To be honest, this process has no end. You could start by making a game from scratch in C++, creating your own engine, dealing with mathematics, and implementing algorithms for file handling—it all depends on your goals.
You could also use an existing engine and focus solely on creating assets.
In both cases, the process is extremely long, and the result you achieve might feel underwhelming.
That’s because it takes years to hone skills in programming, modeling, and texturing.
I think it comes down to this: if you’re an engineer at heart and your goal is to master technical skills, then this is the right path for you.
But if you’re more of an artist at heart, and your goal is to share a beautiful idea with people so they can appreciate it as a work of art, then you should choose a different path.
In that case, it’s more like making a movie, where you act as a director who brings everything together. We’ve seen films that earned a 9+ rating on IMDb, even though the assets in those films were fairly basic.
If you want to chat about these topics, feel free to email me.