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The Python Arcade Library

69 points by albertzeyer 9y ago

joewrong 9y ago
cached: http://web.archive.org/web/20170629061140/https://pythonhosted.org/arcade/ http://web.archive.org/web/20170629061140/https://pythonhost... http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:https://pythonhosted.org/arcade/ http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:https:/...
ajford 9y ago
Original link down. Looks like more info can also be found here: http://arcade.academy/ http://arcade.academy/
cr0sh 9y ago
I'm not sure what to call this, but it's free, and uses Python Arcade to teach programming (in Python) in the context of game development: http://programarcadegames.com/ http://programarcadegames.com/ It appears to be an online form of a book (which you can purchase too). The author makes the site and contents available for free, and uses it to teach introductory programming (so maybe not for everyone here - but some may find it useful). It also appears there is a MOOC-like aspect to it as well. As an aside, often when the question comes up from someone wanting to learn to program, invariably the advice offered is to "program or develop something that interests you" - that is, try to learn thru programming something related to your interests. This is good advice, but for some though, that can be too abstract, or they might find that things related to what they like are actually boring to develop software for (contrived example: They like running against a stopwatch, but creating a stopwatch program isn't exactly exciting). I personally think that game programming can bridge this gap; for instance, in my contrived example, the student could instead strive to create a "running simulation" (ie, part of a "track and field" style game, for instance). Even a side-scroller simple thing would be great fun (and have sufficient difficulty) for development and learning purposes. It could be extended, too (maybe take it both horizontal and vertical - 2d parkour platformer? Heck, that sounds like something -I- would like to develop!). In reality, just about any interest can become a game, with just a little bit of imagination (plus fudging on things a bit or a lot - which is something you have to know and internalize as a game developer: Don't try to simulate the real world, you won't get very far unless you have a large development team, and even then you'll be fudging and simplifying things, if you know what's good for you).

69 points by albertzeyer 9y ago

cached: http://web.archive.org/web/20170629061140/https://pythonhosted.org/arcade/ http://web.archive.org/web/20170629061140/https://pythonhost... http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:https://pythonhosted.org/arcade/ http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:https:/...

ajford 9y ago

Original link down. Looks like more info can also be found here: http://arcade.academy/ http://arcade.academy/

cr0sh 9y ago

I'm not sure what to call this, but it's free, and uses Python Arcade to teach programming (in Python) in the context of game development: http://programarcadegames.com/ http://programarcadegames.com/ It appears to be an online form of a book (which you can purchase too). The author makes the site and contents available for free, and uses it to teach introductory programming (so maybe not for everyone here - but some may find it useful). It also appears there is a MOOC-like aspect to it as well. As an aside, often when the question comes up from someone wanting to learn to program, invariably the advice offered is to "program or develop something that interests you" - that is, try to learn thru programming something related to your interests. This is good advice, but for some though, that can be too abstract, or they might find that things related to what they like are actually boring to develop software for (contrived example: They like running against a stopwatch, but creating a stopwatch program isn't exactly exciting). I personally think that game programming can bridge this gap; for instance, in my contrived example, the student could instead strive to create a "running simulation" (ie, part of a "track and field" style game, for instance). Even a side-scroller simple thing would be great fun (and have sufficient difficulty) for development and learning purposes. It could be extended, too (maybe take it both horizontal and vertical - 2d parkour platformer? Heck, that sounds like something -I- would like to develop!). In reality, just about any interest can become a game, with just a little bit of imagination (plus fudging on things a bit or a lot - which is something you have to know and internalize as a game developer: Don't try to simulate the real world, you won't get very far unless you have a large development team, and even then you'll be fudging and simplifying things, if you know what's good for you).