It goes against the grain of modern education to teach children to
program. What fun is there in making plans, acquiring discipline in
organizing thoughts, devoting attention to detail and learning to be
self-critical? -- Alan Perlis
Programmers Anonymous
Programmers Anonymous is an informal support group for beginning
programmers, using game programming as a source for interesting
algorithms and applications. No experience necessary. Participant need
driven, and the first person with a question gets priority attention.
Anyone at any age is welcome, unless we run out of space. Regular
attendance not required, no cost.
Currently a few of us are
learning how to get things done with Blitz Basic, a procedural
language, and Java and C++, both object oriented programming (OOP)
languages.
Meetings are usually on Fridays at 6:00 pm, at Straub Hall in the Brain Development Lab.
All are welcome. About 1-1/2 hours, punctuality not required. Contact
Mark Dow at dow@uoregon.edu for more information. See below for
directions to our meeting room.
future
topics
Resources:
Games:
Game sites recommended by Dave
Moursund:
Ace
Card Games: A no hassle, no ad site for free play of 12 different
solitaire card
games on the Web. Includes Klondike, FreeCell, Baker's Dozen, Yukon,
Carpet, Pas Seul, Golf, Eight Off, Fortress, Spider One Suit, Spider
Two Suits, and Spider Four Suits.
GameHouse
Online Games: Offers a number of games that can be played online,
without
registering. Must watch ads while downloading (for free play of a game)
is occurring. Among other categories, offers a number of Word Games
that have educational value. Sudoku is available in a mode where one
can set difficulty level.
Idiot's
Delight: Solitaire variations. Quoting from the Website:
Welcome
to Idiot's Delight, your source for free online solitaire. This site
features applets for one hundred solitaire variations that can be
played on all platforms (including Macintosh and Linux) that have a
browser supporting Java applets. The games allow unlimited undo and
redo and have several levels of difficulty to provide a challenging
(but winnable) game for all levels of players.
[Note from Moursund: The
Homepage does not list all of the available games. Go to one of the
games listed on the HomePage and you will see that the sidebar menu
contains a longer list.]
Lego Factory:
Create a model using
the free Lego digital
designer software. Free software (for the PC and the Mac) allows you to
build three
dimensional objects using virtual Lego blocks. Quoting from the Website:
Welcome
to LEGO Digital Designer, also known as LDD. With the free Digital
Designer software you can build absolutely anything with virtual LEGO
bricks right on your computer.
Resources for educators:
Dave Moursund's
Using
Games in Education
Computers
in Education for Talented and Gifted Students: A Book for Elementary
and Middle School Teachers
Example Blitz programs we've worked
on:
Text and software for Blitz language: "Game Programming for
Teens",
second edition, Manseesh Sethi. The book includes everything needed,
particularly a program interpreter and function library
(called "BlitzBasic") with examples.
The hybrid Basic/C language ("Blitz") and built-in functions are
designed to make game
like programs short and easy, while retaining fully general programming
capabilities. MS Windows operating system environment.
Program code (straight text, *.bb) and
the
stand-alone executable files (and resource files in *.zip files, MS
Windows) are
available for these example programs. There are some differences
between BlitzBasic, Blitz3D and BlitzPlus program code, so be sure to
use the
correct file for your Blitz software. The executeables in the zipped
files should work on any PC with MS Windows. Right click on the
file links to
download. Some of the executable programs are designed for screen
resolutions of 1024 x 768 or larger.
Blitz3D test: Frances' program that displays a rotating and moving cube.
Full screenshot
Blitz3DTest.zip (Executable and source code [Blitz3D])
Blitz3DTest.bb
Screen Art v3: Frances' program that is a mash-up of a drawing program and the Random Art v1 program below.
Full screenshot
Screen_Art_v3_BlitzBasic.zip (Executable and source code [BlitzBasic])
Screen_Art_v3_BlitzBasic.bb
Random Art v1: Frances' program displays randomly positioned and color graphics.
Full screenshot
RandomArt_v1_BlitzBasic.zip (Executable and source code [BlitzBasic])
RandomArt_v1_BlitzBasic.bb
Wallis product: Jacob's program that calculates the first terms of the infinite Wallis product to find an approximation of Pi:
Pi/2 = 2 * 2 * 3 * 3 * 4 * 4 ...
1 3 3
4 4 5 ...
As the terms get very large, rounding errors due to dividing
large integers causes the approximation to drift away from the
true limiting value of the product. The rounding errors result
from limited precision of the standard computer representation of
real numbers.
This version finds the products through the first 100,000,000 terms.
The approximation is most precise somewhere near the 50,000th term.
This indicates that the computer representation of real numbers is only
precise to a bit less than 16 bits (216 ~= 65,000), corresponding to the 5th decimal point (10-5, or 1/100,000) of Pi.
Full output screenshot
Wallis_product.zip (Executable and source code [BlitzBasic])
Wallis_product.bb
PongBox: Program testing Blitz3D capabilities.
PongBox_v2.zip (Executable, source code [Blitz3D] and image resources)
PongBox_v2.bb
PongBox.zip (Executable, source code [Blitz3D] and image resources)
PongBox_v1.bb
Hearse in Swamp: Program testing Blitz3D capabilities.
Hearse_swamp_3D.zip (Executable, source code [Blitz3D] and image resources)
EncryptString: Irreversible
encryption of a short string (<= 14 characters) to an integer.
The encryption is irreversible in that the string is
not easily found from the integer. The decryption is not unique as
there may be other strings that will encrypt to the same integer.
The same unique encryption can be used by other
programs to check the identity of cheat codes (the identity of the
encrypted cheat code is checked). In this way a correct cheat code can
be detected without revealing what that cheat code is. BoltzmannsBox
uses this scheme to implement a cheat code.
NOTE: The Blitz Basic and Plus
code use different implementations of a random number function ( both
called "Rnd"), resulting in different encryptions of the same string,
depending on the Blitz version used. The executable is derived from the
BlitzPlus version.
EncryptString.zip
(Executable, source code [Basic and Plus versions])
handol_user_input:
Blitz function (courtesy of Frances) for conversion between scancodes
and text characters.
We have been using this kind of function for
implementing cheat codes. This version handles (handols) all lower case
text key presses, and some non-printing characters. Note that
non-printing characters like [up-arrow] are mapped to printing
characters like "^". In a long tradition of programmer mangling,
misspelling is tolerated as long as the logic is correct :) Not well
documented, no caps, and may be extended to include other characters
in the future.
handol_user_input.bb
BoltzmannsBox: A 2-D sphere
physical simulator.
5/15/06 Still experimental, the code is not very
clean or well documented. The physics is not quite correct yet; energy
is not strictly conserved when it should be, and it can freeze up
(become unresponsive) in some situations. Many improvements to be made,
but the basic fun of particles in a box is worth playing with.
5/21/06 Version .92: Better drawing of large
particles. A few minor bug fixes, but still includes several physics
bugs. Added encrypted cheat codes (see EncryptString), that are only
know to a couple programmer's siblings and guardians.
BoltzmannsBox.zip
(Executable, source code [Basic and Plus versions], and required
resources)
LinearSpirals: Random and
repeated two parameter linear spirals with randomized color cycling.
GUI control examples including command/radio/spin
buttons and
integer/fraction display. Particularly interesting patterns occur at
angles that are near integral fractions of 360 degrees: try 90, 120,
144 (2*360/5), and 160.
5/5/06 LinearSpirals version 1.1: Added filled or
open ovals or rectangles that bound each segment. Controls are redrawn
if shape overlaps. Clicking "Random" control immediately selects new
parameters. Undisclosed cheat code.
LinearSpirals.zip
(Executable, source code [Basic and Plus versions], and required
resources)
Spray: Simulates a spray
of droplets from a
nozzle, in the direction of the cursor.
Derived from
ButtonTest (see below), Spray includes a full set of user
interface buttons that indicate button and parameter min/max state, and
allow interaction while the simulation is running. Simple, but engaging
-- imagine playing with a hose in
outer-space.
4/6/06 Spray version 2: Several
improvements,
particularly code structure and documentation. Now includes
experimental SprayBubbles, essentially eviscerated droplets (BlitzBasic
source code and resources only).
4/28/06 Spray version 4: Added a cheat code --
typing "yellow" toggles the droplet color to/from yellow/blue.
To Do: Better sound effect, refine the physics of
small vs. large drops, increase range of drop sizes, better
contrast/color droplets.
Spray.zip
(Executable, source code [Basic and Plus versions], and required
resources)
ButtonTest: A set of
experimental programs that we worked on to see how to make our own
buttons (mouse over a rectangle, left click, make something happen).
The earlier versions make a red oval arc across the
screen, and the
later versions continuously spew out "droplets" in the direction of the
current mouse position.
ButtonTest.zip
(BlitzBasic source code only, and required
resources)
LaRevolucion:
A basic
virtual environment example that uses a photo-realistic background with
apparent position controlled by mouse movement.
Many common
shoot-'em-up
style games use this fundamental navigation and control logic. The
program is also a good example of
the use of a
Type, a simple animation sequence, and mouse/keypress control.
The background image is the previous
mayoral
residence in Havana, Cuba. Now (2005) it is the Museum of the
Revolution (Museo de La Revolucion), presenting a chronicle of Cuba's
struggle for independence from colonial rule. No political statement,
or offense, is intended by this software.
4/28/06: Replaced explosions with
dripping paint ball splat animations.
To Do: Add small targets
(maybe Bush and Castro icons) that randomly appear in the image, and
record
hits. Better sound effects. Still some problems with navigation at
edges of image. The Basic and Plus/executable versions behave
differently (Basic version leaves a paint mark) due to differences in
library functions. Use a mask so paint balls don't mark sky.
LaRevolucion.zip
(Executable, source code [Basic and Plus versions], and required
resources)
RandomPool:
Experimental
2-D sphere physical simulator.
The program generates balls and holes
randomly, and the balls explode when they get near the holes. Not
complete or well documented, the style is inconsistent, and the code
structure is confusing.
RandomPool.zip
(Executable, source code [Basic and Plus versions], and required
resources)
Cryptogram:
A password
protected text encoder.
The program includes an example of
masked keyboard
input (for password protection), the generation and display of a
substitution cipher, and demonstrates the use of several text
manipulation functions. It also shows how to quit the
program, which needs to be handled explicitly BlitzPlus (but is handled
implicitly in BlitzBasic).
The password, currently 2brnot2b,
is
hard-coded. To reset the password, change the first uncommented line
(strPassword$ = "[your_password]").
Cryptogram_BlitzBasic.bb
Cryptogram_BlitzPlus.bb
Cryptogram.exe
Glow!
: Smoothly changing
text colors. This is Frances' first program:
Glow!_BlitzBasic.bb
Glow!_BlitzPlus.bb
Glow!.exe
Directions:
Meetings are usually on Fridays at 6:00 pm, at Straub Hall in the Brain Development Lab.
All are welcome. About 1-1/2 hours, punctuality not required. Contact
Mark Dow at dow@uoregon.edu for more information.
From 18th take University Ave. onto the UofO campus, right on E. 15th
to15th and Onyx. The Brain Develoment Lab is on the south side of
Straub Hall ground-floor door. See map below. Knock on the single door
on the south side of Straub, on 15th Ave. Metered parking is free after
6:00.
