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My kids were able to make complex 3D games at 9yo with very little help using Roblox Studio. It’s free. https://roblox.com/create Disclaimer: I work for Roblox Corp.
Look at what he's really doing. He doesn't want to CODE. He wants to make a game. Like every kid. Emphasize the creative part just like he wants. Do things on paper, just like he is doing.
Let me get this one point across: YOUR SON DOES NOT WANT TO LEARN TO CODE (right now). HE WANTS TO SPEND TIME WITH YOU and explore ideas at the speed of his imagination.
Enjoy it.
Talk about the game while you go for evening walks or drive to/from school.
He will enjoy every minute of it even if nothing is ever produced.
Plugging my friend's side project: https://quickga.me/ Fully 3D online game engine with multiplayer. Most of the game is made in the interactive click and drag mode, but has modes for extra logic and ultimately a full JS scripting engine if needed. Kind of like Roblox but far simpler on the dev side. This shows the end to end development of a soccer game: https://youtu.be/6a1NmNhoO0M
My 10 year old was able to figure out how to make some fun stuff with it.
https://ccl.northwestern.edu/netlogo/
https://ccl.northwestern.edu/netlogo/faq.html And countless intros and courses of varying quality & complexity on youtube...
then do your best to help but make it clear he choose i difficult path
It's pretty low barrier to entry thing
Nintendo Game Builder Garage for the Nintendo Switch will get him started. https://www.nintendo.com/en-ca/store/products/game-builder-g... The app has tutorials and built in games to get him to work up to making a game. Surely, his current game is too ambitious for him to pull off but this will get him making something and thinking about programming. There is also RPG Maker depending on the style of game: https://www…
Game Builder Garage looks really interesting, thanks for the suggestion. Do you have any experience with Dreams on PlayStation, for comparison? My son and I have been using and enjoying Dreams but I do feel that he would be better off with something a step down in terms of complexity and challenge. GBG looks like it could be the sweet spot.
Nowadays supports 3D also, but that is recent feature and will definitely evolve for some time.