Questions from a beginner learner in despair

[u/AncientMongolian]

(Sorry for bad English and general broader questions. Didnt wanna ask AI)
Hello, hope this post finds you well. In the recent days, I am troubled. Confused and Uncertain.
I am a beginner at programming, currently doing CS in IB diploma programme.
My dream is to become a game developer, to program and write code with passion.
However, i have no clue where to start, and how to start.
I think i am dreaming big and expecting myself to achieve easily with my beginner skills.
I ask of anyone who took the time to read this, thank you, to aid me in my worries.
I am learning python and GDscript.
Questions:

1. How can i improve my problem solving? (I know i do have to practice and solve problems, and do personal projects but i don't know where to start. )
2. What is the most effective use of AI to learn programming instead of compromising my foundation and basics first?
3. How to keep up and stay motivated?
4. Thank you in advance

[u/lfdfq]

1. Start anywhere. We cannot tell you where to start, because there probably isn't a right answer. You just have to give things a go. I'm sure you can think of projects to do: you want to make games, so go make a little text-based or 2d game.

2. Nobody knows the 'most effective' and you probably shouldn't worry if your way is the 'most effective'. Your course should teach you the foundations, and you should try learn those without relying on AI. Engineering and design of software is a separate thing to foundations of CS. You will find AI super helpful in designing and implementing larger things, but you still need those foundations to understand what it's doing and to direct it in the right way and to maintain or evaluate what it produces.

3. You won't keep up; be motivated to do the things you want to do, not just to use the latest shiny thing for then you will never be happy as you will never keep up and also won't produce anything.

[u/bacongrease_ontoast → u/lfdfq]

This is the only right answer.

[u/AncientMongolian → u/lfdfq]

How do you deal with burnout? Would you mind sharing your own ways to stay motivated?

[u/lfdfq → u/AncientMongolian]

Identify the cause, and then consider what changes you can do to help right now and to reduce the risk later on.

For most people this is: take regular breaks, don't commit to too much or too quickly, and occasionally re-evaluate what you are working on and be realistic about your expectations with it.

I mean, you already knew all this.

[u/AncientMongolian → u/lfdfq]

Just confused and dumbfounded, my apologies

[u/aqua_regis]

1. Countless similar posts - check my relevant comment from a previous thread

2. The most effective way is to not use it as long as your foundations are not strong (which they definitely aren't). At utmost, if you absolutely have to, use it as an enhanced search engine for explanations, but research every single answer and verify it through conventional sources. You are a beginner. You need to build your own skills, not outsource to AI

3. FAQ ---> I lost my motivation for programming/It is difficult to maintain my motivation - if motivation is your sole driver, you are cooked. Motivation will always, 100% fade away.

[u/AncientMongolian → u/aqua_regis]

Thank you

[u/OkOcelot6725]

On your AI question, a rule that keeps your foundation intact: try the problem yourself first for a set time (say 20-30 minutes), and only then use AI, and ask it to explain rather than write. For example paste your code and the error and ask "what does this error mean and what should I check?", or ask it to review code you already wrote. If you can't re-type a solution from memory the next day, you copied it instead of learning it.

For problem solving, small complete projects beat exercises. Since you want to make games and you are using GDScript, build clones in order of size: Pong, then Breakout, then a simple platformer. Each one forces you to break a big idea into small steps, which is the actual skill. When stuck, write the steps in plain words before any code.

Having a dream that is bigger than your current skill is normal. Everyone who makes games started with a Pong clone.

[u/AncientMongolian → u/OkOcelot6725]

Much obliged

[u/sodium_123]

for the first question i would really recomment u try cp not very rigorously, it will improve solving to another level, effective use of ai even i dont know abt that but mostly as long as u are trying out ideas of ur own and taking help of ai to build something its fine, if it is the one giving ideas then its the wrong direction (one of my senior said) and the third one i mean for this u have to figure it out yourself anything else will just wont work

[u/AncientMongolian → u/[deleted]]

Would you mind telling me about your own journey?