To me, it's really strange thinking that before the Big Bang there was supposed to be essentially nothing. Like a computer game booting up for the 1st time.

I'm not sure but i think that's a bit of a misunderstood idea. Their was definitely nothing physical prior to the big bang. But if the idea that energy can neither be created nor destroyed is true then energy would have always existed. Infact the big bang would have needed energy to have happened.

I think something collided with potential energy (stored energy) which then made it kinetic energy (active energy) then all the rest of the stuff happened.

But regardless, the fact that their was nothing physical prior to the big bang is very strange for sure. definitely agree there. Their would have had to be some kind of blueprint or something, dont you think? that allowed for the universe to build itself.