About
Programming is like nothing else out there. Especially if you’re working on a game or simulation, it’s like creating your own world. It is a form of creative expression. It’s a puzzle of logic (programming and structure), but also aesthetics (music and art), flow (finding just the right gameplay), and organization (software development). I love all of it.
Hi, I'm Rachel. I'm a software developer in Kansas City. I also like working on games and websites in my spare time. C++ is my favorite language, but I use a lot more than just that.
You can view my projects, tutorials, and check out the Moosader community at Moosader.com
For those of you who have come to my blog because of the 'controversial' math comic I posted, please see: Rewording
I can’t really answer degree questions like this for you; My area is Computer Science so I can talk about that some, and if you’re into hardware that seems more like Computer Engineering or Electrical Engineering for an area.
What is a “computer technology degree”, vs. a BS or BA?
Also, if you go to get a computer-based degree at college, I’d suggest going for the B.S. side of things rather than B.A.
lounawinter answered: Well, at first I couldn’t imagine what programming is, so I tried Scratch (-> scratch.mit.edu) and I started to understand that I had to think differently. With Scratch I learned basic programming skills, and they can be “transfered” to other languages. Also a positive aspect is, that Scratch is really motivating, because it’s easy to use and easy to learn. Other languages like C++ kept demotivating me before I knew basic programming stuff, because they were to complicated with syntax and everything…
hmm i just pray for nice, concerned, and organized, teachers
Definitely organized, definitely interested in my students understanding the material and staying interested in it, and… well *I* think that I’m nice. I understand that patience is a big part of the job, questions should never be treated as “stupid” (we all had to learn/clarify info at some point)
In my programming classes I found it very hard to grasp all of the abstract concepts and was quickly overwhelmed with terminology. I would consider teaching with the Processing interface. If you are allowed to choose your own book I’d take a look at “Generative Design” Visualize,Program,and Create with ProcessingThis goes from the basics of ints and chars and dives deep into class creation with autonomous agents and mesh generation. I find this brought out my creative side and made me want to learn more.The processing IDE is very simple and great for introductory programming. However, integration into a fully fleshed IDE such as eclipse is simple.Please consider processing, or even openframeworks, I find these visual projects make the abstract concepts stick better
This is super interesting. I had been thinking about utilizing APIs and various libraries to help make the C++ assignments more interesting, but since summer classes are a hectic 8-weeks, that seems better suited for a 16-week course where there might be more free time. The schedule is already packed for what I need to cover. @_@
- Processing http://www.processing.org/reference/libraries/
- Open Frameworks http://www.openframeworks.cc/
I will definitely check these out, though. I’m also going to add it to my list (https://github.com/Moosader/Problem-Solving-and-Programming-II)
I’m going to try to expose the students to different things C++ can do, without going into using them. I want them to know that there’s more than just console-based programming out there, and point out some available frameworks.
I’m not all that excited about the next Xbox or Playstation, and some of you may feel the same way.
As a kid, did you ever want a video game but your parents wouldn’t let you have one (or it was in the arcade and you couldn’t buy one), so you made (or designed) your own version?
John Romero did, and I’m sure many of us did or daydreamed about it.
(Original Crazy Climber and John Romero’s homebrew)
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Some bootleg companies profit from making cheap ripoffs or games basted on popular franchises. I, personally, love these things.
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Can you see where I’m going with this?
Sometimes there will be exclusives on consoles we don’t have any interest in buying (for example, I can’t justify a PS3 when there are only a couple games I’d be interested in)
So here’s my challenge:
See a game you want? Make a bootleg of it.
Only, y’know, don’t IP infringe. Do it like TIGSource did for their Bootleg Demakes competition - based on a franchise, but just original enough to not get yourself sued. :P
Make it based on what you’ve seen of the trailers, and what it seems like in your mind’s eye as a great game.
Want the next Call of Duty game? Make Shout of Service.
Next Assassin’s Creed? Dogma of a Hired Gun
Next Final Fantasy? Make Terminal Tale
Make it corny, and make it glorious.
Guys! I’m moving up in the world! (A whole foot.)
Man, when I first moved out of my parents’ place, I slept on one of these things for like three months. Classy.
The Android version of Unity going free is making me a lot more interested in the OUYA. I don’t see it going anywhere as a platform, to be honest, but as a toy for game devs it seems like it would be pretty fun.
Everyone will want one once I release Pickin’ Sticks 2k
With all this talk about the Xbox One, I’m going to shift the conversation towards something quite different. What about the Ouya!
My opinion is that it looks quite promising. Perhaps I’ll make an Ouya game!
Plus, the Unity Android SDK is free now!
DANCE TIME
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/o/
I’m working on stuff with Java/LibGDX anyway so I definitely plan on making some OUYA games. Hopefully OUYA-exclusives, as well.
And her name is “Sister Mary Kenneth Keller”. Which would have been nice to put in the image blurb (at least there’s a source link).
