m guessing the issue is that you’re copying the code without understanding it? If that’s the case then I’d recommend finding guides that cover the fundamentals of the programming language itself instead of how to make a particular game in an engine. In that way my advice to opposed to the first response to this post; Learn fundamental things about programming and the engine and then come up with a game based on what you can do. If you decide to use a tutorial to make a game then at least now you have the context to understand what you’re doing, you’ll actually learn more.

Look tutorials of whatever you want to do, but question everything the guy in the tutorial does, and if he doesn't give answers, search them by yourself. Also make sure to check the documentation of the engine you use, every engine and programming language has one and most of time is submitted online. With the documentation, you can search for key words or functions that confuse you or you think could help you on what you want to achieve

Game Maker has an intuitive drag and drop system so the logic is simple and easy to follow, only requiring coding for absolutely total control, or very specific needs. Then understanding the logic follows quite easily.

Basically what the other replies in this thread have said, but with the added caveat that you have to find out which method works best for you. Does learning top-down (goals-based, making a game and learning on the fly), or bottom-up (fundamentals-based, making a game based on what you know) work for you better? This is something you'll have to find out through experimentation. For me, the former worked initially (because in the beginning I really wanted to make platformers and 'life simulators' apparently, looking at my submissions) but later on I just began futzing about with the engine (flash, but the point still stands) and juust moving enough out of my comfort zone to incorporate something "new" if I felt like it, or if it was necessary.

Above all, try to have fun through the process. I know it's easier said than done, but try to take joy in the little things - hell, I was proud of making a "dyno car" game (a la the kind in Need For Speed) where you literally just pressed the up key, and there was no other point to it at all. The reason I was proud of it? It "looked" 3D! Even though it wasn't! It was fucking terrible by any objective standards (and I ultimately pulled it off the portal for being too low rated lol) but I had fun building the thing, and that kept me motivated to get more familiar with the engine.

Granted, I was like 10 years old at the time, so you could've probably jangled some keys in front of me and I'd've been amazed. The point being, when you're having fun with the engine you'll find out what works best for you. And that'll make you continue pushing the bounds of your knowledge, and ultimately becoming comfortable with the engine.

In short? Try to have fun, and don't criticize your works especially at the outset. There's some ways to ignore that self-critical impulse, or riff on it outright in a fun way, but that's not the main point of this thread.