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Teaching/Leading Game Programming

Started by intrest86 Apr 28, 2004 at 1:36 AM 2 replies 500+ views

Original Post

Apr 28, 2004 at 1:36 AM

Hello everyone, how goes it? I was approached about a week ago by my computer science teacher. I am in Indipendent Study this year for Comp Sci, and he was wondering if I would like to teach the class now. Everyone in the class had decided to opt out of the AP Exam, so he wanted to try to do something different. The idea is that I will lead and teach them in some basic game development. We started last Tuesday, and its been up and down since then. Everyone is interested, but I find that each person needs alot of individual attention to help them understand what is going on. What we have been doing so far is a Breakout clone (The game where you bounce the ball off a paddle to break the blocks at the top of the screen). I started by giving a basic design document that outlined classes to handle Input, Graphics, Sound, Game Logic, and Level Data. I then assigned one of those classes to each person in the class, with the idea that they could learn to create their part of the game using only the design document to reference how to interface with the other classes. It has taken a while to get the idea across that they can develop code without everyone else''s code being done first, since they are used to having all the code they are calling already written. It is ~kind of~ getting through. So far Sound and Graphics are well under their way, and the guys working on them seem to have a firm enough grasp on it now to complete it themselves. That leaves Input, Level Data Management, and Game Logic. Input really isn''t that difficult, once you have a grasp on the concepts it is a 5 minute job. The person working on it though is not the best programmer, and he needs a lot of help to understang Key Binding. Logic and Level Management are both pretty difficult, but I gave them to pretty competent people who just need guidance as far as how things work together, like collision detection and file format design. So... I ranted. I guess was just wondering if anyone has done something like this before? And advice from anyone on how to help people with as little one-on-one time as possible? I mean, I like helping each person individually, but I don''t really have the time in a 40 minute class to do that for everyone.

Zahlman

257

Zahlman

Apr 28, 2004 at 1:41 AM

Look up some good reference material on OOP and have them read it as homework. The c2.com wiki is a good place to start.

BrentBarrett

Apr 28, 2004 at 11:08 PM

Hmm, this is a pretty difficult question. When I was doing Computer Science in high school, we spent the entire year working on the Marine Biology Case Study. Basically, we had to take the code we were given (which contained most of the program) and add some of our own functions to make it work. For those unfamiliar, the Marine Biology Case Study is simply a simulation of fish in a pond. Now, at that time it seemed unbelievably difficult, and indeed, not even the teacher himself was able to ever make it work, despite having spent every class of the entire school year working on it.
Having now made a few games, I could complete the Marine Biology Case Study from scratch in one day. It''s ridiculously simple when simulation (games) is your main programming strength. However, this made me remember just how difficult it was to understand how to work with others code or write code when you didn''t have the entire picture sitting right there in front of you.
I really like the way you approached this project with the class, as those who do do the work will really have learned something. The alternate route would have been to take all of them step by step through making the entire game. While this would have left them with a fun project at the end, I don''t think they would have learned as much.
Just what is it that you''re lecturing on in class? I doubt you can do very much of a lecture due to the time the students will need to work on their game. It seems to me the only way to get through it will be for you to actually just give individual attention to those who need it. That way, at the beginning of class everyone can just come in and get to work, and you can go around and guide the less motivated or knowledgeable.
Sorry for not giving you a better solution, but I think individual attention is the only way.

TtDTtW

Apr 28, 2004 at 11:31 PM

Oh man, this is just my trouble at the moment.

I''m a Sophmore in College that barely has a CSci department with one class on Graphics and I started a game programming group through ACM (SigBEER : Because Everyone Enjoys Rendering) that is moderately successful compared to the rest of ACM.

But getting people motivated is hard. You''re lucky, there grades depend on this. A User group is hard to get motivated. Most of them just come to see my progress and criticize (Like having a live action Forum). I really wish I could get them to want to work on something.

Though the idea of actually STRUCTURING them to make a game is a good idea, get the other members to pressure the slacking one to get to work... That helps... *haha, I''m ranting* you''re helpin'' me out man.

Though also I''m (possibly) teaching at a Computer Camp this summer high schoolers how to program video games. Video Game education is just such a fun topic. Wish people would take it more seriously... Ya should post your progress or techniques, it''d be like gold to people... you seem to have a good head on your shoulders.

Okay, I''m done, promise.. Night ya''ll!

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