Break points for easier bug search

I'm a game artist, focusing on 3D character art, but it's tough getting jobs and I have some game ideas I want to explore. Although I can handle the nodes in Unreal to some extent it's a bit overwhelming to start coding for a 3D game engine (I have some knowledge in C, but I don't consider myself a programmer) and so I figure it's better to start really simple and learn the basics of game coding. Yes it's 2D pixel art and not 3D but I actually think that is a good thing so I can focus on the code, not the graphics. It also seems like a neat way to explore game ideas before implementing them on a bigger platform.