I have a niece who wants to make a video game. I have 0 experience teaching and am very likely to recommend her some crazy complicated shit that will turn her off to the idea. She’s 8. Anyone have experience with this? Her first instinct was to try and make games in the Roblox engine but I know exactly how exploitative that shit is and how nontransferable those skills are
Libre software is a must
Occasionally available for dirt cheap via Humble Bundle, for whatever that's worth.
Edit: Unity is also "free," but that has a hell of a learning curve for a kid.