Just dive right into unreal engine. Start by using blueprints, then get into experimenting with c++. There is no reason to pick an easy language for getting into programming. It is jsut as hard to learn c++ as it is java or c#. Long ago, i wasted my time with VB and QBasic. I should have just went straight into c++ (no C# at the time). If I were you, I would just jump into c++ and Unreal engine.
Agreed on the C++ being almost the same in complexity as other languages, but....
1) The C# API of Unity is extremly easy to use... whereas the C++ API of UE4 strucks me as slightly more complex (pre-compiler stuff going on, header files and all)... of course I am new to Unreal Engine, so that might be why.
2) The Editor of Unreal Engine 4 is more complex to use than Unitys IMO. Both have some learning curve to tackle before you can start being time efficient, and UE4 does have way more options to tweak your setup and performance options... but as always, more options = more complexity.
3) The documentation of Unity is just better. More complete, better indexed. Not saying epic's documentation is bad, far from it, but just not up there with Unity's.
Both companys seemed to have clear goals in the past, and are trying to compete with each other now, closing the gap. Epic was clearly concentrating on producing a well performing PC engine with cutting edge graphic options, whereas Unity historically concentrated on their multi-platform build options and the ease of use of their editor.
I am pretty happy as to how epic is handling the user support for small time Indies way better than for example Crytek, and their Editor is lightyears ahead of the stoneage effort of some competitors (CryEngine, ugh... at least 3 years ago it still was that way). I am also impressed at how Unity has ramped up their efforts to turn their "good enough" engine into one that might, one day, actually be on the same level as the competition. They have come a long way since the Unity 3.5 days.
Proof that competition among the engines is great for the game devs.
Still, I feel the base DNA of both engines and companys is still visible... and most probably might never go away completly, as epic might always be more focused on the PC side and also making their engine attractive to bigger studios....
IF you want to go with Unreal Engine 4 anyway, you might as well start with it. But if you want to choose the easier engine, IMO Unity is the clear pick. There might be many things wrong with Unity, but their Editor was always one of the most accessible in the industry, and I seldom ever saw such a well indexed documentation than the one for the Unity engine.
I might be weird, but blueprint never did impress me. I guess I am too much of a old school dev.
