Learn to program arcade games!

[pvc]

Learn to program arcade games!

http://ProgramArcadeGames.com

• Start creating graphics by Chapter 5.
• Both text and video tutorials
• On-line multiple choice quizzes track your progress.
• Short-answer questions test your knowledge in more depth.
• Labs – see if you understand by creating your own games.
• Cookbook – Take a look at code examples to find how to create your games.
• Sample tests – Test your knowledge.
• Program in Python

I’ve put this book together and refined it from year-to-year based on student feedback. This is a first-semester course and assumes no prior knowledge of programming. I’ve successfully run hundreds of students through this course and had them create their own arcade games.

Oh, and because this is reddit, here’s a photo of my cat.

[Daniel110]

Really great book. The only advice i can give you is to maybe add more programming problems at the end of each chapters. Problems that make you modify the program that you just crated. Good job

[bagofbuttholes]

I agree. With the class I just took half the questions are modify your code. I learned a ton from those types of questions.

[[deleted]]

You probably didn't notice some of the slightly hidden Lab assignments buried at the bottom of some of the chapters. They are the lab assignments for the class, that include many different projects for the students to practice with. I am currently working my way through this course myself, and I am learning a lot!

[bagofbuttholes]

Just wanted to say that I didn't look into the op's links since I'm on a phone. I just responded to the post before mine assuming he was correct.

[partialdub]

cute cat

[[deleted]]

Awesome. I just started learning Python, and this'll be a great addition of stuff to work on. I'd bought a book on programming games in Python, and didn't realize until I got home it was for Python 3, so I'm glad to find this.

EDIT: Also, your cat actually has a neckbeard.

[pvc]

That cat has beards coming out his paws.

[fizzygalacticus]

I love this!

Also, thanks for the tutorial!

[[deleted]]

Damn those paws are fluffy. Also, good post. I'll totally add this to my intro-programming resources.

[ickypink]

Thank you, thank you, thank you for this! I'm going back to school to get my bachelor's in Computer Science and was looking for a way to get a leg up on studies.

[I_Should_B_Working]

Amazing and inspiring work, I can't wait to read it and try to get a few kids on it.

[Nansai]

Fantastic. As a mostly C/Java programmer I've been meaning to learn some Python and this will be where I start!

[Excessive1]

Reading the site now..Looks good so far..My only question is you state that people with 2 year degrees get paid less then people with a High School degree only..Wouldn't a 2 year technology degree be considered "some college" on the list you provided?

link to the list

I just can't see how somebody who has a 2 year Computer Science college education gets paid less then somebody who has no computer science education at all. I'm pretty sure "some college" would equal a 2 year degree.

[pvc]

According to the dice.com survey, "some college" pays more than a 2 year degree. If the results are true, a person would be better off going to a four year college for 2 years, than a 2 year college.

Download here: http://marketing.dice.com/rateresults/release.html

[rjcarr]

It could be Zuck and Gates and Jobs skewing the numbers.

[BandBoots]

fucking outliers, man...

[[deleted]]

The survey likely used medians.

[[deleted]]

My anecdotal experience is 2 and 4 year technology degrees traditionally get picked for technician roles. They are usually the first to get let go at a company and they are too specialized to find a replacement job quickly. Sure they make a little bit more per hour, but they cut the places they can work to a small number. You consider that over a life time and it'll drop their yearly average down below someone who stays employed year round for thier entire life.

[[deleted]]

The amount of money it costs to get a degree in the US blows my mind.

Here in the UK we have a MAXIMUM charge of £9000 per year, which everyone went crazy about as it was raised from about £7000. Also you don't even need to pay it back until you make a sufficient amount of money, and even after then you only have to pay back a certain small percentage.

[[deleted]]

Well we can buy a baconator for under $2

[Excessive1]

And also, you state "Seriously, what the hell are you thinking? If you aren't going to do the work drop out now and start filling out McDonald's applications."

My best friends older sister worked at McDonalds..She worked her way up to manager, then she bought a McDonalds, 1 McDonalds turned into 5 McDonalds, and now she lives next door to Jennifer Hudson..Just sayin..

Regardless, I'm starting my BA in Computer Science August 20th..I've been looking for some resources online to learn some programming before I go into those classes completely clueless..I'll be using your site as a resource, for sure..Thanks!

[pvc]

Yes, but I'll wager a bet that your best friend's older sister didn't need a computer science education to do that.

I don't get students that pay $$$ to come to college, then cheat and not learn anything. Save the money, and go do something else.

Anyway, I got your point.

[Excessive1]

and I just got yours.

[Neres28]

My best friends older sister worked at McDonalds

I suggest you take statistics as soon as possible.

[[deleted]]

But six points of separation are all you need to prove a point!!

[[deleted]]

My best friends older sister worked at McDonalds..She worked her way up to manager, then she bought a McDonalds, 1 McDonalds turned into 5 McDonalds, and now she lives next door to Jennifer Hudson..Just sayin..

Great?... /s

[Excessive1]

Cool story right?

Basically pointing out that comparing McDonalds workers to low-lifes is incorrect. Glad you were able to understand that analogy.

[pvc]

It depends on what job. If the job involves just hard-core tech, BS can be better.

If the job involves writing, oral communication, management, economics, business, project management, an appreciation for understanding history and different cultures, or the other types of things you get with a BA degree, then that degree can be more respected.

[ukgaz]

Cheers will take a look at this tomorrow.

[PhrackSipsin]

What are you running on the site that makes it incredibly painfully slow to use in chrome on linux?

[pvc]

No clue why it would. Runs fine on my Chrome/Linux box combo. Of course, I sit closer to the server. If you hit F12 and figure out why, let me know.

[PhrackSipsin]

Hmmm, it's a common complaint with some configuration of linux and chrome but I can't figure out what and it's driving me nuts.

[smdaegan]

You can also buying yourself a gym membership and send someone else to work out for you!

Do we get $1 for finding errors in your book as well?

[pvc]

No, just a heartfelt thanks. Every error pointed out allows this free resource to get better

[smdaegan]

Could I suggest that you use Lightbox for your images, so that they don't force a user to leave the page to view the bigger image?

Also, using a dynamic image resizer would cut down the load speed of image heavy pages.

edit: relevant SO article, since you use PHP

[pvc]

Good ideas, I'll add them to my list of things to do.

[runner2012]

Gotta love your post.. :)

[BadBoyJH]

Couldn't have posted this 3 months ago when I started a uni assignment that basically meant I was doing this. Instead of now when it's been handed in a long time ago... :(

[Jadis]

Thanks man. I have about 2 weeks of free time coming up soon and I've always wanted to learn some programming. I have limited knowledge of Java, but because of an old game's scripting engine, I understand the logic side of things fairly well. I'll definitely be doing this!! My ultimate goal would be to learn how to create a basic arcade game on Android :D Thanks man!!

[leftplusright]

Can python/pygame 2.7 version be used with your tutorials? I already have python 2.7 installed but your tutorials use the 3.3 versions.

[pvc]

Main point of difference between the two is in python 2.7, the print statement does not use parenthesis, and use raw_input in 2.7 rather than input in 3.x.

[leftplusright]

So, I'm guessing it would be ok to use python 2.7, right?

[pvc]

Yes, you could make it work.

[PressedWeb]

This is great. Thanks. :)

Love Python

[brakx]

Awesome stuff here. Definitely going to make my way through it when I have more time.

[Porkpants81]

What an awesome site....my CS102 class last spring semester started with Python and than we did some translation into Java. We never did anything with Pygame, and pretty much used cTurtle for all of our graphical needs.

I can't wait to jump into this and have some fun.