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I wish that there was a separate list/category of games involving coding (block or actual). One game that I really got into for a bit was Autonauts [1], but en

I wish that there was a separate list/category of games involving coding (block or actual). One game that I really got into for a bit was Autonauts [1], but ended up falling a bit short of what I was really looking for (due to very awkward UI and controls). But would really love to see more games with automation (like Factorio) but where the automation was coded. Or tower defense/RTS games (like Mindustry) or simulation (like Rimworld) where you could automate the AI. I see some games involving coding, but mostly look like hacking games, which I think are more puzzle games, vs. sandbox. Like I said, Autonauts would have been this, but it’s just too awkward, and not quite as deep as I was hoping. I was excited this was such a list, until I realized it wasn’t software engineering. (My very first experience with something close to this was FFXII, which I loved, but fell flat for many because they didn’t want to automate the battles, which was my favorite part!) [1] https://store.steampowered.com/app/979120/Autonauts/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/979120/Autonauts/

speps 3y ago
I've heard about Screeps which is close to what you describe: https://screeps.com/ https://screeps.com/
alex-mohr 3y ago
Look at Screeps: World [0] for depth in a programming base-builder RTS. You write the code for each of your units, either natively in Javascript or Typescript, or via WASM you can run Rust, Python, etc. You use a private server or join a shared MMO world. There's a free sim [1] to try out the basics, though the actual game has much more depth. And an active Discord for help [2]. There's also a variant Screeps: Arena [3] that focuses on 1:1 PVP battles with ranked ladders if you prefer short-lived matches to a long-running world. [0] https://store.steampowered.com/app/464350/Screeps_World/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/464350/Screeps_World/ [1] https://screeps.com/a/#!/sim https://screeps.com/a/#!/sim [2] https://discord.com/invite/RjSS5fQuFx https://discord.com/invite/RjSS5fQuFx [3] https://store.steampowered.com/app/1137320/Screeps_Arena/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/1137320/Screeps_Arena/
- jader201 3y ago
  I knew about this one, but was turned off by the review talking about the base CPU isn't enough, requiring a subscription.
  - alex-mohr 3y ago
    I get that, but IMO it's not an issue. On one shard you can't use more than base CPU, so there's no advantage to a subscription there. Other optional shards are almost entirely people who subscribe. Do that too if you decide to, or ignore them.
BHSPitMonkey 3y ago
It's already been shared in the comments, but look into Human Resource Machine. It's a fun little game that tricks you into learning to solve problems in assembly.
- schemescape 3y ago
  Note that it’s a very short game.
  - herewulf 3y ago
    Fortunately there is 7 Billion Humans, its sequel.
thaumasiotes 3y ago
> But would really love to see more games with automation (like Factorio) but where the automation was coded. > I was excited this was such a list, until I realized it wasn’t software engineering. SpaceChem is a programming game, and it's on the list, but it's not categorized under Hacking, Computer Science, Logic, and Automation, which would have been the correct category. It's listed under Puzzle & Casual instead. Opus Magnum has the same problem. SpaceChem is more "programmy" than Opus Magnum. Do you like writing Befunge?
idoubtit 3y ago
Bitburner is in the list, and it's an excellent game where you have to code (JS/Typescript). The date 2021 is wrong like many others in the page: it's probably the introduction on Stream, because the game goes back to 2016. It's an open-source game (reading the source code is sometimes recommended) and can be played in the browser at https://bitburner-official.github.io/ https://bitburner-official.github.io/ It's a long and rather hard game, but I liked its learning curve. You'll need to understand the way the "world of the game" works, then define and code a strategy. Then other "worlds" appear, where other strategies are required. I enjoyed playing it and I have 5k lines of TS code in my Git repository for bitburner.
- solardev 3y ago
  Oh, thanks for that correction! I changed the date on Bitburner. If you know of any other errors, please let me know (here or as a PR/issue in the repo). Appreciate it!
mbirth 3y ago
What do you think of elevator logic? https://play.elevatorsaga.com/ https://play.elevatorsaga.com/
solardev 3y ago
Making a new category is easy, but as you said, I don't think there are a whole lot that could go in it? I'll at least add Autonauts for now, though! Do you think Bitburner, Exapunks, while true: learn(), TIS-100, and Screeps would belong there too, or do you think a category specifically for "Production automation via code" would be more helpful? PS That category just sounds like work you can get paid for, lol :)

speps 3y ago

I've heard about Screeps which is close to what you describe: https://screeps.com/ https://screeps.com/

alex-mohr 3y ago

Look at Screeps: World [0] for depth in a programming base-builder RTS. You write the code for each of your units, either natively in Javascript or Typescript, or via WASM you can run Rust, Python, etc. You use a private server or join a shared MMO world. There's a free sim [1] to try out the basics, though the actual game has much more depth. And an active Discord for help [2]. There's also a variant Screeps: Arena [3] that focuses on 1:1 PVP battles with ranked ladders if you prefer short-lived matches to a long-running world. [0] https://store.steampowered.com/app/464350/Screeps_World/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/464350/Screeps_World/ [1] https://screeps.com/a/#!/sim https://screeps.com/a/#!/sim [2] https://discord.com/invite/RjSS5fQuFx https://discord.com/invite/RjSS5fQuFx [3] https://store.steampowered.com/app/1137320/Screeps_Arena/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/1137320/Screeps_Arena/

jader201 3y ago
I knew about this one, but was turned off by the review talking about the base CPU isn't enough, requiring a subscription.
- alex-mohr 3y ago
  I get that, but IMO it's not an issue. On one shard you can't use more than base CPU, so there's no advantage to a subscription there. Other optional shards are almost entirely people who subscribe. Do that too if you decide to, or ignore them.

BHSPitMonkey 3y ago

It's already been shared in the comments, but look into Human Resource Machine. It's a fun little game that tricks you into learning to solve problems in assembly.

schemescape 3y ago
Note that it’s a very short game.
- herewulf 3y ago
  Fortunately there is 7 Billion Humans, its sequel.

thaumasiotes 3y ago

> But would really love to see more games with automation (like Factorio) but where the automation was coded. > I was excited this was such a list, until I realized it wasn’t software engineering. SpaceChem is a programming game, and it's on the list, but it's not categorized under Hacking, Computer Science, Logic, and Automation, which would have been the correct category. It's listed under Puzzle & Casual instead. Opus Magnum has the same problem. SpaceChem is more "programmy" than Opus Magnum. Do you like writing Befunge?

idoubtit 3y ago

Bitburner is in the list, and it's an excellent game where you have to code (JS/Typescript). The date 2021 is wrong like many others in the page: it's probably the introduction on Stream, because the game goes back to 2016. It's an open-source game (reading the source code is sometimes recommended) and can be played in the browser at https://bitburner-official.github.io/ https://bitburner-official.github.io/ It's a long and rather hard game, but I liked its learning curve. You'll need to understand the way the "world of the game" works, then define and code a strategy. Then other "worlds" appear, where other strategies are required. I enjoyed playing it and I have 5k lines of TS code in my Git repository for bitburner.

solardev 3y ago
Oh, thanks for that correction! I changed the date on Bitburner. If you know of any other errors, please let me know (here or as a PR/issue in the repo). Appreciate it!

mbirth 3y ago

What do you think of elevator logic? https://play.elevatorsaga.com/ https://play.elevatorsaga.com/

solardev 3y ago

Making a new category is easy, but as you said, I don't think there are a whole lot that could go in it? I'll at least add Autonauts for now, though! Do you think Bitburner, Exapunks, while true: learn(), TIS-100, and Screeps would belong there too, or do you think a category specifically for "Production automation via code" would be more helpful? PS That category just sounds like work you can get paid for, lol :)