Hey gang
So I need help, I’ve read soo many stories on CoG, HC and HG’s that I’d love to write a story of my very own - even if I only ever write one while I use this site.
The only problem is, is that I have zero experience with coding, and with me dealing with ADHD, dyslexia and learning difficulties, I often find it difficult to “get things” and is more often than not, upsetting when I get excited about wanting to do something new.
If anyone is able to give me advice about key codes for writing, then I’d REALLY appreciate it.
Apologies if this is a bit of a ramble, and big thanks in advanced for any and all help and/or advice 
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Here’s a good place to learn the basics, or to use for quick reference.
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Thank you
I can’t wait to get started!
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This is a reference doc I made for myself to keep on hand to check things quickly. It isn’t a teaching doc, but has been a useful reminder. It prints one page, front and back. Maybe you’ll also find it helpful.
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You’re always welcome to look at the code of my games on Cogdemos if it would help you get an idea of how a person who doesn’t like to code, codes by making things simple and structured. Just click the code button on the demo 
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Thanks LisHz, this is gonna be a big help aswel!
Thank you, Samuel, I really appreciate you sharing!
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Any time. I hope it helps
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I’m a visual learner and I found this youtube tutorial super helpful when I was first figuring out what the heck was what and how it even worked lol. I believe it’s a 3 part series but it saved my life.
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My suggestion is to start small and move on to a bigger game once you’re more confident in your coding and writing skills.
Trying to write a massive game like the ones you see on the COG site straight out of the gate is a recipe for burnout and frustration!
The game jams that take place on itch.io are great for this. They’re sort of low-stakes friendly contests where a bunch of people get together (virtually!) and write something new, and then share it with one another.
Especially useful for beginning coders because:
- They are short!
- Deadlines!
- Community support from other folks doing the same thing!
And in many cases you will also get comments and feedback from other participants on what did and didn’t work well.
@manonamora posted about Neo-Twiny Jam the other day, and that would be a great opportunity to get your toes wet on a very small scale (the limit for prose is 500 words!) while the iron is still hot, as it were.
And wow, isn’t that a mixed metaphor? I don’t recommend using irons while standing in water.
Anyway, Neo-Twiny Jam is a fundraiser for queer charities too–what’s not to like? 
If you do write something short, I’d be happy to take a look at it, and I know lots of folks here are happy to help answer specific “this isn’t doing what I expected” type questions as well.
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Thank you for the shout-out! 
Further adding that if the 500 word limit is too constraining, we (the Neo-Interactives collective) have unranked game jams every month (or so), each with different restrictions. So plenty of opportunities to write a smaller story, test out a genre/mechanic, have fun being silly
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Hello fellow butch!
COG is a relatively simple system. I recommend playing WIPs and completed games to get ideas for what’s possible within the medium. As you get ideas for what you’d like to include in your own game, find tutorials for those specific ideas and learn. You’ll pick it up in no time! Some of the best resources have already been linked, so I have nothing to add in that regards. I do encourage you to ask questions on the forum if you cannot find answers elsewhere.
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