tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29868932.post37696610863940869..comments2024-02-14T22:50:48.749+10:30Comments on Bill Kerr: making pong in etoysBill Kerrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00206808014093631762noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29868932.post-88402457144275471422010-10-17T08:10:39.197+10:302010-10-17T08:10:39.197+10:30hi anonymous from Braunschweig, Germany,
I have u...hi anonymous from Braunschweig, Germany,<br /><br />I have uploaded the project again, so try clicking the link at the bottom of the page again. I just tested the download and it works for me. Cheers.Bill Kerrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00206808014093631762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29868932.post-87309664156086091872010-10-15T11:02:38.524+10:302010-10-15T11:02:38.524+10:30Hi, I am new to Etoys and I am currently learning ...Hi, I am new to Etoys and I am currently learning how to use it. Excellent tutorial. I have come far in recreating pong and would like to verify your code.<br />Unfortunately it is gone...<br />Greetings from Braunschweig, Germany.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29868932.post-3521766471342764702007-12-26T17:49:00.000+10:302007-12-26T17:49:00.000+10:30Thanks for the comments Tony. I'm actually an adul...Thanks for the comments Tony. I'm actually an adult that wants to learn how to program. I've tried before but never got very far. I figure that using "kid's software" is a good way to start, to understand how variables work, how parts relate, etc. I'm most interested in creating my own 2d games, visual art projects and sound creation/interaction software.<BR/><BR/>Once i feel like i've mastered eToys, I'm thinking i will strip off eToys to use Squeak on the OLPC (there are instrutions on the OLPC wiki), and then when i feel like i've hit a brick wall, maybe i'll try learning Python (aka Pippy on the OLPC).<BR/><BR/>What i mean about GameMaker is that it is actually easier to use to make Games out of the box and to make standalone applications. The games also look more professional to me.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10240221839167695577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29868932.post-85480690874200187752007-12-26T09:16:00.000+10:302007-12-26T09:16:00.000+10:30Hi LeeYes the documentation supplied with Etoys is...Hi Lee<BR/>Yes the documentation supplied with Etoys is very poor. <BR/><BR/>I am interested in exploring your comment <I>"built in tools for making 2d scrolling games, levels, sprites, etc."</I> more.<BR/><BR/>By sprites, maybe you mean sprite libraries, I think you can import sprites, if so, kids will have no trouble finding sprites on the net.<BR/><BR/>Sprites are one of the few things that Etoys does better than GameMaker, they automatically rotate to match their heading. In GameMaker you need to set up a multi image sprite with say 36 images and then put subimage=direction/10<BR/><BR/>In this feature Etoys is better than GM for younger kids because they can develop their understandings of angle and vectors by being presented with a visual representation of the concept. Older kids however might get more from the GameMaker because they have to think about which way 0 degrees faces and why they must divide by 10.<BR/><BR/>Its all about encapsulation of programming features and providing an age appropriate level of encapsulation for a range of student ages. For example, in text based languages, we don't expect students to write their own print() function, even though they would learn a lot from the task.<BR/><BR/>It is not good to provide a high level feature if its reasonable to expect a student to create it from low level features and learn along the way without undue frustration. But all the low level features must be there for a student to create <B>anything</B> if they have the motivation. For example, it would not be good to have a built in path finder (Eg A*)algorithm. Students learn a lot by thinking about how to solve the problem. For example, an 11 year old student has created a simple path finder for the enemies at http://tinyurl.com/yoffoe A timer is used to set the enemies' motion towards the player at regular intervals but they bounce off the walls between timer events.<BR/><BR/>What is important is that all the primitive or low level functions exist to create anything and that they be reasonably easy to find and use. Unfortunately Etoys users are often frustrated by dead ends. Often you read this kind of comment (from today's Etoys discussion list), <I>"Quite efficient. 3 hours for nothing"</I>Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03384288304778972289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29868932.post-8849304599829172752007-12-25T18:18:00.000+10:302007-12-25T18:18:00.000+10:30Bill, thanks for this excellent tutorial. I've fou...Bill, thanks for this excellent tutorial. I've found lots of random documentation of squeak online, but not many good tutorials. I read your other entry comparing Squeak to GameMaker. I wonder if there could be an alternate version of Squeak / Etoys such as Squeak "GameMaker!" (I know, totally unoriginal) that would have built in tools for making 2d scrolling games, levels, sprites, etc.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for this tutorial. I'm waiting for my XO to arrive and to start making my own games and programs.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10240221839167695577noreply@blogger.com